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Session Title: Low-cost, High-Quality Assessments for Nonprofit Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program Planning
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Panel Session 564 to be held in BONHAM B on Friday, Nov 12, 10:55 AM to 11:40 AM
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Sponsored by the Non-profit and Foundations Evaluation TIG
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| Chair(s): |
| Shannon Flynn, South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, sflynn@teenpregnancysc.org
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| Abstract:
This panel will focus on the challenge of conducting evaluations in settings with limited resources, such as nonprofits. Solid assessment data is required to design effective interventions but collection of data may seem too costly and cumbersome with shrinking evaluation budgets. Recently, the South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (Campaign) conducted two evaluations to assess environmental structures that may impede or promote contraceptive use among 18 – 19 year old youth that yielded valuable results for program planning, but required limited amounts of organizational resources: staff, time, and money. The first evaluation examines the availability of sexual health services on college campuses and the second illustrates the experience of adolescents who purchase condoms. Success and challenges with methods will be described. The Campaign is a 15 year old nonprofit that prevents teen pregnancy by building the capacity of organizations and communities through education, technical assistance, public awareness, advocacy and research.
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Bread, Milk, Condoms: Using Low-cost Strategies to Assess Youth Experiences with Condom Purchasing in Two Communities
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| Shannon Flynn, South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, sflynn@teenpregnancysc.org
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| Sarah Kershner, South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, skershner@teenpregnancysc.org
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| Dana Becker, South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy,
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Using a qualitative and quantitative survey instrument*, a semi-structured interview process, and a follow up survey, the South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (Campaign) assessed youth experience of purchasing condoms at 92 retail stores using a cost-effective evaluation design. This presentation will describe methods used, low-cost strategies employed, and strengths and weaknesses of the evaluation design and data gathered. Community adolescents were partnered with Campaign staff and community volunteers to shop for condoms and participate in a survey including: the ease of finding condoms, perceived attitudes of store staff, variety of condoms available, and other dimensions of the shopping experience. Community members and adolescents reviewed the results and commented on results. Findings will illustrate the possibility of gathering data to inform program development using cost-effective strategies and challenges will be highlighted.
*instrument created by Philliber Research Associates served as the foundation for survey tool used in this project
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Older Youth Pregnancy Prevention: Using Low-cost Methods to Assess Sexual Health Services in Institutions of Higher Learning and Identify Outreach Opportunities
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| Sarah Kershner, South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, skershner@teenpregnancysc.org
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| Shannon Flynn, South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, sflynn@teenpregnancysc.org
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| Mary Prince, South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, mprince@teenpregnancysc.org
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Despite the economic climate, high-quality evaluation is vital to assess resources and design effective strategies. As part of a larger project to understand risk and protective factors for pregnancy among 18-19 year olds, the SC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (Campaign) surveyed colleges to assess the extent to which sexual health information and services were provided on campus. This presentation will focus on cost-effective methods used conduct this assessment including online survey tools, relationship building, and successful follow-up techniques that yielded an 80% response rate and greatly increased the value of the data. In addition to the assessment of colleges, the Campaign used integrated administrative data from multiple sources (social service system, Medicaid billing records, and juvenile justice), to identify potential points of intervention for pregnancy prevention beyond colleges. Recommendations for getting the “best bang for your evaluation buck” will be discussed as well as lessons learned.
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