Transcript Document

Youth led focus groups bringing young people in
evaluation into FOCUS
Angela Da Re
CARS Consultant
Community Prevention Initiative Workshop
Youth In Focus: A Step-By Step Guide to Conducting Youth-Led Focus Groups
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Welcome!
 Who are You?
 Who am I?
 Why are we here?
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Clumps and clumps with a twist
 ……….A game
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Housekeeping
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Agenda
Group Agreements
Parking Lot
Expectations
Restrooms
Breaks
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THE SCIENCE>>>>
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Research methods, when to choose
focus groups
 What is the purpose of the evaluation?
 Who is the information for?
 Who will use the findings?
 What kinds of information are needed?
 When is the information needed?
 What resources are available?
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Two Categories of Research
 Qualitative
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 Quantitative
Qualitative Defined
 Qualitative research - analysis of data
such as words, pictures or objects. Tends to
be subjective in nature.
Includes:
 Anecdotes
 Case studies
 Focus groups
 Key informant interviews
 Observations
 Analysis of existing files
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Quantitative Defined
 Quantitative research - involves
analysis of numerical data, is more
measurable.
Includes:
 Counting
 Checklists
 Surveys
 Pre-post tests
 Analysis of existing statistics
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Multi-method Evaluation
Benefits
 Multiple perspectives
 Balance
 Utility
 Credibility
 Methodological rigor
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Multi-method evaluation
Limitations
 Expertise needs
 Cost
 Complexity
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Who can do Research?
 YOU CAN DO RESEARCH!!!!!!!
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What is a Focus Group?
 A focus group is a
form of qualitative
research in which a
small group of similar
individuals are invited
to provide specialized
knowledge or insight
into the issue under
study.
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THE ART>>>>
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Focus Groups
Advantages
 Provides insights
 Reveals consensus and diversity
 Richness of information
 Defining of reasons
 Instructive
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Focus Groups
Limitations
 Representation
 Information overload
 Subjective
 Opinion dominance
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Focus Groups –
Why we use them
 Hearing from those without a voice
 Gaining in-depth information
 Community needs assessment
 Program refinement
 Evaluation
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Step 1 –
How to Use Results
Intended use of results guides the
delivery and content.
What you want determines what you’ll need
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Step 2 -
Select Target Audience
 Whose behavior are we trying to
change (target population)?
 Who all contributes to the desired
behavior change. How? Do they have
insight into the topic?
 Who represents the target population?
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Step 3 –
Develop Plan
 Which groups will be interviewed
 How many of each group
 Develop recruitment plan
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Finding Participants – Part 1
 Gaining access to your target
audience
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Finding Participants – Part 2
 Invitation
 Convenience
 Schedules
 Incentives
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Finding Participants – Part 3
Making sure they show up
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Reminders
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Develop Questions
 Avoid yes/no questions
 Participants may choose to speak from
observations, not always self experience
 Use simple, clear language
 Avoid biased questions
 Choose relevant topics
 Avoid leading questions
 Move from general to specific
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Develop questions
continued
 Follow-up questions for depth
 Probing question, examples
 “Why” , why to avoid.
Get them thinking
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Activity – Part 1
Preparing questions in advance
Break into groups of 2 people, each duo
will develop mock interview questions.
Begin with general questions and add
more specific, probing questions.
Example: What do you think of your city?
What is your favorite place there, why do
you like it?
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Activity - Part 2
…now, find another pair and take turns
asking the questions your team
developed
Note the listening skills of the
interviewer:
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Did they make eye contact?
Did their body language encourage
participation?
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Characteristics of a good
facilitator
 Good listening
skills
 Personable
 Unbiased
 Friendly
 Knowledgeable
 Approachable
 Inclusive
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 Capable of not
reacting to
answers (positively
or negatively)
 Capable of
handling all types
of respondents
 Flexible
Activity – Listening Skit
We were given two ears, but only
one mouth. That’s because listening is
twice as hard as talking.
The key is to Act like a good listener
tilt your face toward the speaker
look at the other person
use receptive language “I see, uh huh”
concentrate on what the speaker is saying
Activity - Vacation Chat
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Youth as Facilitators
Advantages
 Youth as change
agents
 Peers provide a level
of comfort
 Can speak the youth
language
 Can translate youth
culture
 Others???
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Working with Youth as
Participants
 Permission from parent or guardian
 This rule is very important: direct participants to speak
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from observations of what their peers are doing, not
from self experience
Confidentiality must be stressed so that youth feel safe
to speak.
Caution against group responses that may keep others
from sharing.
Restrict side conversations, and interruptions
If the group is very eager to talk, may use a “talking
stick”
If group not talkative, may go around with an option to
pass
Others….
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Running the Group Timekeeping 101
 Keeping time
 Determine length first and do a trial run
 Be strict with time, but also BE FLEXIBLE –
 Communication with your timekeeper
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Running the Group –
Maintain neutrality
 Behave with interest – but not with
favoritism
 Avoid affirming (positive) statements
 Avoid negative body language or facial
responses
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Running the Group –
Give ‘em’ all a chance
 Encourage non-talkers to be more
expressive
 Make sure all members feel valued
 Give both verbal and non-verbal (a
nod) cues to participants
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Running the Group –
Set the Stage
 Create a friendly, comfortable
atmosphere
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Think about the set-up of the room
How you greet people (chat and be friendly)
Consider an atmosphere that would make
you open up
 The facilitator sets the tone. Your
actions and re-actions will determine
the success of the focus group.
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When the Group Meets
 Review the purpose and goals
 If intent is to record, as permission and explain
use as a recording
 Do introductions
 Go over ground rules:
 RESPECT - others and their opinions
 Encourage opinions –
but also offer the right to pass
 No cell phones/distractions
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What is said in group, stays in group
When the Group Meets
continued
 When all the questions have been asked, ask
if anyone has any other comments
 Tell the group about any next steps that
will occur and what they can expect next
 Thank the group for coming!
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Activity –
Plan and facilitate a focus group
 Break into two groups.
 Each group will design and implement a mini
focus group from start to finish. Determine the
purpose, create the questions, choose a
facilitator and timekeeper, facilitate the focus
group using the other team as your
participants.
 10 minutes prep, 10 minutes
facilitation for each group
 Debrief
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After the Focus Group –
Plan & Transcribe the Data
 Have a clear plan
 Plan for lots o’ time
 Transcript rules
 Do not delay,
memories fade
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Examine the Data
 Data analysis
 Use a team
approach
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Results - Disseminate
 Identify repeating ideas and themes
 Sharing results
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Disseminate Results
continued
 Many opportunities: reports, news,
media, web…
 Use of quotes
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Results – Use Them!
 Use the results- behavior change,
institutional change, social norms,
policy change
 Case Study - alcopops
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The End….
 Questions
 Evaluation
 Thank You
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Where to Get More
Information
http://www.cars-rp.org
http://gardnercenter.stanford.edu
http://www.evaluationtools.org
http://captus.samhsa.gov/western/
resources/bp/step7/index.cfm
 http://www.socialresearchmethods.net
 http://www.amstat.org
 http://casat.unr.edu/westcapt
 Angela Da Re – [email protected]
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