Making Evaluation Work For Your Agency

Jamie Moody, MS March 10, 2007 California & Pacific Southwest Recreation & Park Training Conference

  CDC US Obesity Maps & Trends http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesit y/trend/maps/

1990 Obesity Trends Among U.S. Adults 1995 2005 (BMI



30) No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%

Risk Factors for Premature Death-California (Prevalence)

1. Use information from research that has already been done and is recognized & respected

Did You Know That… From www.nrpa.org

2/3 of older adults who visit parks report moderate or high levels of physical activity during their visit? (1) Active users of public parks have a lower body mass index (a ratio between weight and height) than did people who use parks passively or not at all? (1) People who visited for longer periods of time (one hour or more) had significantly lower systolic blood pressures than those who only stayed for short periods of time (less than one hour)? (2) Park users who were more physically active and who made frequent contact with friends through their leisure time were less likely to report feeling depressed? (1) Users of a community-based senior wellness program had significantly higher endurance levels, even after controlling for their level of physical activity? (3) Stress relief, clearing one’s mind, and exercise were the most common benefits that older adults attributed to their park visits? (1) People who visited parks with companions (as opposed to visiting alone) reported significantly higher levels of physical health? (2) Citizens who had better access to parks, visited parks more frequently, and engaged in physically-active park behaviors also made fewer visits to their doctor (for reasons other than a regular check-up)? (1) People who visited parks more frequently were more likely to have a positive perception of their general health? (1) 50% of older adults who participated in light to moderate aerobic park activity reported being in a better mood after visiting parks? (4) Research subjects who drove through a simulated park environment recovered more quickly from stressful situations than those who drove past a simulated environment dominated by built structures? (5) Older adults who engaged in a broad repertoire of park and recreation activities were more likely to report higher levels of perceived physical health? (6)

2. Connect the resarch to your agency or mission

Incidents

Murder Sexual Assault Robbery Assault Res Burglary Comm Burglary Vandalism Narcotics Prostitution Drunk in Public Truancy Curfew Auto Theft Auto Burglary Accidents Citations DUI

Neighborhood eWatch Freeways Major Roads Streets* Schools Lakes Parks Cities Neighborhoods Beats Divisions Council Dist None

3. Don’t ‘compete’ with other community agencies, partner with them.

3 rd Street Main Street Hilltop

Main Street

70% of people surveyed would walk (or bike) up to 1/2 mile for shopping or personal business if the journey was safe and pleasant.

National Study on Walking and Bicycling. Federal Highway Administration. 1992 One-fourth of all trips people make are one mile or less, but three-fourths of these short trips are made by car.

Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey. US Dept. of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Research and Technical Support Center. Lanham, MD: Federal Highway Administration, 1997

The neighborhoods many San Diegans find most charming are older, dense, highly walkable - and would be illegal to replicate in most suburban areas.

Tools for Reducing Vehicle Trips Through Land Use Design. San Diego County Air Pollution Control District. 1998

Up to twice as many people may walk or bicycle in neighborhoods that are transit oriented than in neighborhoods that are auto-oriented. . Rutherford GS, McCormack E, Wikinson M. Travel impacts of urban form: Implications from an analysis of two Seattle area travel diaries. Presented at the TMIP Conference on Urban Design, Telecommunications & Travel Forecasting.

Cervero R and Gorham R. Commuting in transit versus automobile neighborhoods. Journal of the American Planning Association 61: 210-225. 1995.

People are more active in neighborhoods that are perceived as safe. Of those who report living in unsafe neighborhoods, about half of women and the elderly are inactive. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System – United States, 1996, 1997, 1998. Atlanta, US Dept. of Health & Human Services and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. 1996 - 1998.

4. Link to your agency mission, then to community missions, then to CPRS/NRPA missions. The more links the better “established” your agency looks & the more consistent & clear your message will be.

Over the next 5 years, 30% of Recreation Directors will retire.

Boomers

78 Million

# DOB

1946-1994

Gen X

43 Million 1965-1979

Gen Y

73 Million 1980-1991

Purchasing Power of Kids 4-12

Category

Food/Beverage Toys Clothing Movies/Sports Video Arcades Other

Spending (billions $)

$7.7

$6.5

$3.6

$2.0

$1.3

$2.3

Percent

33% 28% 15% 8% 6% 10% McNeal, 1998

Readily Available Resources

CPRS  Needs Assessments  Survey Samples  Reports Conference Presentations Other Organizations/Agencies Collaborations Internet

Important!

Time University Partner Collaboration An established system

The Youth Development Block Grant uses this program description which you can use in your next budget justification: , 104th Congress (S673) “Youth development program(s) help youth deal successfully with the challenges of adolescence and prepare them for the independence and responsibilities of being parents, workers and citizens, by attempting to help youth develop ‘competencies.’ These programs also: • conduct activities with a primarily nonacademic focus; • employ primarily active and experimental learning methods; and • promote the competencies through group and one-to-one activities, which may include activities in youth clubs, sports and recreation, peer counseling and teaching, mentoring, arts, values education, ………”