Rejuvenating Neighborhoods and Communities Through Parks—A Guide To Success www.NRPA.org National Recreation and Park Association © 2011 All Rights Reserved 58 Outcomes Assessment Models Existing models for outcomes assessment are in use in social services, health, and community change efforts They can also be useful for park and recreation applications United Way’s Logic Model Many United Way groups across the country have been involved in outcomes assessment for some time now They regard it as an important tool for their mission to provide funding to other community agencies—funding that those agencies expect to use to address important community issues With respect to any one issue, they can use outcomes assessment to predict the effectiveness and efficiency of various proposals Many United Way affiliates conduct a survey every few years to identify the critical needs and issues of a specific community The results from these surveys then serve as the basis for the short- and long-term outcomes examined in the outcomes assessment Commonly identified community needs and issues include drug abuse and prevention; the lack of positive, healthy activities for at-risk youth; high school dropout rates; and increases in chronic disease and mortality United Way’s logic model approach for assessment assumes that a particular intervention—which could be a program, policy, or particular project—produces a specific, desired outcome or result The strength of the actual assessment is closely tied to the accuracy of the assumption The example of a summer day camp illustrates a logic model approach and shows two outcomes • Each youth participated in a minimum of 45 minutes of moderate physical activity at least three days per week for a minimum of a five-week period • Each attendee learned the rules and basic skills of a lifetime physical activity: tennis The assessment in this summer camp example is based on two premises: that physical activity addresses issues of potential overweight and obesity, and that acquiring lifetime skills as a child has a carry-over effect in adulthood Logic Model Sample for Summer Camp Program Inputs Activities Outputs Outcomes 6 staff Healthy meals Healthy snacks Physical activity equipment Summer camp Daily team sports Daily tennis lessons 100 youth attending 5 days for 6 hours a day for 6 weeks Each youth participated in a minimum of 45 min of moderate physical activity at least 3 days a week for a minimum of 5 weeks Each attendee learned the rules and basic skills of a lifetime physical activity: tennis The underlying premise of the logic model of outcomes assessment is that a particular intervention, program, policy, or project produces a specific, desired outcome or result Therefore, the availability of credible research to support the value and relationship of the intervention is critical For example, the 2010 NRPA Research Papers offer an example of using research to support the logic model addressing the goal of “healthy and successful youth” through after-school programming
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