The Scorecard Dimension-How We Measure Success

by Hershel Sarbin
11/17/2009
  • Important to think of our role as Advocates working to achieve the highest possible return on private and public investments to improve the lives of disadvantaged, at risk children and youth in America
  • Programs getting good results—helping to create level playing fields for all kids in communities, counties, and states throughout the country—are seriously under achieving in getting the impact needed , within the communities they service, to engage ordinary citizens, businesses, and government in supporting their efforts
  • In far too many places we fail miserably to marry good works, and good results, to good communication about those results. We—meaning the program leaders, plus the advocacy organizations and foundations that fund the programs—are missing the opportunity to SELL stakeholders in building strong communities on the great outcomes for kids and communities being achieved in areas of health, education, housing, after school and weekend initiatives, that involve children, parents, and neighborhoods.
  • The Scorecard dimension—how we measure success—and spread the word through solutions stories—is a neglected art in child advocacy. It is unimaginable that the power centers in advocating and supporting children, youth, and families, do not place a higher priority on that aspect of program evaluation. The gap between good work and good communication is huge, and costly.
  • Child Advocacy 360 and its partners, Connect for Kids and the FORUM for Youth Investment, are dedicated to bridging that gap through:
  • Major current research on the power of Communication as Catalyst in achieving greater impact from advocacy initiatives and child-youth serving programs everywhere in America
  • Using our network of newsletters and web sites, our Internet broadcast booth, and our skills as story-tellers –to spread the word on Who’s Doing What That Works, and inspire grassroots organizations to create and disseminate persuasive scorecards regarding their work
  • Engaging program and communications leaders at key Foundations and National Child Advocacy organizations to set examples for others, while we assist them in developing standards, way and means, to accomplish responsible measurement of results.
  • Energetic collaboration with national magazines and portals devoted to parenting , and women’s service content—where they will run public service ads and promotions directing millions of readers to ‘caring citizen’ content on our sites--
  • Utilizing our online gifting program, Gardens for Growing Child Well Being, to help high achievers in community programs for kids, to communicate better on their own and network with groups across the country to share Who’s Doing What That Works