Young Evaluators Confident Children Club Consultation Report Produced by the members of Dartford and Gravesham Young Evaluators Project 2010 - 2012
January 2012
Contents Foreward Background & Brief Key Challenges Approach Our Findings Our Recommendations Acknowledgements
3 4 5 6-7 8 - 16 17 - 18 19
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Foreword Foreword Young peoples participation is central to the improvement of services that are provided to them in Dartford and Gravesham. Involving young people in decision-making results in many benefits for young people, staff and organisations. By actively involving young people in evaluating services young people donʼt want to use. After the Young Evaluators had completed their training and pilot piece of work ”The Mystery Shopping Project” the group were approached to carry out a piece of research with a local holiday club, primarily delivered by volunteers. The Dartford and Gravesham Young Evaluators Project focuses on the principles of peer research and whilst this piece of work wasnʼt entirely peer research it was agreed that as part of the programme that it would be a good opportunity to broaden the Young Evaluators skills and experience even further, as well as provide the local project with research that would help their project further develop. The Young Evaluators were given the brief by the client, “The Confident Children Club” along with all the key objectives. The Young Evaluators worked with the brief and developed a bespoke consultation for the project which would help them deliver a piece of work that would provide overarching recommendations for the projects core content, delivery and evidence for future funding applications. This piece of work and subsequent findings report has been their first piece of commissioned work highlighting the real experiences of those young people using the service and therefore their findings valuable for future service improvement guidance. The group did not use the Teenage Friendly Service Standards which they have developed as they felt that this research needed a different approach in order to achieve the objectives of the brief. I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the young people taking part for their dedication and commitment to the training and the investment in their own personal development is commendable. I know that all of the group have gained experience, skills and confidence by participating and that taking on board the views of the Young Evaluators will enhance the skills and knowledge of service providers
Juli Dosad Juli Dosad Project Coordinator
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The Background The Confident Children Project is delivered out of Riverside Centre Gravesend during school holidays but is open to all Kent children. It is a fee-based project and referrals to it are made through teachers or other professionals or quite often as self-referrals. The week-long project is a mix of confidence building workshops as well as activities that have been designed and developed by one volunteer coordinator and delivered with the support of several other volunteers working with the holiday project. The aim of the project is to equip and empower the children taking part with skills and confidence at home, play and in their community. The project does carry out end of program evaluations but these are currently carried out with the parents and carers and not directly with the children. The project was therefore keen to collect the experiences, opinions and recommendations of the young people taking part so that they could inform and shape the future of the project
The Brief As a result The Young Evaluators were asked to attend on the final day of the week long project to carry out a piece of research with the children taking part, that would assist with the project with: • establishing what is working well and not so well and so what improvements may be needed • what activities, trips and confidence workshops the children wanted included in future programmes • their opinions of the staff delivering and supporting the project • their overall experiences of being involved in the project • what impact the project has on the children • recommendations for change 4
Key Challenges We were conscious that they had a limited time frame of just two hours to carry out the piece of research, with children who were made up of both boys and girls, of an age range spanning between 5 – 12 years, from diverse backgrounds and of varying abilities. We decided that we needed to make sure that the research session was: • carried out in a rapid appraisal format or similar • engaging for all those children taking part • easy for them to understand • straightforward for us to evaluate It was still important though that whatever we decided we would need to make sure that it would allow us to collect all the information we needed in order to produce a findings report that would help the project further improve and develop, whilst being quality assured by children and young people at two levels.
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The Approach We held a series of planning meetings to consider the brief and develop a series of question sets that would meet the key objectives of the research and then develop the resources for the day. We decided that we would theme the question sets and break the research down into four areas. This would help us manage the research process, be clearer and so easier for the participants to understand and simpler to evaluate and for us to produce a clear and to the point findings report as the project had requested. As a result we agreed on using a series of colourful and engaging mind maps, bright coloured pens and funky stickers, that were fast moving and interactive. We are very familiar with this approach and know that it works well with children and young people of all age ranges, particularly because they get to really take part by adding their comments directly onto the paper. It also has a lot of visual impact that children and young people feel able to connect with. We decided to use different coloured pens to help us profile the responses into genders and as our brief had not asked for the information to be separated out further into age ranges this we felt, was the ideal approach.
A Little Competition So that we would also keep the attention of the children involved we introduced an element of competition by getting the children into two teams where they competed for prizes. Mini games were played out between research sessions, lasting just one minute at a time. This would keep them alert and build the relationships with 6 those that they were working with.
Positive Contribution In addition we decided to make observations throughout our time with the children and young people on who in our opinion was the girl and boy that made the most positive contribution to the session. This meant the people who had not only got really involved and contributed a great deal but those that supported others throughout the session. Each of the successful children was awarded a certificate as well as a small prize in recognition of their contribution.
Certificates Each of the children taking part was awarded a certificate for their personal portfolio thanking them and acknowledging them for their participation and valued contribution to the research.
Feedback It has been agreed that the project would feedback directly to the children and young people that took part on the day.
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Our Findings The findings presented below reflect the view, opinions and recommendations made by the children and young people from the Confident Children始s Project during December 2011 for the project. During our evaluation we consulted with 18 children in total. 11 boys and seven girls between the ages of five and 12. We categorised the points set out in the brief into four groups; content, delivery, outcome and future plans. We were then able to divide the children into smaller groups so that they were able to answer all the questions we developed on a rota basis. Content The first theme for the consultation was to get an understanding of how the children perceive the project and what they enjoy about it. The majority of the boys and girls report that The Confident Children Club is a good place to make new friends, meet up with existing friends and take part in the activities that are delivered. One girl said she felt embarrassed having to take part and another said that she found some of the others taking part, annoying. When asked what suggestions they would make to improve the content of what was delivered in the club it was clear that the because the boys held a bigger power base that their suggestions for more games consoles and sports based activities [particularly football], was not surprising. The girls on the other hand all stated that they would prefer games where they work together more and more trips to places in their area they do not usually go.
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Our Findings Interestingly another boy suggested that that a change of venue would make the programme work better but gave no reason why he felt this way. Whilst we did not have time during the consultation to tease this out with the rest of the group this may be something that might be worth exploring at another stage with the whole group. The children also shared what which activities they preferred to see as part of the core programme delivery. By a clear margin the group stated that computer games was an activity they would like to see on the programme but again this came predominately from the boys. A common theme emerged across the consultation from both the boys and girls which related to how important outdoor play is within the programme and that this is an activity which they would happily see more of within the programme delivery, particularly in the summer. The talent show that formed part of the week’s confidence and self esteem activity was also a keen favourite and a similar activity for each holiday session would be something that would be welcomed by the young people in the future. The activities which were least favoured by the young people taking part were those that were ‘learning’ and ‘writing’ based sessions. Presumably these are some of the more specific confidence building workshops. If this is the case then it may be worth considering the delivery of these sessions, as clearly they are a significantly important part of the programme so need to be included but possibly delivered in a more engaging and innovative way. A number of girls expressed their dismay and discomfort at level of ‘fighting that the boys do’ during the sessions. They reported that this was uncomfortable and disruptive as well as for some really off putting and so may possibly put them off attending again. 9
Our Findings It is clear that there are clear benefits for some of the children who are involved and taking part but that the sessions are at times not felt to be fully inclusive or not entirely successful. One girl said ‘I hate being left out’ and another ‘I did feel ignored, I found it difficult to be heard because I am quiet…I don’t like it when people are talking all the time and then they can’t hear me” Whilst this would seem just a small number, nevertheless it is important that these comments are listened to as it suggests that not everyone is getting the same from the programme. On further discussion it was established that feeling left out or disengaged was often the result for some, of the bad or disruptive behaviour of some [and often boys] taking part. This behaviour is having a negative impact on what learning, enjoyment and engagement the rest of class are able to achieve or experience.
In terms of the structure to the programme, particularly the length of the sessions, there was a clear difference of opinion with equal numbers of children reporting that they felt the sessions were either too long or too short but with the majority stating that they felt that the sessions were ‘just right’ at their current length. Example Question: Were you made to feel involved?
Yes No Don’t Know Total
Girls 4 0 3 7
Boys 8 3 0 11
Total 12 3 3 18
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Our Findings Delivery This element of the consultation was designed to assess the opinions of the children on how well they felt the programme was delivered. We initially investigated the opinions of the children on the workers. For the purpose of the report we have labeled the workers 1-4 to maintain discretion and anonymity. The numbers correspond to the workers, which can be found in the raw data. By majority the most popular worker was number 1 because she is funny, kind and always listens. The least popular was number 4 because ‘she is too bossy.’ On the face of it, it would seem that the children seemed a little indifferent on the age of their current worker. However when asked if they would prefer younger workers 56% said they would. They stated that they would prefer a younger worker was because ‘they would know us better’. One girl said that the idea of younger workers would be ‘so cool’ and it was clear that there were some real positives, including improved engagement and communication for having a mix of staff delivering the programme, including adults and young people who could help with improving aspirations. The general consensus from the children taking part was that having younger workers who are similar in age to them would be people who they could identify with and who would understand where they were coming from. In addition to this it was evident that the whole group wanted to see male workers introduced to the delivery of the programme and that this would have its clear benefits. Both the boys and girls reported that having a male worker would be good for activities such as football but more importantly that a male worker would help with the current balance of workers who are all currently female
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Our Findings Example Question as recorded in the raw data: Would you like to see more young people as workers in the project? • Yes x 6 • Yes x 4 • There are too many female workers and not enough male workers and not enough sports it would be good if we could have a boy to help us do sports • We want more males as there are too many females • I don’t mind really but it is a good idea • More males • I think it would be good to have younger workers they would know us better • Yes they can connect with us more • It would be good to have young leaders so they are like us • Young workers would be soo cool
Outcome We felt that the most important evaluation was to assess what the children felt that they had gained from the programme, that is the impact that it had made on them. This would in turn help us identify whether or not the programme has helped those taking part develop and improve in self confidence and esteem. Children were asked how confident they felt prior to their involvement in the programme. A total of 39% said that felt very confident and 33% stated that their confidence ranged from ok – not at all confident. Many of the boys and girls taking part had told us that they did not like working with others or being a part of a team.
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Our Findings Example Questions taken from the raw data How confident did you feel before you joined the confident children project? Girls 2 3 1 0 1
Boys 5 2 0 2 2
Total 7 5 1 2 3
Very confident Quite confident Ok A bit confident Not at all confident Total 7 11 18 • My mum explained it to me so it made me feel better • I felt nervous at first but then my dad explained what was going to happen • RECOMMENDATION FROM ONE BOY - I think it would be better if I had the information sent to me and not my mum then I would know what was going on
After the week of confidence building the statistics had significantly improved with not one child reporting their lack in confidence or ‘not at all confident’. The general improvement was across the board with reports ranging from some stating that they had improved at least a little with others stating that they now felt very confident. Additional comments revealed that the children felt more confident because they knew the people better. When asked about their involvement the children gave the impression that they were often encouraged to take part in activities and given a lot of support by the staff when they felt uncomfortable with an activity. As with other questions the general response is positive however 17% of the children (all boys) said that they did not feel involved. The comment ‘I don’t like strangers’ may have been from one of these boys because they were reluctant to mix hence they felt a little sense of involvement. 13
Our Findings When asked about their involvement the majority of children said that they were encouraged to take part in activities and given a lot of support by the staff when they felt uncomfortable with an activity. However 17% of the children (all boys) said that they did not feel involved and further clarification identified that this primarily related to the reluctance to mix with others, particularly with girls in work based sessions. Example Question taken from the raw data: How confident do you feel now at the end of the week? • I know everyone now • I know most of the people now • If I had met them before I joined the club I would know the people • I feel better because I know every person • I have to play Dhol Cindian Drum at Woodville Halls!
Very confident Quite confident Ok A bit confident Not at all confident Total
Girls 2 3 2 0 0
Boys 6 3 0 2 0
Total 8 6 2 2 0
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Using the information again regarding the experiences of the children taking part in relation to feeling valued and listened to, the majority of the children reported that they felt valued and listened to by those running the programme. Only 1/6 said that they did not feel listened to. One girl explained this was because she was ‘quiet’ is often unheard when everyone is talking. 14
Our Findings Fifty percent of children reported that the one single thing that had the most impact on them throughout the programme was being with or making new friends. This element of the evaluation identified that developing and maintaining friendships with their peers plays an important part of children’s confidence building process. The impact of positive relationships on self esteem and confidence is evident and that the programme provides a good platform where these relationships and subsequent increased self confidence and self esteem can be nurtured. The children were asked what the feel they have learnt from the Confident Children programme that is different to what they have learnt from school. The common themes again were reported as their having learnt to be confident in themselves as individuals through establishing new relationships and making friends. Additional responses included developing a greater sense if maturity and how to ‘feel better about myself,’ which clearly demonstrates that the programme is providing additional outcomes including improved self esteem as well as confidence.
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Our Findings Future The final theme focussed on what the children would like to see included in future programmes, including trips and activities. This would help with future planning, content design and commissioning of services. Activities and Sessions General recommendations from the boys of the group were board games sessions, cooking, films, sports days and a DJ workshops. Further suggestions can be seen in the raw data. Included in suggestions received from the girls was, cycling proficiency, ICT and art based sessions and taking part in Kent Wildlife insect and wildlife workshops. A wide range of activities were suggested by the children but not all of these will necessarily help to increase the confidence or self esteem but having the opportunity to be involved in the future development and shaping of the programme, will. They clearly had many ideas for future content inclusions and programme development that will likely result in the increased take up as it will be fit for purpose. Without a doubt there was a clear front runner in terms of more outdoor activities being operated in future programmes.
Also reported was wanting to take part in activities that would increase their learning, develop skills and share new experiences. This included but was not limited to, singing, dancing and painting. Children had clearly enjoyed the planning and rehearsing for their talent show that week and had stated that this had helped their self confidence. They had said they would like to do something similar in the future. Over 85% of the children stated that one such idea could be for them to write, produce and perform their own play. 16
Our Recommendations Conclusion On the day of the consultation it was evident that due to the greater number of boys taking part in the programme that they had a stronger power base which often left the girls feeling over shadowed and fighting for a voice in the group. When collating data this could skew the results in favour of the boys opinions, ideas, experiences and recommendations. It was for this reason that the raw data provided to the project to support and act as evidence this report was profiled. What was also clear was that because there were more boys, who were quite confident together that when separated were less so and often these were the experiences and opinions that were more individual rather than that formulated within their peer group. The girls generally appeared to be less confident within the group or as individuals but enjoyed working in smaller groups where the power balance was diluted. The girls did share that the negative behaviour caused by fighting and shouting that the boys displayed throughout the week did contribute to this lack of self confidence and could possibly affect their decisions to come again Overall it was clear that the children are benefitting from their involvement in the programme particularly gaining more confidence in developing relationships with their peers and along with this their social skills are improving. Whilst children are attending the programme their main priority isn’t whether or not their self confidence and self esteem is developed and improved but more that they are able to have a voice within the group, develop relationships with their peers in a safe secure and happy environment. Although developing the ability to socialise and communicate with people from different backgrounds, cultures and communities does build confidence and self esteem, it seems that the ‘Confident Children’ is making a bigger impact on their confidence resulting from developing sound social skills rather than confidence that 17 might be applied to other areas of a young persons life.
Our Recommendations Our recommendations are based on the data that we collected during the consultation with the children on how the programme could be improved in terms of delivery, content and outcomes for the Confident Children Club. Recommendation 1 That information should be sent both to parents as well as the children prior to their attending in appropriate formats Recommendation 2 To take positive steps towards engaging both a male worker and young person as a worker. Recommendation 3 Ensure that there as much as possible that there are equal numbers of girls and boys attending the club and where this is not possible to consider the potential of working in smaller mixed groups and/or gender specific groups for some sessions in order to work on more specific confidence issues without feeling pressure from their peers. Recommendation 4 That bad behaviour is addressed both in the sessions and activities in order to alleviate the isolation, fear and negative impact that this has on learning, engagement and enjoyment Recommendation 5 When new members to the programme are introduced that there is specific work included on developing trust, building relationships, a greater focus on respect and inclusion so that all young people are able to fully participate, have their voice heard and make a positive contribution to their own personal development and that of their peers. 18
Acknowledgements Thank you to Dartford and Gravesham Local Childrenʼs Trust Boards for supporting the project and to Juli Dosad, the project coordinator for supporting us through our training and beyond.
Becca – Tolu – Dan – Libby – Eddie
Anecdotes “When I first came I felt nervous but then I got used to it and got some friends” “I learn to get a killer instinct – I learnt how to stick up for myself” “It would be good to have young leaders so they are like us” “I have enjoyed every moment” “They were all very welcoming so I never felt left out”
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Dartford and Gravesham Young Evaluators Project Project Coordintor Juli Dosad Banter Limited Mobile: 07834473384 Email: juli@banter.uk.net Website: www.banter.uk.net This report was prepared by Tolu Oluwadare