Challenge
Gender inequalities are a structural issue in our society. This is why, working to prevent young people from reproducing them must be a priority. In this context, the 3 Voltes program, from the Agència Catalana de la Joventut (ACJ) -Catalan Youth Agency-, aims to raise awareness, train and accompany professionals to take action by designing and implementing projects. Specifically, projects that promote equality and prevent gender-based violence among young people.
The ACJ wants to carry out a double evaluation of the program. On the one hand, to know how the implementation of the program is working: how are the different components of the program working? Are work processes efficient? Is the program reaching the whole territory and the different profiles of youth professionals? What is the degree of satisfaction of the different agents involved?
On the other hand, the ACJ also wants to identify the results that the program is obtaining, in order to assess whether it is effective in achieving its objectives: the program is improving the skills of youth professionals in the field of gender issues and gender-based violence? Is it making them feel safe to take action and to implement actions by themselves? Is it promoting coordination and networking with other agents in the territory? And, finally, is the program improving the technical skills of professionals involved in project design, implementation, and evaluation?
Answer
In order to satisfy this request, an evaluation that combines qualitative methods (interviews and focus groups) with the analysis of documentary sources, provided by the ACJ, has been carried out by Spora Sinergies.
In the first place, a matrix has been built as a result of reviewing the provided documentation. Specifically, to organize the information about the different territories and professionals who have participated in the two replications of the 3 Voltes program and the projects implemented. This has allowed to systematized the extensive volume of information provided.
Second, strengths and weaknesses of some general aspects of the program (coordination and planning, communication between agents, etc.) and its main components (training, advice and project implementation) have been identified. Regarding the evaluation of the results, an analysis of the capacity of the program to achieve the expected results for each of the specific objectives has been undertaken. In addition, the role that 3 Voltes is playing in the gender mainstreaming among youth policies has been explored.
Third, different institutional and social factors that may be interfering in the implementation and the outcomes of the program have been identified. Thereby, these factors can be taken into account for the elaboration of the next edition’s program theory of change or logical framework.
Finally, Spora has added a set of recommendations and proposals to improve the 3 Voltes program.
