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Adventures in Research: Issue 7

Recently, while working with a client to co-design goals for an evaluation of her highly regarded youth development organization, she proposed centering the evaluation around a question that isn’t often asked: What is the ABSOLUTE best we can do for our young people?

This is a bold question, especially from an executive of a respected, long-established organization with a board that closely monitors every move.

She’s not just asking, “What is our impact?” She’s suggesting a willingness to completely rethink and revamp the current service model if it means achieving greater impact.

In a world with limited resources and constantly evolving challenges, we need more individuals willing to ask this question: What is the ABSOLUTE best we can do for kids?

It’s the perfect question to think about as everyone becomes fully entrenched in the school year.

—Alicia

We’re Going Back to Our Roots…

As we embark on our ninth year in business, I find myself caught up in the day-to-day tasks of running a business.

But I started this business because I am committed to ensuring that all young people have access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.

This summer, I spent some time recalibrating to make sure I keep that focus at the forefront of my work. In the midst of this process, I spotted this flower on my walk to work. I will never cease to be amazed by the rare flower that thrives in the most inhospitable environments.

This flower perfectly encapsulates why I started a youth development research agency in the first place: If I can be even a small cog in a system that helps all young people thrive (even when it seems the odds are stacked against them), then count me in.

What does this mean for you, our clients? We’re doubling down on our commitment to supporting young people through thoughtful, rigorous research that provides actionable insights and moves the scientific conversation forward.

I’m holding on tightly to this sentiment as we settle into the new school year and start thinking about how we can broaden our impact on the lives of youth and families.

Are You Experiencing “Effect Size” Paralysis

Effect size paralysis is an incredibly common condition in which people hear the phrase “effect size” but don’t totally understand why they should care about it, so they zone out (see also statistics-induced boredom).

Here’s how I encourage you to think about effect sizes in program evaluation…

Effect sizes allow you to go beyond answering the question, “Does this program work?” to answer much more nuanced questions such as, “How big is the program’s impact?” and “Which components of the program are most effective?”

And guess what? Once you can answer those questions, you’ll be in a much stronger position to create efficiencies in programming and know which aspects of your program to scale to elevate your impact.

And if that doesn’t get you excited about effect sizes, well, I don’t know what will!

What We’re Geeking Out About . . .

This is probably the closest I’ll ever come to fame: a podcast interview with the incredible business coach Natalie Eckdahl, MBA.

Her podcasts (“BizChix” and “The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants”) are my go-to recommendations for service entrepreneurs.

Click here to listen to the episode I’m featured in.

What’s Next For Us

We have a Fall that’s chock-a-block full of exciting collaborations with clients we’ve known for years and clients we are working with for the first time.

Reminder: If you are ready to start the program evaluation process or have a youth research project in mind, now’s a great time to chat. Grab a spot on one of our calendars or email us directly.

Wishing you a wonderful fall. See you in December.

Best,
The Team at Lynch Research Associates

Email us or just put a time on our calendar to talk more:

Lynch Research Associates

1 South Avenue
Natick, Massachusetts 01760

info@lynchresearchassociates.com
508-494-3751

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With Lynch Research Associates, you’re always in capable hands.

Let’s talk about your research project.

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Rigorous research. Real-life impact.

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