Browsing by Subject "assessment and evaluation"

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    From Ripples to Waves: Exploring Ripple Effects of the Bloomington Leadership Program
    (Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2023) Benson, Rachel; DeBellis, Ruby; Johnson, Annika; Paschall, Jason
    This project was completed as part of a partnership between the City of Bloomington and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (http://www.rcp.umn.edu). In 2022, the City of Bloomington launched a new strategic plan, "Bloomington. Tomorrow. Together" (BTT). The main objectives of BTT are to create a more welcoming, healthy, and economically equitable community. Bloomington project lead Diann Kirby and other staff from the City partnered with students in Peter Brown's PA 8081: Planning and Public Policy Capstone course in spring of 2023 to assess the Bloomington Leadership Program--which seeks to promote civic engagement, break down barriers, increase understanding of local government, and develop leaders in the Bloomington community--and measure its performance against the strategic objectives in the BTT. Students used Ripple Effects Mapping (REM) as a qualitative evaluation method to document and measure the impacts of the program. They found that the program strengthened community involvement, deepened engagement with local government, energized new leaders, and allowed participants to gain knowledge about their community, all of which significantly builds human and social capital for the City and ultimately creates a more welcoming community. The students’ final report and presentation are available.