Evaluation Services
In addition to doing internal evaluations of our own projects, McCreary carries out independent evaluations for other non-profit agencies.
McCreary adopts a collaborative and flexible approach to evaluations, with the programs being evaluated ultimately deciding on the evaluation approach best suited to meet their needs and goals. All measures and tools are developed in consultation with the organization and other relevant stakeholders, including youth, and modifications are made based on their feedback.
In line with established Canadian research ethics protocols, we adhere to data collection and storage procedures that ensure the confidentiality and anonymity of all participants. We also present data in such a way that individual participants cannot be identified.
McCreary does not use an organization’s evaluation data for purposes other than those agreed to at the outset, without permission of the organization. McCreary also does not share or release an organization’s evaluation results to a third party, without that organization’s consent.
For more information about McCreary's evaluation services, please contact evaluation@mcs.bc.ca
Evaluation Resources
Asking Questions That Matter
This toolkit was devised for the use of Yukon service providers who want to incorporate evaluation into their work with young people. It is the result of two workshops facilitated by McCreary. This toolkit aims to increase understanding evaluation, develop the skills to prepare an evaluation plan, and provide tools to carry out an evaluation of a local community project. It can be downloaded by clicking here.
Independent Evaluations
McCreary has been conducting independent evaluations for programs in a range of areas, including youth justice, housing, anti-discrimination, and mental health and wellness. A sample of these evaluations are described below (listed with permission of the organizations):
CAI’s granting stream Alcohol & Girls: Making Prevention a Priority. McCreary carried out an evaluation of Community Action Initiative’s (CAI) granting stream Alcohol & Girls: Making Prevention a Priority, a program with the objective of reducing the likelihood of harmful alcohol use among girls through an upstream approach. The mixed-method evaluation (2021) assessed the process, outcomes, and learnings of the 21 community organizations awarded grants from CAI in their efforts to increase girls’ resilience and capacity to make informed choices about using alcohol.
To download a copy of the evaluation report, please click here.
To download a copy of of the Summary Infographic, click here.
YMCA’s Y Mind program. McCreary has been evaluating Y Mind since November 2017. The program supports young people who experience mild-to-moderate anxiety symptoms to learn effective skills to cope with their symptoms and improve their overall well-being. This interim evaluation report (January 2021) focuses on findings from Y Mind youth groups (participants aged 18 to 30). It is based on data from three youth surveys (Time 1=1073 youth; Time 2=608 youth; Time 3=155 youth) and a facilitator survey (71 surveys completed).
To download a copy of the most recent evaluation report, please click here.
Aunt Leah’s SEFFY program. McCreary carried out an evaluation of Aunt Leah’s Supporting Education for Foster Youth (SEFFY) from April 2018 to March 2019. The mixed-method evaluation assessed how much SEFFY has helped participants with their academic planning and goals, and canvassed participants’ suggestions for how the program could be improved. The evaluation also captured the degree to which three recent policy changes have affected program participants, specifically the availability of free Adult Basic Education (for high-school level courses); the BC tuition waiver program for youth from government care to attend post-secondary education; and changes to Agreements with Young Adults (AYA). Another goal of the evaluation process was to support Aunt Leah’s in creating a plan and meaningful tools (e.g., participant survey) so that SEFFY evaluation activities could be internally sustained in the future.
To download a copy of the evaluation report, please click here.
Aunt Leah’s The Link: Housing First. McCreary carried out an evaluation of Aunt Leah’s Link: Housing First program which supports young people from government care who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The evaluation (2019) identified the extent to which participants’ involvement in the program contributed to improvements in their lives, and examined the degree to which Aunt Leah's adaptation of the Housing First model was meeting the needs of youth from care. The mixed-method evaluation included a youth self-report survey—created with youth participants at Aunt Leah’s—as well as a focus group with program participants, and interviews with Aunt Leah’s managers/staff, landlords, and representatives from other community agencies familiar with the program.
To download a copy of the evaluation report, please click here.
PLEA Community Services. Funded by the Department of Justice’s Youth Justice Fund (2008-2011), McCreary spearheaded a longitudinal evaluation of six PLEA addictions and youth justice programs. Douglas College students on practicum at McCreary were involved in all aspects of the project, including helping with data collection, data entry, and analysis.Three waves of longitudinal survey data were collected – at intake, discharge, and six-months post-discharge. The evaluation findings have been presented at various local and international conferences.
To download a copy of the evaluation report, please click here.
PLEA’s Career Path program. Career Path aimed to provide meaningful employment and mentorship to youth ages 15 to 18 at high risk of gang involvement. The program involved a 10-week job placement, intensive one-to-one support and supervision, and employer mentoring with a variety of training and educational opportunities. The goals of the program were to increase youth participants' ability to function in work and community environments, to enhance their future job prospects, and to reduce their risk of gang involvement.
To download a copy of the final evaluation report, please click here
citizenU. The City of Vancouver’s citizenU project was a three-year, city-wide initiative aimed at engaging and training youth as leaders in anti-racism, anti-discrimination, and intercultural community-building. The project consisted of eight overlapping cycles, with each cycle lasting nine months. The target group was 2000 youth between the ages 15 to 20, from 56 partner sites across the city.
McCreary carried out an independent evaluation of citizenU from May 2011 to October 2013. The goal was to measure how much taking part in the initiative increased participants’ understanding and awareness of racism and discrimination, and increased their civic engagement, community connectedness and leadership skills to ultimately contribute to reducing racism and discrimination in their community. The evaluation also assessed the degree to which participation improved youth's emotional health (sense of self-efficacy, hope for the future) and access to needed community supports and services.
To download a copy of the final evaluation report, please click here.
Watari’s TTIP-II program.; The Transitions to Independence Program for Pregnant and Parenting Youth (TTIP-II) provides supported independent living for youth with addiction and mental health issues who are pregnant or parenting young children. The program consists of providing youth with a monthly rent subsidy, as well as the necessary support to maintain their housing. McCreary evaluated the TTIP-II program using a mixed-methods approach of surveys and focus groups.
To download a copy of the final evaluation report, please click here.
Directions’ Youth Homelessness Initiative. This pilot project at Directions, funded by the Vancouver Foundation, ran from 2009 to 2011. The aim was to assist homeless youth ages 19 to 24 in finding and maintaining housing and in developing their life-skills. McCreary evaluated this initiative using a methodology that incorporated self-report surveys and focus groups with youth and staff.
To download a copy of the final evaluation report, please click here.
Broadway Youth Resource Centre’s (BYRC) supported housing project. This BYRC initiative was funded by the Vancouver Foundation from September 2008 to March 2011. BYRC worked with market and non-profit housing providers to provide supported housing for at-risk and homeless youth ages 16 to 24, and acted as an intermediary between landlords and program participants. Each youth was assigned a Transition to Adulthood Worker who offered a range of supports including emergency assistance and help in gaining the necessary skills to successfully transition from supported to independent housing.
To download a copy of the first evaluation report, please click here.
To download a copy of the follow-up evaluation report, please click here.
Frog Hollow’s Youth Dialogue Project. Frog Hollow worked in partnership with Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS), and a number of other citizenU partner organizations, to engage a diverse group of youth with the task of planning and delivering a youth dialogue event in Greater Vancouver. The event, “It Starts with Me,” took place on July 14, 2012 with the goal of promoting anti-racism, multiculturalism and building inclusive community.
McCreary evaluated youths’ experiences planning the event, as well as the event itself. To download a copy of the evaluation report, please click here.
For more information about McCreary's evaluation services, please contact evaluation@mcs.bc.ca