2006-2007 Alumni Survey

2006-2007 YES! Alumni Evaluation Report
Submitted by Jenny Uribe, Program Associate
 

Background
In the interest of better serving our constituents and improving our programs,
YES! began evaluation efforts in Spring 2006. The desire to understand the
impact of our work also stemmed in part from supporters’ and partners’ interest.  With funding from the Fetzer Institute and after an intensive selection process, we hired a consultant to advise us on how to appropriately assess and present our work and its outcomes. 

Facilitated by consultant Jara Dean-Coffey, we began reflecting on the core beliefs behind the larger vision and mission of our work.  Through the development of a Theory of Change document, we explored the issues we addressed within our programs, the strategies we use to address these issues through our programs and the expected change we aim to achieve amongst those who participate in our programs. The Theory of Change document and supporting research are following. 

The development of the Theory of Change document allowed us to begin evaluating whether actual change was occurring amongst the participants who attended our Jams. We initially thought that creating focus groups would assist in developing methods of evaluating the Jam alumni but we were unable to actually form these focus groups at the 2006 World Jam due to concerns of their impact on the Jam space. However, we were still able to gain some input about how to move forward with the evaluation process. The many conversations held at the Jam space allowed us to begin questioning the intentions and design of our evaluation.

What also became apparent is that YES’s work is not easily quantified, as the
nature of our work is that it does not exist in a vacuum. Just as no musician or
even conductor can take credit for the sound of an orchestra, our work is
something of a symphony created in tandem with numerous people,
organizations and movements worldwide. However, certain outcomes are clearly evident, particularly in regards to the actual Jam experience and impact.

With this new direction to our evaluation process, we began developing the survey in collaboration with our partners and supporters and aimed to create questions that were relevant and true to our mission.  While acknowledging that we are a part of a larger movement, we wanted to focus on measuring the real work we provide for our Jam Alumni and move away from taking credit of the profound work our Jam Alumni do in their communities.  We also wanted to be aware of not limiting our method of evaluation to a linear
perspective because a linear method would only take into consideration the more tangible outcomes of our work and would not take into account the deep inner and spiritual work we support in the Jams. Through this process of collaboration, we were able to create a survey that measured the experience of Jam participants through both a quantitative and qualitative assessment.

Survey Methods and Design
The survey consists of 31 Likert scale questions, which are categorized into three sections: (a) how the Jam alumni perceived the Jam (b) how the Jam impacted their lives (c) how resourceful the Jam community is to them. For more in-depth feedback, we asked six narrative response questions. The LPSC Alumni were given 4 additional Likert scale questions and one narrative response question regarding how the Jam has impacted their perceptions of money, power, privilege and social change. In an effort to make the survey available to all Jam Alumni, we translated the survey into Spanish. Using Survey Monkey, an online survey development software, we were able to distribute the online survey to 490 Jam Alumni from over 65 nations and 10 years of Jams.

We are aware of possible circumstances that could have affected our survey
sampling:
• Even though we did not receive requests for the survey to be available in a
language other than English or Spanish, there may have been Jammers who
would have preferred the survey to be available in another language.
• Some Jammers may have limited access to the Internet preventing them from retrieving the online survey.
• Some of the Jam Alumni have not or have sporadically kept in contact with
YES! resulting in out-dated email addresses and contact information.
• Responses may lean towards being more positive due to the probability that
the respondents are more than likely to have current and/or deeper connections with YES!. Obtaining information regarding which Jam the alumnus attended would of provided support to the former assumption.

Survey Results and Findings
From the three online surveys we distributed, we received 90 completed surveys out of 490, which represents a 18% response rate. Below is a summary of the Likert scale questions and highlights from our narrative questions.

What do Jam Alumni think about the Jams?
99% say Jams are a unique space for young changemakers to engage with each
other.
95% say Jams foster deep inquiry, healing and well-being.
93% say Jams seek and create transformation on the inner level.
98% say Jams seek and create transformation on the interpersonal level.
90% say Jams seek and create transformation on the community/global level.
93% felt their whole self was welcomed at the Jam.
 

How are Jam Alumni impacted by the Jam?
96% have made important and valuable contacts at the Jam.
81% have sustained friendships and alliances created at the Jam.
93% learned new skills or perspectives that enhance their work.
92% learned new skills or perspectives that enhance their life.
86% are more aware of connections between issues and movements in the
world.
88% see more benefits in collaborations between organizations and movements.
88% are more likely to seek collective intelligence and diversity of perspectives in their decision-making.
70% have taken better care of their physical, spiritual and/or emotional health
after the Jam.
75% have created more life balance to help them thrive in their work/activism
after the Jam.
76% have greater capacity to resolve conflicts constructively after the Jam.
69% feel their work/activism are more intentional and effective after the Jam.
81% have more honest and/or meaningful relationships with others after the Jam.
77% feel their values are more congruent with their work/activism after the Jam.
71% have been more effective fundraisers, administrators and/or spokespersons for their work.

What do Jam Alumni think about the Jam Alumni Community?
84% say that the Jam Community is a strong network of people and support.
86% say that the Jam Community is a wealth of information and resources.
66% say YES! has been there to support them and their work in ways that have mattered.
75% say that other members of the Jam Alumni Community have been there to support them or their work in ways that mattered.
 

When asked about a unique experience that stood out for them during the
Jam, they shared the following:
• The diversity of life experiences and perspectives amongst the facilitators and participants.
• The sense of empowerment gained through witnessing fellow Jammers
overcome internal conflicts.
• The feeling of being held in a loving environment, during difficult
conversations, allowed for acceptance and healing to proceed afterwards.
• The opportunity to connect with one another on an authentic level while
exploring internal, communal and global issues.
• The importance of questioning one’s values in order to live and work in
alignment with those values.
• The guest speakers, such as Lillie Allen from Be Present who facilitated an
experience of deep inquiry into one’s emotions and thoughts.

When asked weather they have connected with their work or life differently
since the Jam, they shared the following:
• They’ve integrated their full self into their work as opposed to keeping their
values and beliefs separate from their work.
• They’ve consciously dedicated time to care for their self emotionally, spiritually
and physically, so they can be a most effective leader in their community.
• They’ve been able to build more authentic and deeper connections with
others, through their own practice of being connected to their self.
• They’ve recognized that the changes they create in their community are apart of a larger movement.
• They’ve entered their work with a broader awareness of each other’s gifts and appreciation of the diverse experiences each individual carries, which has been essential in working through racism, sexism and classism.
• They’ve created new projects in collaboration with fellow Jammers they met at the Jam.
 

When asked what the most practical thing they pulled out of the Jam for
their work and/or activism, they shared the following:
• They gained experience facilitating and organizing a large gathering, which
allowed them to facilitate and organize gatherings in their own community.
• They learned how to be present with themselves and one another as a tool for communication and building authentic relationships amongst diverse individuals.
• They gained a Jam Alumni community, filled with like-minded individuals, in
which they can reach out to for support in their life and work as well as provide support for their fellow Jammers.
• They realized the importance of their work on a global scale when it is in
alignment with their values.
• They are connected with fellow Jammers, in which they can collaborate in a
meaningful and exciting way.
• They gained unique fundraising skills that encouraged comfort in asking for
resources to support their project, while being in alignment with their values and purpose.
• They understood the importance of creating a safe-space in order to
encourage the formation of authentic relationships by overcoming internal,
communal and global issues through authentic dialogue.

When asked what they would do to make the Jam better, more compelling
or interesting, they shared the following:
• Facilitators and organizers should provide support to the participants on how
best to transition back to their communities after the Jam, since it is intense to
leave such a safe space that created a life-changing experience.
• Maintain relationships with Alumni once the Jam has completed, since there
seems to be a loss of connection afterwards.
• Introduce new Jammers to the larger Alumni community as well as connect
World Jammers with LPSC Jammers so as to build awareness of the growing
Jam community.
• Ensure time for the participants, during the Jam, to reflect on their process,
rather than packing the week with several activities.
• Clarify what participants should expect during the Jam, since many didn’t
expect their experience to be so intense and life-changing.
• Create more balance between intense dialogue and fun activities.
• Provide an opportunity for participants to share their work, which promotes
opportunities of collaboration.
• Provide an opportunity to connect with YES! staff.
• Provide opportunities to gain more practical skills that would be essential in
launching a project/organization, such as fundraising, networking, proposal
writing, website development, video documentation, etc.
• Also, there were many Jammers who felt that the Jam was an amazing
experience and that they couldn’t think of anything to suggest for improvement.

When asked how YES! or the Jam community can better support one
another and how they would like to be engaged, they shared the following:
• Jammers would like support in organizing and facilitating a regional Jam in
their community.
• Jammers would like support in transitioning from the Jam back to their
communities.
• Jammers would like support in making their ideas that are generated from the Jam into reality with assistance from the valuable resources YES! contains.
• Jammers would like to be more connected to YES! as an organization, through events, and as staff.
• Jammers would like support from YES! to motivate them to communicate with one another through safe avenues.
• Jammers want to stay connected with the entire Alumni community (LPSC and World Jam) through various avenues, such as newsletters and websites, so they become aware of what each other are doing, know where to go when they need support and share their skills with one another.
• On the other hand, some Jammers recognize the challenge of staying
connected with a global community and would realistically prefer to be connected with regional Alumni through small gatherings.
• Also, just knowing that there is a large Alumni community available for support is comforting and that may just be all that is needed from the community.

When asked what they are doing currently and did the Jam help their
journey to this place, they shared the following:
• Some Jammers have stayed deeply connected with YES! and fellow Jammers, so everything they are currently doing is directly related to the support they received from YES!.
• Some Jammers experienced significant personal growth, thus the approach
they use to work with others is different, with more respect of each other’s
journey and opinions.
• Jammers have become aware of how their local and focused work has an
impact on a global level.
• Jammers credit their Jam experience for empowering them to work in fields
that they are passionate about by committing to work in alignment with their
values and take better care of themselves.
• Jammers have taken advantage of what the Alumni community has to offer,
which has led them to their place.
When asked what is their passion or growing edge and where are they
feeling stuck now, they shared the following:
• In general, Jammers are continuing to work in their communities and showing up more fully as a leader. Since this question generated personal and intimate reflections, we will not publicize their feedback, as it crosses lines of
confidentiality.

How are LPSC Jam Alumni impacted by the Jam?
100% are looking at dynamics of money, power and social change more deeply.
77% are stepping into philanthropy with more clarity or giving resources more
strategically after the Jam.
77% are giving away more money or creating more opportunities that “move
money” positively.
86% have broadened and deepened their perspectives on privilege in ways that feel important to them.
When asked how has the Jam shifted their thinking and doing around
leverage, privilege and social change, they shared the following:
• They’ve become conscious to the multiple layers of philanthropy and the need to work in partnership in order to create long-lasting change.
• They no longer carry the emotional guilt associated with privilege but rather
feel empowered and held accountable to leverage their privileges towards
positive social change.
• They’ve broadened their definition of privilege to include the various gifts we
carry, regardless of social class, such as ethnicity, nationality, and gender.
• An authentic realization that each social class has their own unique realities,
yet we are all human beings in need of community.
• They’ve started new programs/organizations in their own communities to
provide a safe space for young and wealthy individuals to dialogue about
leveraging their own privileges for social change within partnerships.

In conclusion, we found much of the response to be positive and affirming, with several respondents who felt the Jams to be life-changing. There was a lot of appreciation for diversity, race, class and gender and the safe spaces created for deep connections. We also saw many comments about the need for a less intense agenda, more skills training, and immediate and long-term post-Jam support/connection. In addition, there is great interest in bringing Regional Jams into alumni communities and more project collaborations between Jammers in general.

Recommended Next Steps
In review of the direct feedback and overarching themes from the survey, we
have crafted these key recommendations:
• Jammers would appreciate support in organizing and facilitating Regional
Jams in their communities as well as support in making their ideas generated
from the Jam into reality.
• Jammers would appreciate more structured and immediate support during
their transition back to their communities.
• Jammers would appreciate facilitators and organizers to emphasize the
importance of decompressing after the Jam, and not to jump into work.
• Jammers would appreciate maintained connections after the Jam with the
entire Alumni community. Connections can be maintained through avenues of
communication that would update what alumni are currently doing, what YES! is currently doing on an intimate level, provide resources that would support them in their work, would identify alumni in their region and where they can offer support.
• The alumni website holds much potential in addressing many post-Jam needs
articulated by alumni. It would be best to survey the Jam community on how
yesjams.org can be better designed, developed, and maintained so this
underutilized tool can be maximally effective.
• Continue to enrich (more content and articles, more blogging), improve (more navigable, more search functions) and promote (announcements about new additions on the site) the yesjams.org website so that it is more engaging and useful.
• Jammers would appreciate access to the valuable resources YES! might offer
so that they are able to leverage them for their ongoing projects.
• Jammers would appreciate a structure for skills sharing and collaboration
during and after the Jam.
• Jammers would appreciate that the organizers and facilitators ensure that all
participants are fully aware of what to expect during the Jam.
• Jammers would appreciate more time for reflection about their processing
during the Jam.  As context around implementation of these ideas, there has been a lot of energy with YES! over the last few months to look at program development and organizational capacity. We have two new staff, the Program Manager and Program Associate, who have been brought on board in the last year to oversee and coordinate current programs in support of the Executive Director. YES! is also undergoing a strategic planning process which will steward the future of YES! and its programs for the next three years. YES! will also be developing a new Alumni Directory with the intention to maintain connection amongst the entire Alumni community. This report and the preceding recommendations are an important consideration as we endeavor to make the Jams more impactful and meaningful and meet the needs of our growing alumni community.