During my college resident assistant orientation, we went through multiple leadership and staff building exercises. One assessment that stood out most was the True Colorsâą assessment.
True ColorsâąÂ * is a personality test developed by Don Lowry in 1978. Originally created to categorize four basic learning styles to identify the strengths and challenges of these core personality types, True Colorsâą helps us to understand different personality temperaments.
The concept behind True Colorsâą is we arenât put into the box of one, with the understanding that our personality traits are fluid and can adjust based on our environment or circumstances. True Colors is a way to understand the how our behaviors and motivations relate to our own to increase camaraderie, improve communication, and limit potential conflict.
This was particularly useful when I started working with my fellow RAs. When we took True Colors, we were excited to see that we each embodied one of the four personality types: Orange, Gold, Green, or Blue. After a while, we would refer to each other by color only, and when conflict arose or when we came together for meetings and to plan activities for our residents, we were able to understand why someone made a particular decision as well as how to work together.
True Colorsâą can be used by college residential staff, supervisors, teachers, and more. I would venture to say that itâs particularly useful for school social workers, counselors, teachers, and anyone else that works with younger people as it can help you tailor your lesson plans and weekly counseling sessions based on the color of the young people youâre working with.
One thing worth mentioning: While you may dominate in a particular color, thereâs no better or worse color. Each color is design to compliment the others, and you can flow in and out of your dominant color throughout your lifetime. Before reading on, I highly recommend you take the assessment. Hereâs the official link to purchase True Colorsâą for your staff or students. It includes the assessment as well as a detailed report of your colors by ranking and cover different areas where your color can come into play such as an work environment, school, childhood, time management, and how others may perceive you. Hereâs a sample report. (And  no, Iâm not affiliated with True Colorsâą.)
If you want to take the exam without purchasing, check out this assessment based on True Colors developed by Lone Star College, or the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hillâs version created by the universityâs Department of Campus Recreation.
Once you take the assessment, come back and read more about the colors. Iâll wait.
Finished? Here they are:
Gold: Gold represents organization, structure, and discipline. Considered the most responsible, Golds like being on time, are dependable, like to fulfill their obligations, and donât take kindly to disorganized people or situations, lack of planning, and thinking before speaking or doing. Other positive traits  to describe Golds include faithful, obedient, practical, orderly,  stable, helpful, systematic, and efficient. Any traits of concern? Well, Golds can sometimes be perceived as bossy, put work before play and family, are obsessive and judgmental, and lack the ability to plan on the fly.
Orange: Orange represents excitement, action, motivation. Considered the life of the party, Oranges desire liveliness, adventure, and desire for freedom, and are easy to identify compared to the other colors. Oranges donât do well with rules, deadlines, extensive paperwork, and too much structure.Other positive traits to describe Oranges include ambition, playfulness, charismatic, and the ability to make decisions on the client. Traits to watch out for include impulsivity, thinking before speaking, and the lack of ability for detailed planning. Â Pretty much the opposite of Golds.
Green: Green represents logic, thinking, and problem solving. Considered visionaries, Greens are motivated by anything that allows for the use of logic. Greens are more drawn to math and science and business. Like Oranges, Greens arenât fans of routine, but unlike Oranges, Greens donât care much for small talk, incompetence, having to attend too many social functions, and being forced to argue without logic or reason. Other positive traits include self-sufficiency, accurate, Â persistence, and intellect. Traits that may make Greens look unappealing include being very wordy, being too independent, and going away from the fold. Â
Blue: Blue represents calm, sensitivity, and tranquility. Considered the nurturers, Blues love to help out in any way they can, value friendships, and will go the extra mile for others. Blues donât like lying, being rejected, violence, and sarcasm, much to Greenâs chagrin. Other positive traits include inspirational, spiritual, peace maker, romantic, and loyals. Other traits youâll pick up on include Bluesâ ability to be passive, suppress problems, being overly emotional, and they can sometimes overdo it with the generosity.
As you discover more about your color, youâll also start to see those traits more in yourself and you may be able to spot the traits from the other colors in your friends, students, classmates, and co-workers. Encourage them to take True Colorsâą and see where they fall.
(And bonus points if you can guess which color I am. Hint: While I dominate in one color, Iâve become a blending of two colors in the time since I originally took the assessment. Ok. That wasnât much of a hint.)
*I am not affiliated with True Colors International
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Why Do Ice Breakers Suck So Much?(And How to Bypass the Awkwardness)
I donât like ice breakers.
From the first workshop I remember attending to the workshops I attend now, I donât like ice breakers.
I donât even like including ice breakers in my own workshops. When youâre done developing your workshops and youâre all excited, nothing letâs you down quicker than remembering you forgot to include an ice breaker.
âTell us one interesting fact about yourselfâ. âChoose an adjective that describes you using the initial of your first nameâ. âTwo truths and a lieâ. Announce that youâre about to start an ice breaker activity, and be prepared for the deep sighs and low groans. Â
(And everyone knows your two truths are lies too.)
I thought it was because Iâm an introvert. Thereâs nothing more anxiety-provoking than sitting in a circle and waiting for your turn. Your heart begins to beat faster at the thought of speaking in front of strangers, hoping that your voice doesnât crack or that you stutter. For me, I donât like being the center of attention (which is kinds odd as a workshop facilitator, but anyway). But itâs not an introvert thing. Even the extroverted of the extroverts I know donât care for ice breakers.
One of the reasons we hate ice breakers is because they feel forced. Participants come to your workshops already with the mindset that theyâll be interacting with each other in some capacity. The difference between an exercise within a workshop versus an ice breaker is that the interactions within an exercise can be more natural and allows participants to talk to one another without the icky discomfort that comes with ice breakers.
Whether you like ice breakers or not, theyâre here to stay. Here are some tips on creating ice breakers that make sense and are enjoyable (at least as much as an ice breaker can be enjoyable):
Know your reason for doing an ice breaker: Other than âbreaking the iceâ or being concerned over the fact that the people in the room may not know each other, ice breakers can help to introduce the content of the workshop, introduce the participants to each other if they donât know each other, showcase the various learning styles and thinking patterns of participants, highlight your expectations as well as your participantsâ expectations for how the workshop will go, and more.
Tie it into the topic: This ties into Tip 1. Ice breakers make more sense when they are related to the topic of your workshop. Taking âtwo truths and a lieâ, for instance. If your workshop focuses on self care and burnout prevention, a participant can share three things sheâs done to incorporate self care in her life, with two of the activities being things sheâs actually done and the âlieâ being something she would like to do.
Keep it short: Thereâs no reason why an ice breaker should drag on. Anything more than 15 minutes is really just a workshop activity. This can be difficult, however, if you have more participants than expected. Make sure to inform your participants to keep their responses to the ice breaker at a minimum.
Change the name: People may sigh at the word âice breakerâ, but they may be more open to an âengagement starterâ, âopenerâ, âattention grabberâ or âsetting the toneâ. Duh, theyâll know that what theyâre doing is an ice breaker, so for some reason, calling an ice breaker by any other name than an ice breaker seems to open participants up into doing an ice breaker.
...or donât mention a name at all: Instead of announcing that youâre about to being the ice breaker, donât mention that youâre about the start an ice breaker. Simply launch into an interactive discussion or content related activity designed to build relationships or set the tone for the learning thatâs about to take place.
Be mindful of personal boundaries: Donât do ice breakers that involve excessive touching, that reveal too much personal information, involve controversial topics, or makes participants feel they are being put on the spot. Do try out ice breakers that compliment different learning styles.
So, should you include an ice breaker in your next workshop? The question isnât whether or not ice breakers have a place in your workshop, but how best to incorporate them. While I still donât care much for ice breakers, keep in mind that ice breakers can be a great way to introduce the content of your workshop and can help you set the tone for the workshop ahead.Â
RAISE YOUR VOICE: What are your tips for making ice breakers more enjoyable? Do you have a favorite ice breaker?
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Try This Activity: How Does Health Care Look through the Reproductive Health, Rights, & Justice Frameworks?
In March, I began consulting with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Bureau of Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health around engaging community stakeholders on health equity and reproductive justice. I was initially intrigued because this was the first time I've heard of a city health department being interested in incorporating the reproductive justice framework into their work. Last week, the DOHMH held a community gathering of 65 local organizations on how to engage the community in this work, and I assisted in introducing the reproductive justice framework to those in the room who were not familiar with it. It was a great opportunity to assist the DOHMH in utilizing the reproductive justice framework in their work as they connect with local providers, community groups and activists, and I look forward to working with the DOHMH as they become more engaged with the New York City community.
During my presentation, I broke down the differences between the reproductive health, rights, and justice frameworks into two using Forward Togetherâs groundbreaking report A New Vision for Advancing Our Movement for Reproductive Health, Reproductive Rights, and Reproductive Justice (2005):
Reproductive Health: A service delivery model that focuses on addressing the reproductive health needs of women. The people affected are patients in need of services and/or education, and the key players are people who work as, or are allied with, medical professionals, community and public health educators, health researchers, and health service providers.
Reproductive Rights: A legal/advocacy based model that focuses on the protection of an individualâs right to access to reproductive health services. The people affected are individuals who are encouraged to actively participate in the political process, and the key players are people who work as, or are allied with, advocates, legal experts, policymakers, and elected officials.
Reproductive Justice: A community organizing model that focuses on intersectionality as a way to organize communities to change structural inequalities. The people affected are community members who are organized to lead against reproductive oppression and other injustices, and the key players are people who work as, or are allied with reproductive rights, Â reproductive health, and social justice and other justice organizations.
To go further, I used a health topic to demonstrate how it could look under each of these frameworks. Letâs take a look at an example on minors consenting to HIV treatment in New York State:
Concern: While minors can consent to HIV testing without parental consent in NYS, they currently cannot consent to HIV treatment without parental consent
RH: Although NYS law does not explicitly allow minors to consent to medical treatment, some adolescent HIV providers allow minors to consent to their HIV medical care, based on the minor's maturity and individual circumstances. Also, HIV is typically viewed separately from reproductive health issues.
RR: Governor Cuomo recently endorsed a list of 30+ recommendations from leading HIV/AIDS providers, activists, and experts (called âThe Blueprintâ) on ending AIDS as an epidemic in NYS in the year 2020. Included in the recommendations is advocacy for minors to consent to treatment without parental involvement
RJ: Youth who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender are at higher risk of HIV infection due to lack of access to primary care that can address the needs of LGBTQ youth, possibly not being âoutâ to their family, higher rates of homelessness, lack of HIV education, substance use, etc.
I thought this could be a good exercise to share with you all as a way of discussing how various health-related topics can be viewed under each framework. This can aid in generating more discussion on how interconnected these frameworks are and how we can find ways to make more advancements for our clients, our rights, and our communities.
Here are some health-related topics and suggestions for how they fit under each framework to consider. There are many ways you can do this, so feel free to use these examples to create your own:
Abortion (options counseling, Roe v. Wade, abortion as a right for communities of color but not as a primary focus)
Birth Control (education on contraception options, health care plans covering contraception under the Affordable Care Act, higher promotion of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) among women and girls of color)
Comprehensive Sex Education (training for teachers and health educators, funding towards abstinence-only curriculum in schools, connecting sex education to spirituality/religion)
HIV (testing and treatment, confidentiality laws and disclosing to partners, employment discrimination)
Pregnancy and Parenting (access to prenatal care, paid maternity leave, shackling of pregnant incarcerated women during childbirth)
RAISE YOUR VOICE: What are some other health-related topics that are impacting your community, and how can you view them separately and collectively under the reproductive health, rights, and justice frameworks?
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Hereâs How to Create Your Potential Client Questionnaire
Starting off on the right footing with a potential client is important. I do this is by using potential client questionnaires: one for potential clients that are interested in my program evaluation consulting services and one for people who want to invite me to be a speaker for their event. Today, Iâm going to focus on the questionnaire Iâve developed for individuals who are interested in my program evaluation consulting services.
A client questionnaire helps you get a snapshot of where your potential client currently is, what problem theyâre hoping you can solve, and how they see themselves using the final product in the future. A client questionnaire also helps you to gain clarity on what the client needs, so as to avoid repeatedly going back to the client throughout the project to for more information.
I use a client questionnaire as a preliminary way of connecting with the client. Some people are good at responding to a request, getting on the phone, and taking it from there. I like to at least know a little about the organization/agency, their experience with working with external evaluators, and what programs or services they want me to assist with before I have contact with them.
I also use the client questionnaire as part of my client connecting phase before I start a project:
Client questionnaire
Phone conversation
Face to face meeting (this can be done in person if the client in located near you, or over Skype, Google Hangout, and the like)
If all goes well, review and sign contract
Get to work
If you donât have a client questionnaire, I highly recommend you create one. You donât need any elaborate software. Mine was created using Google Docs. If you donât know what questions to ask, here are the questions from my questionnaire. Feel free to use the questions that work best for you, and update it after every couple of clients to address any recurring issues you're having:
Preliminary information: This can include the individualâs name, their role within the organization or agency, and a contact number to reach them.
Tell me about your evaluation project: From the clientâs perspective, where do things currently stand with their evaluation project or evaluation tools, and how do they envision you helping them? Are they looking for you to lead an evaluation, help them revise their current tools so their staff can do the evaluation themselves? Figure out how your role will be shaped.
Who typically conducts your evaluations?: Does the organization typically utilize staff members (regardless of what role(s) they occupy at the organization)? Do they typically utilize external evaluators? Are volunteers helping? This question helps you to see if the organization has dedicated staff members that can lead an evaluation or if they prefer to hire out. Also, the answer can be indicative of several things, including size of the organization, budget constraints, or if they just want to take a more hands-on approach to learning about evaluation.
Based on your current programs or services, how has your staff incorporated evaluation activities in the organization's work?: This question is important because it shows me that the organization at least utilizes evaluation activities. Some examples I give on my questionnaire include focus groups, surveys, in-depth interviews, pre and post tests, or observations. I also give the client the option of mentioning other activities theyâve done or would like to do.
Do you have prior experience with working with an external evaluator?: There are several factors that go into bringing on an external evaluator versus keeping it in-house. An external evaluator can bring on an unbiased perspective to a program or service compared to staff who are more intimately connected to it. Some funders or stakeholder can view an external evaluator as more credible. Also, an external evaluator may have a particular expertise that someone in-house may not have. For example, external evaluators are often exposed to a variety of programs and services from other organizations, different methods, and other practices that may be useful in an evaluation. This question also can bring up some concerns such as the cost of hiring an external evaluator, the time itâll take to manage an evaluation if youâre not in-house, or if the evaluator can quickly acclimate to the culture of the organization or agency.
What sounds the most appealing to your current needs?:What do you expect for me to do?: I allow the client to select whatever they want. For this question, I have the following:
Have an evaluator independently review your current evaluation tools and make recommendations for improvement
Have an evaluator conduct an in-person training on evaluation activities and work together to determine the best tools based on your current programs/services
Have an evaluator independently conduct evaluation activities for one or more of your programs/services
Have an evaluator work with your staff to develop new evaluation tools specific to your programs/services
What do you typically use evaluation activities for? Itâs important for me to know why an organization uses evaluation activities. It can be a variety of reasons, from reporting to funders, to staff improvement and accountability, to understanding the value of what their program or service is providing.
What is your project budget for this evaluation?: Because you need to get paid for your services.
When do you expect this project to take place, and is there an expected deadline for completion?: Knowing how much time will be expected will help you plan around your other clients. This is also helpful in determining if you can realistically provide good work for the client.
After our work is done, do you anticipate any future project youâd like to work on?: This question leaves the door open for any future work with your client. Itâs OK if the client isnât sure right now if they want to work with you in the future.
How did you discover me? Is there someone in particular I should thank?: How did the client find out about you (by referral, social media, word of mouth)? Iâve come to find that many consultants get work based on the recommendation of someone else.
Your questionnaire is never set in stone. Once you see how you prefer to operate, you can always make revisions. One thing to note about a client questionnaire is that it needs to be short and to the point. Thatâs why I prefer to speak with a potential client after I receive the questionnaire. After I get a completed questionnaire, I start my research on the organization (which is highly recommended) to get a sense of its programs and services, as well as the overall spirit of the organization. It helps to know a little about the organization (and it makes you look better if you ask specific questions about their program or service). The phone call serves as the avenue to ask more in-depth questions.
While the questionnaire helps you to screen a potential client, the phone call will help you and the organization determine if you will be a good fit. As much as youâre screening the organization, always remember theyâre screening you too.
RAISE YOUR VOICE: Do you have a potential client questionnaire? What questions do you have on your questionnaire? Share below in the comments!
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Ask Nicole: How Did You Pass the LMSW Exam on the First Try?
Hereâs a question I recently got from a Raise Your Voice reader:
Hi Nicole! I am currently studying to take the licensed master of social work [LMSW] exam in my state. Iâm a little nervous because Iâve been out of graduate school for a few years now. While Iâve been working as a social worker since then, I feel so far removed from studying that the thought of actually taking this exam brings up a lot of anxiety for me. Can you share what you did to take the LMSW exam and pass it on the first try?
Before I give my advice on preparing for the LMSW exam, I want to share the process I underwent that led me to pass the LMSW exam on my first try. As a disclaimer, this is what *I* did. In no way am Iâm advocating for anyone to do the same.Â
I graduated from my social work graduate program in May 2010, and I took the LMSW exam on March 31, 2014. Iâm mentioning this for one important reason: While I do recommend taking the exam as soon as youâre eligible to take it (which depends on your state. There are some states that will allow you to take the exam during the final month of your graduate program), it is possible to take this exam and pass it years after graduation.Â
Some things I considered prior to registering for and taking the exam:
The price: For New York State, I had to pay two separate fees. To submit the Application for Licensure (which sets your intention to take the exam, and requires your school to verify you graduated from your program), I paid $294. Once my information was verified by my school, I registered for the actual exam, which cost $230. Thatâs $524 total. Fortunately, my employer had a wellness and education scholarship, which allowed me to spend up to $500 on anything education related. Once I submitted the receipt for the $294 (because you need to verify that you actually spent the money), I was reimbursed. I used that amount to register for the exam, and was reimbursed for that as well. Unfortunately, not many employers have this, so shelling out $524 for an exam can be the last thing anyone would want to do.Â
I wasnât sure if I really needed licensure: Fortunately, the LMSW wasnât a requirement for my position, so I didnât have any added pressure attached to taking the exam. This isnât the case for a lot of social workers. Depending on your employer, you may need to be licensed before you can even be considered for employment. If you are hired without a license, you may be required to become licensed within six month to a year, with six months being the preference. I decided to take the exam because I saw the LMSW as my âarrivalâ as a social worker. By having this licensure, I prove that I can be in any social work setting, direct practice or macro level, and be competent enough to do the job.Â
Iâve never been good at standardized tests: I donât remember what I scored on the SAT, the ACT, or even the GRE, but my scores were enough to get me admitted into undergraduate and graduate school. Thereâs also that psychological aspect of standardized testing. The anxiety built around taking these exams can be crippling because thereâs so much emphasis on your score. Also, standardized tests are really about HOW to take the exam, rather than on the information youâve retained from school. You can begin to base your self-worth on what score you get. Regarding the LMSW exam, not passing it can make you feel like you are not a good social worker.
With that being said, hereâs what I did to apply, prepare, and pass the LMSW exam:
I submitted my Application for Licensure to the New York State Office of the Professions in June 2013, and I sent the Certification of Professional Education to my school to verify my degree. I was approved to take the exam in July 2013, and I scheduled my exam date with the Association of Social Work Boards for November 2013. After several postponements, I settled on March 31, 2014 as my exam date. (March 31st is the last day of National Social Work Month, so it had meaning for me.)
I began studying in January 2014, using the test prep book I got in 2012 from the National Association of Social Workers- New York City chapter. (I even attended the NASW-NYCâs forum on tackling the LMSW exam in 2012, and after hearing audience members share how theyâve taken the test over five times and still had not passed it, or how their employers were pressuring them to pass the exam, it encouraged me even more to postponed my exam.) I divided the test prep book into several weeks, where I would focus on one topic per week.Â
This worked for about 2 weeks until I realized something: I didnât want to go to my job and do social work, and then come home to study it, often after dealing with high needs clients. (which is funny because thatâs what you do while in school!) So, I stopped studying, but I kept my March 31st exam date.Â
What comes next may seem unconventional, especially based on everything youâve Googled on âhow to pass the LMSW examâ: I requested vacation days for March 24-31, 2014 and devoted that entire week to studying and taking practice exams. (I got the idea from a co-worker, who passed the exam on the first try). I studied by myself (no test prep partners), and spent that week in the library. I broke down the chapters from the NASW NYC test prep book by day, and went from there. Some days, I studied from 9am-6, and some days I would study until midnight. I began studying March 23rd and finalized my preparation on March 30th.
Doâs and DonâtsÂ
In addition to the test prep book, hereâs what I found useful during my test prep:
Do know the NASW Code of Ethics: Â If you could choose to study only one thing for this exam, it should be the Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics is the foundation of this exam. I remember having a few questions based on the DSM (in terms of guess what the diagnosis was), but the majority of my questions centered on what the social worker should do FIRST, NEXT, etc. The clues are given in the Code of Ethics.Â
Do take practice exams: You could make your own flashcards or pay the one-time fee and take the ASWBâs practice exam, or you can get more bang for your buck and pay for 3 exams with Social Work Test Prep (SWTP). I paid $90 for one of the exam bundles, granting me access to 3 exams (where you can take in study mode or practice mode) for up to 90 days. In study mode, I was able to get the rationale for the answer choices as well as online links for more information. In testing mode, I was able to time myself. I took the first practice exam and finished with 15 minutes left, and took the second practice test before my exam and finished with 20 minutes. On exam day, I finished the exam in 3 hours, with one hour left to go back to questions I had skipped over.Â
Do figure out how you like to retain information: I like to write things down, and I wrote key concepts, diagnosis information, etc. into a separate notebook. I reviewed those notes every night before bed, and skimmed through them the following day. I also utilized a brainwave application called Brain Wave Sharp Mind by Banzai Labs. In particular, I used the Concentration Boost while studying, Memory Boost when I reviewed my notes and took the practice exams, and Confidence Boost when i finished studying and while en-route to my testing site. I downloaded this app several months prior as a way to help sharpen my focus in the general sense, but it became very useful while studying for the exam.Â
Do take study breaks: I would study for 90 minutes, and take a 15 minute breaks in between. Study guide closed, laptop closed. I would take a walk around the library or spend the 15 minutes playing a game on my phone. The point is to allow your brain to rest, whatever it is you decide to do.Â
Do a trial run: Five days before my exam, I set out my clothes and the items I would need for exam day (including my ID, testing confirmation, etc.). Since my exam began at 8am, I woke up in enough time to get dressed, eat breakfast, and travel to my testing site. Once I found my testing site, I stood outside the building for a few minutes before heading off to the nearest library to study. Simulating a testing day will allow you do know what to expect, as well as help you to remain calm on the actual day since you will know the amount of time itâll take for you to get to the testing site and what building looks like.Â
Do find ways to relieve stress: Taking an entire week to study 2 years worth of material was intense. After studying, I would exercise as a way to relieve stress. Also, this blog post by the popular social services site Aunt Bertha provides other ways to destress while studying for the LMSW exam.
Do know your acronyms: FAREAFI works best for âwhat should the social worker do FIRST/NEXTâ questions, while AASPIRINS works best for âwhat is the best/most reasonable optionâ questions. The best answer choice may not necessarily be the most logical, so these acronyms come in handy. Â Check out fellow social worker Dorlee Michaeliâs blog post for sample questions on applying these acronyms.
Donât tell (many) people youâre taking the exam: I told maybe 3 people. In addition to that, the clinical director at my job wanted to know that I was at least preparing for the exam, but didnât want to know my exam date.
Donât pull out your class books: It really wonât do anything but make you more stressed. If thereâs a NASW in your area and they have a test prep class (or if your school is offering a class), take that instead. Your instructor will help you hone in on what youâll really need to know for the exam, minus the fluff.Â
Donât answer exam questions based on what youâd do at your agency: This goes back to knowing the above acronyms and the Code of Ethics. Also, what your agency expects you to do may not be the most ethical. But thatâs an entirely different blog post.
The Big Day
I felt confident I had done enough to do my best on the exam, and doing my trial run a few days prior helped to soothe my nerves. I dressed comfortably and knew what to expect on test day based on my testing siteâs information, including that the exam would be taken on computer. Â I also made sure I ate a breakfast that was filling but didnât leave my stuffed.Â
During the four-hour exam, I took one break for water. I made sure to remember my breathing whenever my pulse stared to race. I skipped over 15 questions because I had no idea what the answers could be. With one hour left, I went back to those questions and gave it my best shot. With 15 minutes left, I submitted my exam.Â
It was a huge relief to see PASS on my screen. I sat in my chair for a few minutes before I signaled to the test proctor that I was ready to leave the testing area. In the reception area, the receptionist gave me my exam results paper, and just like with my SAT, ACT, and GRE exam scores, I donât remember what my LMSW exam score was.Â
I celebrated by going to the nearest Pinkberry and ordering the biggest cup of the original flavor. I remember just sitting there. âWhat should I do now?â, I remember thinking. I had never studied like this before while in school, and my brain was fried. While it felt extreme, it paid off in the end.Â
Final Thoughts
Whether you study one week prior or several months out, going it alone or finding a study group, do what you feel works best for you. I wonât tell you to not be nervous. Even the most confident of LMSW exam takers found themselves having to retake the exam. If you do have to retake the exam, evaluate what you did in your first attempt and make some minor tweaks to build your test taking strategy. But, from what I hear, roughly 75% of LMSW exam takers pass the exam on the first try, and most likely youâll be among that number.
Good luck!
RAISE YOUR VOICE: Are you currently studying for the LMSW exam? Did you take the exam right after graduate school or several years later? Did you change your strategy when you had to retake the exam? Share your experience below in the comments!
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You Didnât Feel Like Blogging This Week Too? (and Helpful Ways to Ditch Your Blogging Slump)
(image courtesy)
Sometimes, when you know youâre supposed to do something and you donât feel like it, youâll get a little sign that confirms that you need to do it.
That came three weeks ago in the form of a blog post I saw on Pinterest by creative business consultant and brand designer Julie Harris.
And last week, I checked my inbox and saw this post by entrepreneur Christine Kane.
Letâs look at some numbers:
My total blog posts in 2011: 41
My total blog posts in 2012: 56
My total blog posts in 2013: 27
My total blog posts in 2014: 21
My total blog posts in 2015: 4 (and that includes this post youâre reading!)
(Yes, weâre in the middle of 2015, but the fact that weâre in the middle of 2015 makes having 4 blog posts this year even worse.)
I know the benefits of having a blog: You have the opportunity to position yourself as a thought leader in your area of expertise, and you can connect with other people with similar interests. Having a blog is useful because, as speaker and entrepreneur Michael Hyatt says, a blog is your âhome baseâ. In comparison to your social media networks (which Hyatt identifies as your âembassiesâ), you can have a consistent presence, but those networks can disappear at any time. Your blog will always remain (unless you donât renew your hosting.)
But some of the gripes I have about blogging are the same gripes everyone else has: Not having the time, being consistent, not knowing what to write about, the fear of others not agreeing with your stance, not getting any comments (or getting too many trolling comments), or the idea that no one will read it.
Between social work, evaluation, and reproductive justice, thereâs plenty I could write about, but at times it feels like a chore! Iâm too embarrassed to admit to the number of times I started writing a blog post, and decided to close my MacBook and take a nap instead.
So, what have Iâve done in the past (that I know I need to start back doing) to help me step up my blogging game when Iâd rather be doing something else? Here are my tips:
Make a list for inspiration- Some call it an editorial calendar. In fact, I used to literally take a calendar template, list the month and the dates, and add what topic I would write about and in which week. Now, I just use Evernote. I type in different ideas, including potential titles and some notes that I want to remember to add to the blog post. I currently have 12 potential blog post ideas, with four of them (including this post) already designated for this month. Â Thatâs 3 months of blog content!
Keep track of what youâve already written (and write an update)- This ties into my first tip. In my Resources & Blog Archives, Iâve included past blog posts arranged by topic. Having a blog archives is useful because all of your blogs are in one place, plus they can provide inspiration for creating a new blog post as a follow-up to an old post.
Respond to readersâ questions- I also have a Ask Nicole series located in my Resources & Blog Archives, where Iâve taken emails from readers and subscribers from my Raise Your Voice community and answered them publicly (with the permission of my readers), often because of the frequency in which Iâm asked certain questions. Â
Create a series- In the past, Iâve created blog series on program evaluation for organizations that work with women and girls of color, different types of activism, and also how to plan, facilitate and evaluate a workshop. You take a topic, and break it down into smaller components. If you blog weekly, you can post a different component of the topic every week. Want to blog 5 days a week for a series? Take a topic and break it up into 5 components and post them Monday through Friday. Because you already have the topic for the following post planned, let your readers know what to expect for the next post. This is a great way to not only give you inspiration, but it keeps your readers coming back.
Get personal- When Iâve gotten personal on my blog, I noticed something: other people related to it! Do it with discretion, of course. If I share something personal about myself, itâs always related to what my blog is about. If you decide to go this route, make sure that it ties back into what your blog (and business) is about. If all I blogged about what social work, and then I post a personal blog completely unrelated to my blog content, it looks disjointed, and your readers are left wondering, âWhy did she write that?â
Donât be afraid to lose people along the way- Â As you become clear in your business and with your blog, your focus may shift, which can mean a loss in readership as well as a gain in a new audience. Admittedly, I was nervous in making the transition from writing solely about activism and reproductive justice to including social work and program evaluation. In the end, Iâve been able to connect to other social workers and evaluators because of the shift I made. And wouldnât you know that the activist readers that remain are learning a little bit about social work and program evaluation, too.
RAISE YOUR VOICE: How do you deal with a blogging slump? Share below in the comments!
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One Key Strategy to Set the Tone for Your Workshop
Over the weekend, I attended the annual Civil Liberties & Public Policy conference at Hampshire College. The topic of the conference is âFrom Abortion Rights to Social Justice: Building the Movement for Reproductive Freedomâ, and it was an eclectic mixture of students, activists, and grassroots and nonprofit professionals.Â
I returned to CLPP to facilitate âThe Revolution Starts with Me: Recipes, Remedies, Rituals and Resources for Activist Self Careâ. As in years past, this workshop had over 40 participants and was well-received.Â
At the start of every workshop I do, I make sure to explain the purpose and intent of the workshop and its activities, share whatâs going to take place, and what I feel is going to be the take-away points and âcall to actionâ for my participants.Â
One major component of my workshops is establishing the ground rules. Known as âgroup agreementsâ, âsafe space agreementsâ, âcommunity normsâ, and many more names, ground rules are the first step in setting the tone for how the facilitator and participants will interact with each other during their time together. Here are some things to keep in mind:
1) Itâs a group effort: Participants will identify what they need from each other and from the facilitator in order to feel comfortable participating in the workshop. I prefer to develop the ground rules with the assistance of the participants. When this happens, thereâs more investment and participants will be more intentional in how they interact with each other. Some group rules that have come up in my previous workshops include:
Step up, step back (This refers to everyone contributing to the activities. This ground rule commonly refers to participating more if youâve been holding back and allowing others to contribute if youâve been taking up a lot of space. This can also be listed as âStep up, step upâ (encouraging more communication from everyone, in addition to increasing listening)
One mic (To make sure everyone is heard, only one person speaks at a time).Â
Confidentiality (Some workshop topics can be very personal. Whatâs said in the room should not leave the room once the workshop is over.)Â
âIâ statements (Speak from your own experience. Avoid making generalizations.)Â
Active listening (When listening to a participant, avoid distractions like looking at your phone, writing things down, etc. As a facilitator, itâs always helpful to repeat back in your words what you heard the participant say to demonstrate that you were listening and to request clarification, if needed)
Donât yuck my yum (What sounds good to someone else may not be appealing to others. I may like avocado and peanut butter sandwiches, but if I share that with the group and I get a visual reaction and verbal non-approval, I may be discouraged from contributing for the remainder of my time with the group. You donât always have to agree with what someone says.)
Assume good intent (People are human and may make mistakes, such as forgetting to address a participant by their preferred gender pronoun. Itâs best to politely correct someone rather than make a scene. If needed, you and the participant can find time after the workshop to discuss what occurred and to find a good conclusion).
Take breaks and take care of yourself as needed (If participants feel more comfortable sitting on the floor, let them. Encourage restroom and water breaks. If someone needs to step outside of the room for whatever reason, be ok with that. Theyâll be back.)
Social media (This ties into confidentiality. In some workshop spaces, people tend to tweet whatâs being said. However, encourage participants to announce that what theyâre about to share should not be repeated out on social media.)
Challenge the idea, not the person (When something sounds unfamiliar to you, donât be afraid to ask questions to gain understanding. Focus on the idea, and avoid personal attacks. This is important when you dealing with participants who come from various communities, lived experiences, and certain levels of privilege.)Â
Sometimes, you may not have enough time to devote to developing the ground rules with the participants. List the rules you commonly use, then ask if the participants agree with whatâs been listed, as well as make suggestions for other rules.Â
2) Keep the ground rules visible:You can write the ground rules on a board or on flip chart paper. Keeping the ground rules visible is useful, especially if the workshop is expected to last several hours. If the group feels that the ground rules arenât being honored, you can refer back to them.
3) Model the ground rules: Your participants wonât adhere to the ground rules if you donât. This is especially true if youâre not making âIâ statements or doing active listening.Â
4) Revisit, when needed: If you notice that people are speaking over each other, making generalizations, and yucking someone elseâs yum, refer back to the ground rules to reestablish commitment to them.
5) Maintain flexibility: When someone proposes a ground rule, ask the other participants if they agree to it. If most do, add it to the list.
Developing ground rules is a great way to set the tone of your workshop. Keep these 5 points in mind, and feel free to use the sample ground rules Iâve listed. If you do decide to use them, let me know how they worked with your participants!
RAISE YOUR VOICE: What are some key ground rules you have used in your workshop? If youâve been a workshop participant, what ground rules stood out in the workshops you've attended?
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Ask Nicole: Whatâs the Difference Between Research and Evaluation?
Do you have any questions related to social work, evaluation, reproductive justice? Curious about how I feel about a particular topic? Contact me and Iâll answer it!
This is probably the most common question youâll hear about evaluation practice. Because Iâm asked this question often, I would like to given my take on it.Â
To start, there are several differences between research and evaluation. Evaluation is a systematic way of figuring out how effective your programs and services are, and if the desired outcomes of the program/service line up with what participants are experiencing. You can do this in a variety of ways, including surveys, focus groups, interviews, and more. Evaluation can inform key stakeholders (which can include legislators, program participants, funders, nonprofit staff, etc.) how sustainable your program or service is.Â
In comparison, research is designed to seek new knowledge about a behavior or phenomenon and focuses on the methods of getting to that new knowledge (hypothesis, independent/dependent variables, etc.). In other words, research wants to know if a particular variable caused a particular effect (causation). Once testing is done, researchers can make research recommendations and publish their findings. However, one of the key differences between research and evaluation is that conducting an evaluation can lead to insights in whatâs going well and what can be improved. In other words, evaluation shows how valuable your program or service is.Â
Researchers collect data, present results and draw conclusions that link to some empirical data. Â While evaluators also do this, evaluators also examine how the data collected aligns with the programâs proposed benchmarks of how the program is expected to perform. So, while evaluators make conclusions that reflect the collected data, evaluators also assist is determining the value of program so they can help improve it. Evaluators donât just leave you in the dark about how to improve your program (or at least they shouldnât).
To summarize, evaluation 1) focuses on a program or services while research focuses on a population; 2) focuses on improving a program by examining all the pieces to determine if the desired results are being actualized while research focuses on causation while researchâs main focus is on proving a hypothesis; 3) focuses on value (and how to get the value expected) while research is free of determining value; and 4) is no better or worse than research. In fact, theyâre both useful to programs and services to not only improve them but to also get a benchmark on how populations respond to certain factors.Â
To put it simply, hereâs an illustration on research vs. evaluation by Chris Lysy of Fresh Spectrum:
(image courtesy)
RAISE YOUR VOICE: Do you have a question related to social work, evaluation, reproductive justice? Curious about how I feel about a particular topic? Let me know in the comments section below or contact me directly.
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Why Social Workers Make the Best Reproductive Justice Activists
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March is one of my favorite months of the year. There's a lot happening during March for us to raise our voices about, including Women's History Month, National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers (3/10th), National Women and Girls HIV & AIDS Awareness Day (3/10th), and National Native HIV Awareness Day  (3/21st) (among others).
My favorite thing about March is that it's all about the social worker. March is National Social Work Month, and this year's theme is "Social Work Paves the Way for Change". From individual counseling to managing an evaluation project or grant process, social workers make a difference in the lives of individuals, families, schools, organizations and communities.Â
What's so great about this year's Social Work Month is that I've been invited to be a co-presenter for a 3-part webinar series focusing on two of favorite topics: social work and reproductive justice. This series, sponsored by Social Workers for Reproductive Justice with support of The Abortion Conversation Project , will focus on not only how social workers are change agents in the lives of many, but how social workers are often in the forefront of many social justice movements. While this series is meant to be educational and empowering for any professional social worker or student social worker (as well as anyone interested in going into the field), this series will also touch on how the personal views of social workers can often get in the way of our clients' right to self determination, and what we can do to make sure we remain unbiased in our interaction with our clients and the resources we provide.
Social work was a natural progression for me before I could see how it would relate to my ongoing work as a college student activist, and I am grateful that I've been able to combine reproductive justice with social work, in addition to the program evaluation work that I do.Â
Social workers make the best reproductive justice activists because of how we embody the NASW Code of Ethics in our work. A client's right to self-determination, diversity and cultural competency, privacy and confidentiality, and social and political action are just a few of the ethical responsibilities we have to our clients, especially when it comes to pregnancy prevention and pregnancy options counseling. We're expected to not only be knowledgeable, but to also remain unbiased and encouraging. We want to empower our clients to make the best decision for themselves. With anything focusing on birth control and pregnancy, it's very easy to have an opinion on what someone should do with their body, but as social workers, our job is to focus on what our client know about her situation, what strengths and resources she have, and what she needs...and not on cultivating a paternalistic view of her.
I'm excited about my webinar because it will touch on what exactly is reproductive justice, how it's different from the pro-choice vs. pro-life debate, the barriers social workers may face in promoting reproductive justice, and how social workers can promote reproductive justice at the micro, mezzo, and macro level. If you are a professional social worker or social work student (or someone who is interested in social work) who wants to learn more about reproductive justice and how you can incorporate it into your work, please sign up for the SWRJ webinar series. We hope to "see" you there!Â
RAISE YOUR VOICE: Are you signed up for the SWRJ Webinar series? Sign up today for my webinar, taking place March 19th at 12pm eastern!Â
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"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. it is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare." ~ Audre LordeÂ
Today is International Human Rights Day. First commemorated in 1950, International Human Rights Day brings attention to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the common standard of achievement for all nations.  The 2014 theme, "Human Rights 365", celebrates the fundamental principle that everyone is entitled to the full range of human rights at all times, that human rights belong equally to each of us, and these rights bind us together as a global community.Â
Given the pain, frustration, and unrest that have resulted in protests in recent weeks around the United States to bring awareness to the increase of policing tactics against communities of color, the constant attacks on womenâs reproductive access, continuous news about hate crimes against members of the LGBTQ community, the debates surrounding immigration rights, and countless other stressors on marginalized communities, the state of basic human rights around the world is nothing short of dismal.
As social workers, counselors, and therapists, we are receptacles of our clientsâ trauma. We encourage clients to work through a traumatic experience by giving voice to it, but what ends up hopefully being a cathartic release for our clients, leaves us literally holding our clientsâ trauma in our hands.
As teachers, agency or nonprofit workers, or community activists, the well-being of our communities is a priority for us. We conduct needs assessments and speak to our students and community members about what needs to change within the school system, agency, or community. What ends up being a positive way for community members to voice their concerns can leave us drained because what needs to changeâoften at a systemic and policy levelâcan feel daunting.
When your communities are constantly under attacked, when there seems to be no end in sight, and when your fundamental rights are being taken away, what do you do when self care isn't an option for you?  Â
Activists are always at conflict with self care. You always feel the need to be "on" because people look to you for guidance. Iâve had activist friends who feel guilty when they take a break from social media, or even take a much-needed vacation. Though we know that the troubles facing our communities will still be there when we return, it doesnât feel good knowing that youâre leaving your community behind to tend to yourself. Self care sounds selfish. It feels guilty, especially when the rights of the communities you care about are being trampled on.
Service providers are no different. We face the possibility of counter-transference with our clients, our sessions can go wrong, we can feel lost when we donât know what direction to take our clients in, or we feel flustered if we have to start a session late or when a client tries to go past their scheduled end time. Â We feel irritated with our clients, our energy level is low, and run the risk of using displacement with our loved ones in order to cope with our problems.
Women and girls, communities of color, and other marginalized communities receive daily reminders that they donât have the same rights as the majority, and in times like this, it feels insincere to encourage self care to communities that never seem to catch a break. Â While self care doesnât feel like an option sometimes, itâs important to remember that we will always live in stressful times, and we have to find a way to take care of ourselves in ways that are beneficial to us while also letting the communities we care about know that we are still in the fight. If we donât take time to care for ourselves, life will always have a way of making you slow down. Not slowing down physically and mentally can manifest in behavioral and physical ways. When it feels as though we have no power, we must remember how we treat ourselves is always within our control.
We do this work because we care. We do this work because future generations depend on the changes we make today. But this work is hard. Our caring and activism is overwhelming because while weâre helping our communities heal, weâre still processing our own traumas. In a sense, raising our voices for others is a part of our self care. In it, weâre developing support networks with like-minded individuals that validate our causes. But there are still things we can do to take care of ourselves outside of the activism we do and the services we provide. Thereâs no right or wrong way to practice self care. A 30 minute nap, turning off your smart phone for a few hours, talking a walk, watching funny movies, saying no to taking on a new task that can be delegated o someone else or put off for another day, or giving yourself a hug are all good things.
As you go about International Human Rights Day (and every day), remember the injustices we continue to face, and find ways to become more unapologetic in giving voice to your overwhelm in order to re-energize.
RAISE YOUR VOICE: Do you feel that self care isnât an option for you? What are some ways you have been able to voice your concerns?
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âStatistics are real people with the tears wiped away. When statistical data are presented, they seem sanitized and tend to distance the reader from the actual problem at hand.â Â ~ Dr. B. Lee GreenÂ
Let's take a look at this graph, taken from the policy fact sheet "Sexual Health of Adolescents and Young Adults in the United States", developed by the Kaiser Family Foundation.Â
This fact sheet provides key data on sexual activity, contraceptive use, pregnancy, prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and access to reproductive health services among teenagers and young adults in the United States.
The chart above is taken from this fact sheet, and the data and information is listed in the 2013 Kaiser Women's Health Survey. To list some statistics:Â
**70% of women 19 to 24 rated confidentiality about use of health care such as family planning or mental health services as "important"; however, the majority of girls and women were not aware that insurers may send an explanation of benefits (EOB) that documents use of medical services that have been used to the principal policy holder, who may be a parent.Â
**Today, 21 states and DC have policies that explicitly allow minors to consent to contraceptive services, 25 allow consent in certain circumstances, and 4 have no explicit policy;
**38 states require some level of parental involvement in a minor's decision to have an abortion, up from 18 states in 1991. 21 states require that teens obtain parental consent for the procedure, 12 require parental notification, and 5 require both.
Of course, the correlation makes sense: the older a woman is, the higher likelihood she is aware of what a EOB is and how health insurance companies many send them by mail to her home. In fact:
One of the earliest [Affordable care Act] provisions that took effect in September 2010 was the extensions of dependent coverage to young people up to age 26, who had the highest uninsured rate of any age group at the time the law was passed. In 2013, over four in ten (45%) women ages 18 to 25 reported that they were covered on a parent's plan as a dependent. because that are adult children, the extension of coverage has raised concerns about their ability to maintain privacy regarding the use of sensitive health services such as reproductive and sexual health care and mental health. (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2013)
 I also find it interesting that the younger a woman is, the higher she is to rate confidentiality when seeking various health care services. Also the fact that only 21 states and DC allow minors complete consent to access contraceptives and that most states require some level of parental involvement in a young person's decision to have an abortion is worth looking into, especially in states that allow young people to access contraception without parental consent.
But we're not here to talk about completely about the statistics. And we're not here to provide a full-on critique of policy fact sheet.
When you see a chart (be in a bar chart, pie chart, line chart, or more), or hear a number percentage that is chosen to highlight the prevalence of something, do you ever wonder who are the people behind the numbers? Of course, there are many outlets that mention the population that was surveyed and/or when the surveying took place, but itâs not often that we think more about the actual people and how these statistics impact their lives.
When organizations such as Kaiser Family Foundation, the Guttmacher Institute, and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) put out policy fact sheets, the numbers tend to be the focal point. However, what theyâre also hoping when sharing these numbers that we take them and start creating dialogue on why these numbers exists. We often take things at face value, agree that there should be a cause for concern or celebration, and thatâs it. We donât often think about (unless it is explicitly stated from the gathered data) who was surveyed, where they live, their ages, race/ethnicity, gender, their lived experiences, or what the next steps are.
There was many ways to do this. You can share the statistics with your peers, students, or with the populations you work with that may be representative of the statistics. Share the statistics on social media for a way to get an even broad array of opinions. If you are an evaluator or researcher, consider conducting qualitative analyses such as in-depth interviews or focus groups on the statistics youâve gathered in relation to any quantitative analyses youâve performed. If you work with an agency or nonprofit, you can conduct a community needs assessment or an organizational assets/capacity analysis for the population. And if youâre a parent or caregiver, you can ask your children what they think about the statistics. Most importantly, work together to translate the statistics into meaningful action steps for your community, clients, or populations that are directly impacted.
The next time you read a policy fact sheet, or listen to a news reporter highlight a statistic, pay attention to how these statistics translate to your own lived experience and to the experiences of people that are directly impacted. Think more about the people behind the numbers.
RAISE YOUR VOICE:Â How do you use statistics in your life, school, or work?Share one way that you have discussed or taken action based on a statistics that impacts you and/or your community.
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10 Common Mistakes that Keep Respondents from Completing Your Survey
 Developing survey questions is harder than it looks. Asking questions is easy, but asking direct, unbiased, and valid questions is more of an art form. Thereâs a lot that goes into it, including flow, how the questions tie into what your program evaluation wants to answer, and keeping your respondents engage enough to complete the survey.
Here are 10 common mistakes and my tips for avoiding them:
Not knowing your target audience: Understanding who your audience is can help you craft survey questions that are pertinent to them. Avoid using words or phrases that your respondents may not know the meaning of. Instead, use words and phrases that are tailored to your target audience. Are your surveying nurses, social workers, or teachers? It's ok to use words or phrases that are most common to those target audiences. On the other hand, if you're not sure if your audience will understand what you mean by "reproductive justice", it's best to gather insights from the program coordinator or workshop facilitator to see if this term has been discussed.Â
Not explaining WHY: Believe it or not, most respondents are willing to help you if you share the value in completing your survey. When a respondent knows whatâs in it for them, there is likelihood that the survey gets completed. If respondents know that their responses can aid in determining pay raises or in the restructuring of an under-performing programâs activities youâre more likely to complete it. If an incentive (i.e. a gift card to the respondentâs favorite retail store, coffee shop, or to wherever Visa is accepted) is included when a respondent completes your survey, indicate that on your survey at the very beginning before respondents begin.
Including extensive demographic questions: When you ask too many demographic questions, it can result in taking up a lot of room that could have been used for other questions. Before you add in questions to gather information on a respondentâs income level, religion, socio-economical status, etc., consider if itâs appropriate and relevant to the overall survey and the basis of the evaluation. Also, unless the rest of your survey depends on these answers, consider leaving demographic questions for the end of the survey as they tend to be the more uninteresting parts of a survey for respondents to complete.Â
Asking too many questions, period: Tying into the second point, asking too many questions can be the downfall of your survey. There are a variety of question typesâopen-ended, multiple choice, Likert or interval (very satisfied, satisfied, neutral, dissatisfied, very dissatisfied), ratio (âHow many days do you spend studying?â), and dichotomous (true/false, yes/no, agree/disagree)âbut itâs more about the intent behind the question. My recommendation is to create a survey that can have up to 15 questions. Keep in mind that engagement levels wane, especially during an online survey where there are more distractions (i.e., social media, videos, online shopping, etc.)
Asking double barred questions: âWhen you go out on a date, do you prefer to go to a dinner and a movie?â This may seem like a straightforward question and a common dating scenario, but many respondents may prefer one answer choice over the other. Appropriate answer choices can include
a) Dinner and movie
b) Dinner
c) Movie
d) Other
Not including âotherâ or prefer not to answerâ: Including âprefer not to answerâ may not help much with gathering data, but it does show your respondents that you value their privacy and youâre giving the option of opting out. If a respondent notices that youâre not allowing her to opt out, she may become discouraged and will stop entirely. And when it comes to âotherâ responses, it may indicate that another answer choice wasnât very obvious to you. If you decide to include âotherâ as an answer choice, consider letting the respondent share their explanation.
Including answer choices that overlap:
What is your age range?
a)Â Â Â Â Â 13-18
b)Â Â Â Â Â 18-24
c)Â Â Â Â Â Â 24-30
See the problem here? Mutually exclusive answer choices give respondents a chance to have a clear answer choice. To avoid ambiguity, adjust the answer choices to 13-18, 19-24, and 25-30. Â
Not asking direct questions: Indirect questions do not communicate your intent behind asking the question.
Example: What suggestions do you have for improving this program?
In this example, respondents will give you all types of answers, which would all be helpful. But if the intent is to discover suggestions for improving a particular activity within a program, make that known.
Leading respondents to an answer choice: Donât be bias by creating questions with the intent of steering your respondents in a particular direction.
Example: How would you rate the career of legendary musician Michael Jackson?
Depending on whom you ask, Michael Jackson may or may not be a "legendary". Â This type of wording can create bias. To avoid this, eliminate âlegendaryâ. Hereâs another example:
The United States government should force all states to mandate comprehensive sex education in public school systems.
Does everyone support comprehensive sex education? Who likes to be force? Words like âforceâ can represent having control over your respondents. An alternative can be âThe United States government should mandate comprehensive sex education in public school systems.â While the intent is still the same, words like âcouldâ, âshouldâ, and âwouldâ are less controlling.
All in all, surveys are a great way to gather feedback on your program or service. Now that you know what common mistakes to avoid, you're on your way to developing more quality surveys. If you have further questions or you like for me to lead your group or organization on improving your survey development skills, contact me and let's get started.Â
RAISE YOUR VOICE:Â What are some common mistakes you've made as a survey developer, and how have you corrected those mistakes?Â
If you like this and other posts, subscribe to the Raise Your Voice weekly newsletter to receive resources, advice, and tips to help you raise your voice for women and girls of color.
If you like this and other posts, subscribe to the Raise Your Voice weekly newsletter to receive resources, advice, and tips to help you raise your voice for women and girls of color.
Sound Off: One in Three U.S. Teens Are Unaware That HIV is a Sexually Transmitted Infection, Survey Reports
(Image courtesy)
Each week, I bring you a current news article, along with my commentary, to raise your voice about. Share your thoughts on topic in the comments section below. Agreeing to disagree is always great, but please be sure to keep it respectful. Nicole Clark Consulting reserves the right to remove disrespectful, off-topic, and threatening comments.
A recent report released by the MAC AIDS Fund, reports that U.S. teens can benefit from more education on HIV. The survey, conducted by Kelton Research between May 22-June 5, 2014, surveyed 1,039 American teens ages 12-17 on their views on HIV stigma, transmission, and prevention.Â
Some of the highlights from the report include:
* 9 out of 10 (88%) believe they are not at risk for contracting HIV. Also, one-third (33%) were not aware that HIV is a sexually transmitted infection.
* 50% of respondents are afraid of contracting HIV and would be nervous if they were to get an HIV positive diagnosis (93%), around the same percentage as if they were to get a positive pregnancy test (94%) or have to engage in first-time sexual activity (91%)
*While the belief that their risk of contracting HIV is low, the respondents were far more likely to believe they are at greater risk for developing cancer (38%), diabetes (33%), heart disease (28%) or obesity (22%) during their lifetime.
*While most believed that using a condom (71%), abstaining from sex (58%), or getting testing for HIV regularly can prevent the spread of HIV (55%), most did not know that HIV prevention also includes reducing the amount of sexual partners (47%), not using alcohol or drugs (33%) or talking with others about prevent HIV prevention (29%).
*While teens feel they can benefit from more education on HIV and AIDS and are open to having more discussions on prevention and transmission (59%), 45% admit that having these conversations makes them uncomfortable.
*Teens would feel ashamed (53%), scared (69%), and feel that others would be afraid of them (50%) if they were to be diagnosed with HIV. Also, if they were to meet someone with HIV, 24% wouldn't want to share food or drink with that person, touch them (31%), or treat them as a normal person (51%).
Nicoleâs take: Other than age, we donât know much else about the survey respondents. Whereâs the rest of the information? Can we at least get a breakdown of the data based on age range? I understand that not all quantitative data collection is solid, but I feel that weâre missing some valuable information by not including other factors. It would have also been great to see how the beliefs of the respondents break down based on geographic region, gender, race and ethnicity, urban versus suburban or rural location, grade level, or age of onset of sexual activity. That would have also been interesting to know if the students who reported receiving sex education from schools (56%) or from family members (38%) were receiving abstinence-only education or comprehensive sex education.
Despite these shortcomings, Dr. Gil Ross, executive director of the American Council on Science and Health, says, â[P]ublic health educational outreach that was successful during the height of the AIDS epidemic and for a decade thereafter focusing on âsafe sexâ, âwear a condom every time,â etc., may be losing its hold on the short-attention span generation with us nowâ.
To speak to Dr. Rossâ quote, we need to start thinking of more creative ways to education not only young people, but adults as well on how HIV is transmitted, what treatments are available, and how to prevent HIV. We also need to distribute funding evenly in HIV treatment and prevention research. While the focus has been on men who sleep with men (MSM) in recent years, despite not having enough information, this survey proves that stigma reduction and creative educational techniques are needed for our young people to help stop the spread of HIV. Also, having more discussion on HIV as a treatable yet preventable condition rather than something to be ashamed of can also increase teens' ability to know what universal precautions to take to prevent HIV (and what myths perpetuate stereotypes that continue to stigmatize people living with HIV). It's easier said than done, of course, but it's a start.Â
 RAISE YOUR VOICE: What do you think of the findings?  Have you conducted research and would support MAC AIDS Fundsâ findings? If youâre between ages 12-17, do you find that these results are accurate among your friends or classmates?
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In order to raise your voice for others, you have to take care of yourself first. If you like this and other posts, subscribe to the Raise Your Voice weekly newsletter to receive resources, advice, and tips to help you raise your voice for women and girls of color.
This is The Self Care Wheel, created by Olga Press Project: Healing for Social Change and adapted from the "Self Care Assessment Worksheet" in Transforming the Pain: A Workbook on Vicarious Traumatization. It's a great graphic of how various aspects of our lives work in tandem to create wellness and balance. When one part of the wheel is not functioning, it affects the other parts. For example, when we decide to skip lunch, plow through to meet our deadlines, and decide to stay late at the office to finish some assignments, we may decide to grab an unhealthy snack to eat quickly, become more stressed, and lose out on spending quality time with others.
Take a look at the wheel and the recommendations given for optimal professional, physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and personal wellness.
Do you have a question that other Raise Your Voice community members can benefit from? Contact me and I'll answer it!
Several weeks ago, I received the following email from a fellow program evaluator:
Hi Nicole,
I read your blog post, âProgram Evaluation for Women and Girls of Color: How I Developed My Passion for Evaluation Practice,â and I was immediately drawn to it. I am an up and coming program evaluator who is fairly new to the field and still on a learning curve. I am struggling to figure out my place in the field, whether I belong here, and whether there are growth opportunities for me as an evaluator of color with a social equity, direct service, and light research background. A previous boss once told me that she didnât believe I loved research, and didnât see me as being an evaluator. While I agree that research isnât my forte, there continues to be something that draws me to evaluation. I consider myself to be pragmatic and can get lost in big picture thinking, something researchers are good at. But, I believe in program accountability, neutrality in the presentation of information, and integrity. These are all elements that I believe evaluation brings to the table. I do wish to grow in my career, but at times I feel like giving up because I don't yet know a lot about many things related to evaluation. Anyway, I'm happy to have come across your blog post because it provided some comfort in knowing that I am not the only one who has questioned her place in program evaluation. Your words are empowering!It would be great to speak with you further about your career trajectory in evaluation.What professional development opportunities would you recommend? How may I build up my evaluation skills? Looking forward to your response.
This was a really thoughtful question, and itâs great to hear from a fellow program evaluator of color!
Program evaluation is a rapidly changing field, and as you see, itâs exciting and daunting at the same time. Like you, I consider myself an up and coming evaluator, and I totally understand the feeling of not know all that one needs to know in order to get ahead in this field. Iâve come to find that, in my experience, youâll always be on a learning curve because of emerging best practices, the latest research, and current trends. Thatâs what makes evaluation so exciting.
When I decided to develop a career in program evaluation, I began reading up on anything and everything related to program evaluation. And then I started to get overwhelmed. Thereâs so much to evaluation that itâs almost impossible to know everything. So, a recommendation I have for is to figure out what you want to develop your niche in, and build your skills in that, if possible. For example, Iâm into participatory evaluation, empowerment evaluation, and evaluation theories that can be applied within racial, feminist, gender, and youth lenses. Elements such as logic models, quantitative and qualitative data collection, and the like are the basis for all evaluation theories, and I when I need to figure out how to run an analysis, or if I need additional help in looking for key themes in a qualitative data set, Iâll ask my colleagues. In other words, everything is (in the words of entrepreneur Marie Forleo, âfigure-outableâ).
When it comes to professional development and skills building, here are some places to get started:
 Professional Membership
American Evaluation Association: Iâm sure AEA needs no introduction, as they are the top source for professional development, jobs, consultant opportunities, and skills building  for evaluators in the United States and beyond. They offer paid and free trainings, including Coffee Break, a 20-minute webinar by a leading evaluator on a topic of choice, and eStudy, which are longer, more in-depth courses in a variety of evaluation topics. AEA also offers the Summer Evaluation Institute with the Centers for Disease Control, It focuses more on evaluation from health perspective, but I feel that the workshops lend themselves to a variety of settings. I attended the institute prior to enrolling in graduate school (and I still have my participant folder that I refer to!) The institute is geared towards evaluators at the beginning stages of their practice, as well as for seasoned evaluators looking for refresh their skills. Thereâs also the annual evaluation conference. The AEA 2014 annual conference takes place October 15-18. Iâm looking forward to attending, as this will be my first time attending this conference. My favorite part of AEA are the Topical Interest Groups (TIGs). You can connect with others who share your interests. A few of the groups Iâve been part are in independent consultant TIG, multi-ethnic issues in evaluation TIG, and the social work TIG. There are also AEA affiliates nationwide that you can connect with outside of AEA. Last but not least, check out AEA 365, AEAâs daily blog that highlights tips, lessons, learned, and resources from evaluators. Thereâs so much information on the AEA, itâs easy to become overwhelm. Just pick a section and read more in depth.
Websites & Blogs
Along with AEA, check out Potent Presentations and Better Evaluation. Both are great sites for learning about different evaluation concepts and theories, as well as best practices for tailoring your data to need the needs of your audience. As Iâve mentioned, definitely check out Emery Evaluation, Evergreen Data, freshspectrum, AEA 365, and the Barrinton Research Group. Two additional resources are Eval Central, a collection of 50+ evaluation blogs on one site, and The Listening Resource, a blog full of information on qualitative data collection and analysis. I also have a Pinterest board of evaluation resources Iâve created.
Books
Gail Barringtonâs book Consulting Start-Up and Management is so good! I believe Iâve highlighted and outlined in this book more than any book I had in grad school. I also am looking forward to getting my hands on Stephanie Evergreenâs book Presenting Data Effectively, Kim Sabo Floresâ book Youth Participatory Evaluation: Strategies for Engaging Young People, and The Program Evaluation Standards: A Guide for Evaluators and Evaluation Users by Donald Yardbrough, Lyn Shuldha, and Rodney Hopson. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
People
Along with the greater evaluators already mentioned, definitely read more about George Mason University professor Rodney Hopson, Dominica McBride of Become, Inc., Jara Dean Coffey of JDC Partnetships, evaluator Michael Quinn Patterson, empowerment evaluation guru David Patterson, Karen Anderson of On Top of the Box Evaluation, and one of my Columbia University School of Social Work professors, Rogerio Pinto. Iâm making sure to mention evaluators of color as itâs always great to connect online and offline.
Social Media
Twitter is always a great way to connect with other evaluators. I tend to use the hash tags #eval, #evaluation #dataviz . I have a list of evaluators I like to follow on Twitter, and you can check out the fellow AEA evaluator Twitter users. Also, to connect with more women of color, follow the hash tag #WOC.
Volunteering
Last but not least, one of the better ways Iâve found for building my evaluation skills has been through volunteering my time. I mention here how Iâve offered to conduct evaluations for organizations and groups I have an intimate connection with (serve on the board of directors, advisory group, etc.). You get to not only build your skills and portfolio, but you can also gain references and testimonials.
RAISE YOUR VOICE: What are some of your favorite evaluation resources?
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Sound Off: Researchers Recommend Sex Ed Classes Starts as Early as Age 10
(Image Credit: Shuttershock)
Each week, I bring you a current news article, along with my commentary, to raise your voice about. Share your thoughts on topic in the comments section below. Agreeing to disagree is always great, but please be sure to keep it respectful. Nicole Clark Consulting reserves the right to remove disrespectful, off-topic, and threatening comments.
A new study reported by Georgetown University Institute for Reproductive Health recommends that children should start receiving comprehensive sex education as early as age 10.Â
The study, called "Investing in Very Young Adolescents' Sexual and Reproductive Health", gives this recommendation from a global health perspective, highlighting the need for a more global view of harm reduction and prevention that not only benefits health professionals and researchers conducting research that will lead to better health guidelines, but can encourage more effective policies and more community involvement.
Think Progress reports that one of the fears in mandating a national standard for sex education as been in large part due to the support around "abstinence-only until marriage" programs. Coupled with the belief that teaching young people about sex and sexuality outside of the confides of marriage is wrong, there is the fear that teaching children about sex will encourage them to become sexually active sooner.Â
In discussion about this latest research and the fears mentioned above, Victoria Jennings, director of Georgetown's Institute for Reproductive Health told the Chicago Tribune: "[Teaching children about sex]Â has to be done in the context of helping them develop healthy self-esteem and the ability to negotiate their way in the world and develop expectations for themselves and their lives that will cause them to make decisions that will lead to positive outcomes.â
Nicole's take: Have you heard of the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act? This bill, co-authored by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and the late Senator Frank Launtenberg (D-NJ), was re-introduced in the 2013 congressional legislature. This bill, if passed, will set the vision for comprehensive sex education in the United States. Originally named the "Responsible Education About Life Act", this bill has been introduced to Congress since 2001. While it receives support from other Congress leaders, families, and organizations that support comprehensive sex education,  it never gets enough votes to pass both the House of Representatives or the Senate.Â
The REAL Act is important because, despite the latest findings from Georgetown and countless other research that proceeds it, the United States government only gives federal funding to abstinence-based sex education programs. The REAL Act can ensure that federal funding is allocated to comprehensive sexual health education programs that provide young people with the skills and information they need to make informed, responsible, and healthy decisions. Studies such as the one presented by Georgetown have the potential to revitalize the advocacy around the REAL Act, and can bring it one step closer to becoming a reality.
Also, according to the Centers for Disease Control, most American teens donât receive formal sexual health instruction until after theyâve already become sexually active, in part due to the United States not having set national standards for comprehensive sex ed in public schools. (There are some states (18 to be exact along with Washington, DC) that require some form of sex health course in public schools.)
While the United States prides itself on being one of the most advanced countries in the world, we still continue to miss the mark when it comes to making sure that young people have the knowledge and tools needed to make healthy lie decisions. Need more proof? Here are 5 countries that get it right.
RAISE YOUR VOICE: Do you think young people as early as 10 years old should receive sex education in schools?Â
If you like this and other posts, subscribe to the Raise Your Voice weekly newsletter to receive resources, advice, and tips to help you raise your voice for women and girls of color.
The Self Care Corner: A Seven Step Prescription for Self Love
In order to raise your voice for others, you have to take care of yourself first. Thatâs where self care comes in. If you like this tip, be sure to sign up for the Raise Your Voice newsletter to receive your copy of The Revolution Starts with Me! self care zine for more tips and self care resources.
I recently came across an article from Deborah Khoshaba, Psy. D., a contributor for Psychology Today. Called "A Seven-Step Prescription for Self Love" Dr. Khoshaba shares seven ways to incorporate self love into your life.
Dr. Khoshaba's says, "Self love is a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support our physical, psychological and spiritual growth. Self love is dynamic; it grows by actions that mature us. When we act in ways that expand self-love in us, we begin to accept much better our weaknesses as well as our strengths, have less need to explain away our short-comings, have compassion for ourselves as human beings struggling to find personal meaning, are more centered in our life purpose and values, and expect living fulfillment through our own efforts." Â
Here are Dr. Khoshaba's seven steps for self love:
*Become mindful
*Act on what you need rather on what you want
*Practice good self care
*Set boundaries
*Protect yourself
*Forgive yourself
*Live intentionally
Read more about Dr. Khoshaba's seven steps for self love on Psychology Today.
RAISE YOUR VOICE: What you think about this weekâs resource? Share your insights in the comments section below. Do you have a self care resource or exercise you want to share? Contact me to have it featured in an upcoming Self Care Corner post.
