Measurement Tools ENACTUS TRAINING Quality of Life Developed by D Caspersz & D Bejr, 2013

Quality of Life is… Intangible variables regarding human welfare or well-being as measured by social indicators. This includes (but is not limited to) factors such as: - self-esteem - overall satisfaction of life - working conditions - ability to care for one’s family - hope in life - acceptance in community, neighborhood and/or work environment

But how do you measure this? Use one of the many tools available to measure the OUTCOMES of the variable (in this case, quality of life)

Variables Inputs are resources dedicated to or consumed by the program. Examples include but not limited to: money, students, time, volunteers, facilities, equipment and supplies. Outputs are the direct product of program activities and usually are measured in terms of the volume of work accomplished. Examples include: The number of classes taught; counseling sessions conducted; educational materials distributed; and participants served. Outcomes are benefits or changes for individuals or populations during or after participating in program activities. They are influenced by a program’s outputs. Outcomes may relate to behavior, skills, knowledge, attitudes, values, condition, status, or other attributes. They are often illustrated by what the participants know, think, or can do; or how they behave; or what their condition is as a direct result of the program/project.

Participant Observation Oldest and easiest methods to evaluate a change How? The easiest is pre and post observation. Note the old outcome (eg the behaviour, skills or knowledge) on a predetermined measurement scale before the project commences to establish a baseline Note the new outcome (on the same scale as before) after the project Compare the before and after outcomes to see if there is a difference, which may be positive or negative

Participant Observation – An Example Outcome to be measured: empowerment of confidence Predetermined scale: how many times participant offers ideas in discussions Pre-project observation – participant offers no ideas in discussions Post-project observation – participant offers 2 ideas (average) in discussions Difference of +2 ideas in discussions – a positive change in confidence

Tools for Measuring Outcomes These may include, but are not limited to: Observation Surveys Discussions Semi-structured interviews Focus groups Video evidence Third party reports (ie carers, guardians, teachers etc) Assessments Completion of tasks

Quantity The more times you can show a difference in outcomes, the better quality your results are, as you have shown it is not a one off. Different tools can be used to collect more results – pair a survey with a focus group, or video evidence with a third party report.

Formal Tools for Measuring Quality of Life Positive Psychology Questionnaires: http://www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/ppquestionnaires.htm Flanagan Quality of Life Scale, Table 1, http://www.hqlo.com/content/1/1/60 http://www.uib.no/isf/people/doc/qol/qol.pdf Rosenburg Self-esteem Scale: http://www.bsos.umd.edu/socy/research/rosenberg.htm