Success Stories as Evaluation

We hear touching stories about students who have blossomed during their time with our members, but reports to funders never capture this side of our work. How are these stories related to our numbers, and how can we get partners to value them as much as we do?

Stories bring numbers to life. Some people may think those touching stories can't be included in reports, but our panel insists otherwise. They agree that stories communicate the personal commitment of volunteers and the significant changes in students that funders and other stakeholders need-and want-to know.

"We include in our statewide reports Great Stories submitted by each local sponsor," says Mary. "These narratives help bring the numbers to life by providing meaningful illustrations of students and volunteers-from reading improvement to special bonds that are formed."

Sitka Learn and Serve volunteers share their experiences at advisory committee meetings. "We also have volunteers and teachers write letters about their experiences," Bridgett says, "and we include those with our semiannual reports." Contributing stories connects participants to the program and expands stakeholders' understanding of the impact on students.

As Gail points out, stories also help the word about your program. "Invite your local newspaper (or anyone else who does newsletters or publications) to interview a special volunteer, teacher, student, or family for a human interest story. Most folks love to be in the paper, and the article will make for great portfolio documentation and public relations." (Editors: Ask for prints of any newspaper pictures, and also take plenty of your own; great photos tell their own story.)

To make telling these stories easier, Gail suggests creating a "testimonial form that asks each teacher to tell one special story. The compiled stories can go into a results packet that you give or send to volunteers, teachers, principals, legislators, etc.-if you're not doing a results packet, you should! And always invite teachers to Results and Planning meetings with funders, and give them an opportunity to tell their stories."

Think of stories as individual snapshots of the program's impact. "Believe it or not," Gail says, "touching stories sometimes follow a pattern." She advises to "watch for trends and incorporate them in your evaluation form." In that way, stories become data.