Measures of Success

Grant Profile

Last year, the Foundation supported a project that enabled the staff of REACH Beyond Domestic Violence to develop a Train-the-Trainer curriculum for its informative Peers Against Violence (PAVE) program.

One of the first teen dating violence prevention programs in the state, PAVE combines classroom-based education, support groups, peer leadership development for students at local high schools; community trainings designed to help parents support their teens in forming healthy relationships.

As a follow-up to last year’s project, REACH will use its 2012 Sudbury Foundation Children, Youth & Families Capacity Building grant for program evaluation. This grant will allow REACH to work with BU’s Dr. Emily Rothman, a leading expert in evaluating the impact of interpersonal violence prevention programs, to develop an innovative survey tool that will measure the classroom program’s impact not only on student knowledge but on changes in their behavior and attitudes as well.

Dr. Rothman will draw on her experience and body of research to identify the best survey questions, wording and sequencing. Pre and post-class surveys will be developed and tested with Wayland High School students in grades 9 and 11 and with Wayland parents enrolled in a two-semester evening class.

REACH hopes to capture clear data that demonstrates the positive change in attitude and behavior PAVE staff know takes place over the course of the semester. Results from the survey will be used to both inform program enhancements and attract funding support for PAVE, which is offered at no charge.