From the Compassion Impact Report-2023

Seven decades of serving in holistic child development have shown us that continual learning helps us ensure the best possible outcomes for the children and youth we serve. We continue to learn how local churches and communities understand best what will help them thrive. Since each community’s context and needs are different, it is important each Compassion church partner has the information they need for decision- making that benefits program participants in their communities.

For example, if a local church partner was focusing on hand-washing education to prevent illness, did it work? Did children learn and begin washing their hands properly? Did it have an impact on health outcomes? If not, what should we adapt or change to improve future outcomes? What learnings can be shared in other communities and countries?

This learning posture is part of the role of Compassion’s Program Cycle, a process that empowers frontline workers to prioritize proven interventions as they respond to their most pressing local issues.

Interventions fall under one of our four outcome areas: Capacity for economic self-sufficiency, youth agency, spiritual development and well-being. Together, these outcome areas are aimed at the long-term goal of young people fully developing their God-given potential and making a difference in their context. Interventions will be tracked over time and play a critical role in helping us continue to learn and improve.

How the Program Cycle works

Besides promoting greater program effectiveness, the goal of the Program Cycle is to create a culture of continuous learning among our local church partners and, as part of our common Global Outcomes Framework, empower church partners to customize their programs to address the unique needs of the children and youth in their community.

The cycle begins with the church partner analyzing robust data on the needs of children and youth in their community. With support from Compassion staff, they design and contextualize a relevant program, drawing on a global catalogue of evidence-informed interventions.

The church will then carry out the interventions, monitoring challenges and successes to inform learning along the way. Evaluating results with Compassion staff, the frontline church determines whether the interventions achieved their goals. Together they celebrate strengths and identify opportunities, with new knowledge and learning to inform adjustments that may be needed as the cycle begins again.

Compassion Canada
PO BOX 5591 STN B
London, ON
N6A 5G8
Phone Number: 519-668-0224 or toll free: 1-800-563-5437
Email: info@compassion.ca
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