Indicators of Progress: Objective and Subjective Indicators

1. Indicators of Progress: Objective and Subjective Indicators Constructing Indicators of Progress/Well-being with Citizens/Communities Council of Europe- July 2008 Susan Brutschy, Applied Survey Research

2. Applied Survey Research • Non-profit social research firm in California with over 25 years of experience. • ASR conducts: • Community indicator projects • Health assessments • Children’s reports • Homeless census and surveys • Program evaluations • Strategic planning processes

3. Santa Cruz County Community Assessment Project

4. Community Indicator Projects

5. Agenda • Applied Survey Research (ASR’s ) Community Indicator Cycle • Working with communities to choose outcomes and indicators of progress • Criteria for Choosing Indicators • Blending Objective and Subjective Indicators • A Review of other Methods: Mark Friedman, JCCI, Redefining Progress, and Dr. Joe Sirgy

6. Community Indicator Process Form a Steering Committee Update the Report Regularly and Sustain Your Project Establish Broad-based Community Involvement Step 1 Step 2 Step 10 CreateWorking Committees Encourage Community Action Step 3 Step 9 Develop Community Goals and Benchmarks Create an Outcomes Framework / Reach Consensus on Outcomes & Indicators Step 4 Step 8 Publish andPromote the Report Step 7 Step 5 Step 6 Collect Secondary Data Conduct Community Surveys Analyze Results

7. Commitment to a Results Framework Turning the In Your Community! Curve

8. ASR and RBA in Community Action RBA Step 1: Select a community goal RBA Step 2: How are we doing on the most important indicators? RBA Step 3: Who has a part to play in doing better? Who is missing from the table? RBA Step 4: What works to do better? Low cost and no-cost solutions? RBA Step 5: What are we going to do? (Do something!) RBA Step 6: Now…how are we doing? (Measure progress)

9. ASR: Criteria for Choosing Indicators • Indicators should be understandable to the general user and the public • Indicators should respond quickly and noticeably to change. • Indicators should be relevant for policy decisions • Indicators should be available annually.

10. Asset Based Indicators • Strength based approach • Highlight assets in the community • Natural beauty • Youth resiliency • Supportive teachers • Adult mentors to youth • Families with extended support networks

11. Secondary/ Administrative Data Collection • United States Census • Federal data sources • State and local government agencies • Health organizations • Libraries • Schools • On-line databases • The Internet

12. Primary Data Collection • Telephone surveys (random digit dial of a representative sample). • Face to face surveys in communities, especially with low-income, people of color and native populations.

13. Key Indicators: Objective and Subjective • The Economy: Median family income • Percentage of respondents indicating they are better off economically this year than last year. • Percent of respondents reporting spending ½ or more of their take-home pay on rent/housing costs. • Health: Health insurance coverage • Percent of respondents who needed health care and were unable to receive it. • Public Safety: Crime rate • Percent of respondents who reported concern about crime. • Percent of respondents who felt their child had a safe place to play.

14. Mark Friedman Criteria for selecting indicators: • Communication Power: The indicator must be understandable to a broad and diverse audience. • Proxy Power: The indicator must say something of central importance about the result the community would like to achieve. • Data Power: Are the data reliable and consistent? Criteria for moving from data to action: • Specificity, Leverage, Values, and Reach

15. Jacksonville Community Council Inc: JCCI Criteria for selecting indicators: • Validity • Availability and timeliness • Reliability and stability • Responsiveness • Understandability • Policy relevance • Representativeness

16. Redefining Progress • Relevant • Valid • Credible • Measurable • Consistent/reliable • Comparable • Understandable • Leading • Compelling • Interesting • Exciting • Engaging to the media • Accessible/affordable • Relate to the whole community • Reveal linkages • Balance resources with needs • Be creative and action oriented

17. Redefining Progress: Subjective Indicators Measure Perceptions of the Community to Complement Objective/Secondary Data: • Internet Web Surveys • Scientific Survey Techniques • Focus Groups • Town Hall Meetings

18. Joe Sirgy, “The Science of Community Indicators Research” (ISQOLS) Criteria for selecting indicators: • Face Validity • Policy Relevance • Source Credibility • Consistency and Reliability • Geographic Comparability • Comprehension and Excitement • Accessibility and Affordability

19. Joe Sirgy, “The Science of Community Indicators Research” Validating Objective Indicators with Subjective Ones: • Ensure that the objective reality is not divorced from subjective experience • Provide data for indicators where there are no other sources • Collect information about people’s perceptions of their community and services • Allow policy makers to use both objective and subjective data for recommendations for change

20. Joe Sirgy: Types of Survey Research • Door to Door Surveys • Telephone Surveys • Mail Surveys • E-mail/ Internet Surveys

21. Summary • Outcomes Framework • Community driven indicators • Asset Based • Criteria for Selecting Indicators • Key Indicators • Secondary/Administrative Indicators • Primary/Subjective Indicators • Telephone Surveys • Face to Face Surveys • Focus Groups • Town Halls

22. Questions and Discussion Susan Brutschy, President susan@appliedsurveyresearch.org Many of the reports referenced in this presentation can be downloaded at www.appliedsurveyresearch.org Applied Survey Research Watsonville Office P.O. Box 1927 Watsonville, CA 95077 (831) 728-1356 San Jose Office 991 West Hedding Street, Suite 102 San Jose, CA 95126 (408) 247-8319