Why Use this Tool Kit?
While there are many program evaluation tools available, most measure success by focusing on problems rather than strengths. Cornerstone’s Tool Kit has been developed to support organizations using the developmental assets approach of building on the strengths of children and youth.

The tools in Cornerstone’s Tool Kit: Phase 1 are designed for programs working with youth, 10 years and older, over a period of time. Following is a list of the tools and the issues they address:

1) Program Survey

• Do youth experience asset-building through participation in programs?
• How are programs successful in creating asset-rich environments?
• How can programs improve and enhance asset-building opportunities for youth?

2) Youth Assessment

• What assets are already strong in youth’s lives?
• What assets are most important to youth to build stronger? How can programs support youth to develop these assets?
• Do youth’s asset levels change over time as they participate in programs?

The tools in the Tool Kit’s Phase 2: Organizational Assessment & Capacity Building are designed for organizations to assess their current practices and to identify new or enhanced opportunities to support the healthy development of children and youth.

1) Assessing How Your Organization Supports Children & Youth

• How do your organization’s policies and practices directly impact and support children and youth?
• How do your organization’s policies and practices encourage adults, employees and customers, to support children and youth in the larger community?
• How does your organization work with others in the community to support children and youth?

2) Elements of Successful Youth Programs

• How does is your program designed and operated to build on the strengths of youth?
• How do youth experience positive relationships and opportunities through your program?

3. Assessing Asset Building in Youth Activities

• How do and can youth activities most intentionally and effectively build assets?

How was the Tool Kit Developed?:
The Tool Kit has been developed by Cornerstone’s collaborative Evaluation Team in response to growing interest among program providers in using the asset approach to guide program development, implementation and evaluation. The Evaluation Team is working to develop a variety of evaluation tools to a.) provide some consistency in approach; and b.) offer choices so that agencies and funders can select the tools that best fit their programs and missions.

The purpose of Cornerstone’s Tool Kit is to:

• Build the capacity of program providers to integrate asset building into their programs in meaningful ways.
• Build understanding among funders and policy makers about the importance of asset-building programs and the value of using the asset approach as a guiding framework for policies and partnerships.
• Support program providers, funders and policy makers to agree on meaningful and manageable methods of measuring the powerful impacts of building on the strengths of children and youth rather than simply responding to problems.

The tools in Cornerstone’s Tool Kit: Phase 1 are based on the Healthy Communities-Healthy Youth Tool Kit, “The Asset Approach”, and “An Asset Checklist” from Search Institute and the “External and Internal Assets Inventory” from the Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC). Cornerstone’s tools have been field tested with local youth and program providers and adapted in response to their feedback. The tools in Cornerstone’s Tool Kit, Phase 2 are based on the Healthy Communities-Healthy Youth Tool Kit from Search Institute and Elements of Successful Youth Programs from Konopka’s Institute with additional guidance from various sources and experts in the field of youth development. Cornerstone’s tools have been field tested with local individuals and organizations and adapted in response to their feedback.

Cornerstone’s Evaluation Team:

Co-Chair, Stephani Becker, Associate Director for Research, Community Programs & Grants, Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health
Co-Chair, Elisa Koff-Ginsborg, Director of Community Programs, Social Advocates for Youth
Hien Do, Associate Professor & Chair, Social Science Department, San Jose State University
Lorraine Flores, Associate Director, Bill Wilson Center
Susan Hanson, Director of Research & Evaluation, Cleo Eulau Center
Sparky Harlan, Executive Director, Bill Wilson Center
Monique Kane, Executive Director, Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC)
Stewart Kiritz, Clinical Supervisor & Director of Research, Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC)
Shirly Lee, Consultant, Community Crime Prevention Associates
Gina Liebig, Manager, Evaluation & Research, Santa Clara County Office of Education
Jennifer Niklauss, former Director, School Linked Services, Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System
Eimi Okano, Director of Alcohol & Drug Services Learning Institute, Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System
John Sarvey, former Executive Director, City Year

Youth Development References
The Cornerstone Evaluation Team has reviewed the following work of leaders in the field of youth development:

Barkman, S. & Machtmes, K. (2000). Evaluating the Impact of Youth Development Programs – User Guide.

Catalano, R., Berglund, M.L., Ryann, J., Lonczak, H., Hawkins, J.D. (1999) Positive youth Development in the United States: Research Findings on Evaluation of Positive Youth Development Programs. Social development Research Group, University of Washington, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services

Ellis, P. (2000) Risk Avoidance, Protective and Resiliency Asset Assessment. Community Crime Prevention Associates. email

Judd, B. (2000) Elements of Successful Youth Programs. Konopka Institute’s review of best practices to improve adolescent health including review of works by P. Benson, J. Dryfoos, K.Pittman, and L. Schorr. email

Knowles, C. (2001) Prevention That Works! A Guide to Developing School-based Drug and Violence Prevention Programs. Corwin Press. email

MacDonald, G. & Valdiviesco, R. (2000) Measuring Deficits and Assets: How we Track Youth Development Now, and How We Should Track It, in Youth Development: Issues, Challenges and Directions, Public/Private Ventures.

McLaughlin, M. (2000) Community Counts, How Youth Organizations Matter for Youth Development. Public Education Network.

Oliva, G., Milder, T, Brindis, C. & Kooken, K. (2000) Data Sources & Tools for Measuring Adolescent Health Status. Family Health Outcomes Project, University of CA, San Francisco.

WestEd. California Healthy Kids Survey (2000)

NOTE: Documents are in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded free of charge.