1. Telling your story: Building your case, Part II
My culture and tradition commands me to consider my place in this room. My place in this city and the land on which we stand at this time.
I would like to take this moment to pay my respect to elders past and present of this land (Lisbon and all of Portugal) and I extend that respect to other Indigenous people who are present.
I am thankful and grateful for our time together in this space.
Telling your story: Building your case, Part II
October 8, 2018
ABTS conference
Lisbon, Portugal

2. Telling the story, Part I
What’s your story
Who do you want to be?
If someone is reading a story about your work and your program in the distant future, what would you want them to say about you?
How many of you attended the DC conference last year? (Acknowledge them and welcome new attendees).
Quick recap.
From our past session, we discussed “our story” and how we need to think about our work and its impact.

3. Your story should not be left to an evaluator
Your story should not be left to an evaluator. While the evaluator goes to your sites and asks questions about how the program is working, its benefits, and provides recommendations on how to improve…this is only part of the story.
The story is written through the everyday activities and interactions of the program. You are on the ground and are more likely to have the detailed descriptions of these events.
To truly have a successful program, you need to consider how and what is working on a continuous basis.
This is where we will spend some time today….

4. Telling the story: Building your case, Part II
The next few minutes we will be talking about Telling your story, building your case…using observation, authentic questions, and reflection to positively impact the results of your program. (I’m calling it Part II).
Using observation, authentic questions, and reflection to positively impact the results of your program

5. HOW DO WE FIND OUT IF SOMETHING IS WORKING?
There is not one answer to this question but multiple ways to include:
HOW DO WE FIND OUT IF SOMETHING IS WORKING?

6. Observe with an open mind.
Let’s practice your skills at observation.
The directions are simple: Find the bird in this short video. You have 30 seconds.
Show first video.
(Nobody can see all the hidden animals, Optical Illusions, Brain Teasers)
Let them think about it.
Now, let’s find the horse. Show second video.
Talk about what you observed. What were you looking for?
4-5 minutes
Observe with an open mind.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

7. Ask authentic questions
What questions might you ask that would have helped you “find” the horse in #2?
Before we try another one, ….What questions do you want to ask to help you find the next animal? (the animal is a wolf)
Let’s list some of them……
4 minutes
Now show 3rd video.
Discuss what they have found. The process.
What you are doing here is using your knowledge and information of past experiences to help guide you to make decisions fo future work…You are reflecting on your process…on your types of questions…..on the observations.
Ask authentic questions

8. Reflect Think about what we just watched.
What questions might you ask that would aid in your reflection….to improve the work? Produce impactful results?
Reflecting is (1) thinking about what has occurred,(2) thinking about how and why things happened as they did….and in our case…..thinking about (3) how they might look different if presented in a slightly different context.
Such is your work…..
NOW…Let’s think about this at your sites.
Where do you get information on the effectiveness of your program’s work plan? Where does this information come from?
How often do you get this information?
Answer…most likely from your evaluator….most likely 1 time a year.
If you could ask questions of the evaluators about your work and implementation, what would you ask them?
They’ve given you some findings and have presented to your their perspective on what is happening through the lens of the participants. You are to consider these findings and will work to make decisions using this results. What questions come to mind that might help you in this process?

9. What might you ask YOURSELF to help you better understand the program?
What might you ask your EVALUATOR to help you better understand the program?
What might you ask YOURSELF to help you better understand the program?
2 questions for us to consider:
First, what might you ask your evaluator to help you better understand the program? Are there things that would help you understand how best to implement the activities, recruit the students, present the information different?
Next, what reflection is needed for you to consider these changes and the implementation? What do you need to ask yourself to think about as you implement the activity? What do you need to observe that will help you better respond to the reflection following the event?
Take 2-3 minutes and write your thoughts.
3 minutes writing
Talk at tables for 10 minutes
Report out to group 10 minutes

10. What do you do with the answers to your questions?
So now you are getting the information from the evaluator and from your own reflection that helps you better understand how the program is working…..
What do you do with the information?
How do you use it to impact the work and make it stronger.
What STORY comes of this……
The story you create provides you with a different lens to see things….you now see progress.
The story you create is positive in that you have observed with an open mind, asked the right questions, and reflected on all aspects of the work to aid you in making better decisions. THIS is the story that comes from this..
Your story, your program, can and in some cases has already changed the lives of the youth in your program. They now see a future. They have a more positive outlook.

11. AND YOU CHANGE PERCEPTION; CHANGE PERCEPTION AND YOU CHANGE THE WORLD.
CHANGE THE STORY
AND YOU CHANGE PERCEPTION;
CHANGE PERCEPTION
AND YOU CHANGE THE WORLD.
Jean Houston
While you are writing this story and reflecting on what has happened, you are using the decisions you make to move the program and youth forward. You are showing others that this is possible.
Through this work, you are changing the narrative, you are changing the stor AND the perception of these youth.
When you change the perception, you change the world…..(one person at a time)

12. As I presented to you last year, I ask again….What’s your story?
WHO ARE YOU?
How would I introduce you, your site, to others?
What do you want them to know about your program?
What is it that you want to share with others?
What is your story? What is the BTE story? You write the book.

13. In the driver’s seat You are in the driver’s seat
Make great observations, ask good questions, and continuously reflect.
Your story depends on you.

14. A MOMENT OF REFLECTION:
What will you take away from this session and use as you continue this work?
Build your case through observation, authentic questions and reflection.
Take this time to reflect, make notes of anything that you want to remember from this session. What is it that you will take with you to use as you continue this important work?

15. Telling your story: Building your case…Until the next chapter
Thank you for the work you do with the youth in your communities.
I hope you take this conversation and reflection with you as you make decisions and think about the next chapter of your story.
Telling your story: Building your case…Until the next chapter
Pamela J Carter