Our Impact
What does an individual need to succeed? It’s a question we have asked ourselves as we’ve worked to develop strategies to assist our participants in gaining strength and confidence. What systems can we implement to make sure that our work supports the myriad needs of vulnerable youth and adults? As we’ve worked to define these processes and put them in place, we know that it’s not sufficient to merely aspire to positive change – we need to be able to see the results of our efforts.
“Today, in the workshop, it was the first time since being here that I ever felt free.”
Based on the groundbreaking findings of renowned researchers such as Shirley Brice Heath, the Search Institute and the National Cultural Alliance, Red Ladder has created a comprehensive standard of evaluation that captures vital group and individual progress information.
The evaluation process begins before Red Ladder ever meets a participant or group. Prior to the start of the company’s work, teachers, mental health clinicians or social service professionals – those who interact with our participants on a daily basis – are asked to assess the ability levels of the participants in a variety of different categories. This information allows us to build a program that is tailored to the needs of any particular group, and the unique individuals within it. From this point on, assessment is ongoing, and the direction of the workshops is adapted to provide the most benefit for participants.
In any case, by working with the professional actors in the company, participants are encouraged to explore the issues that affect their daily lives and, by engaging in the creative process, develop the ability to make positive choices, solve problems creatively, focus on tasks, and work collaboratively. Through our performance/workshops, we help participants to understand that by employing their creativity and believing in their own imaginations, they have the power to accomplish anything. We encourage participants to try on alternate modes of behavior, so that when they’re presented with problems in their daily lives, they have the tools with which to utilize a different perspective and make difficult choices. Participants realize that they have options – that there is more than one possibility for them. They are limited only by their own imaginations and, if they can dream it, it can be.
At the conclusion of any given workshop series participants are, once again, assessed by our support partners, to gain a post-participation snapshot of how well the skills developed in the workshops has translated into individuals’ daily lives. The findings of these evaluations are based on the external perspective of professionals who are not present in the workshops themselves but, instead, are able to observe and interact with participants on an ongoing basis across a variety of settings, and the data is really quite remarkable. The Program Evaluation graph shows the percentage of all participants in Red Ladder’s programming who have grown in each of the assets targeted for development.
“The Red Ladder workshops were immensely beneficial to our Enhanced Outpatient (EOP) inmates on our Sensitive Needs Yard (SNY). As the session progressed, we (the treatment team) observed our Inmate/Patients (I/Ps) make significant gains and improvements in their cognitive, emotional, psychiatric, and social functioning. Many of the participating I/Ps reported that the workshop was one of the most rewarding groups that has been offered to them through our EOP program. The EOP I/Ps that have Gender Dysphoria Disorder reported that this was the first time in their entire lives they had the feeling of belonging and being comfortable in their own skin. This was beneficial towards improving their self esteem and self identity. It encouraged those with Depression, who tend to be isolative and have anhedonia (lack of interest in enjoyable activities), to step out of their comfort zones and thus increasing their social interactions with others and displaying improvements in mood and motivation. Not only did their mood and social skills improve while participating in the workshop, but there has also been a carryover effect to how they socialize with others outside of the workshop. These benefits are observable to this day. For all participants, they enjoyed the mental stimulation that the improvisational activities promoted which assisted in improving attention span, critical thinking, problem solving skills, and team building.”
Additionally, for an understanding of who, in our community, we’re serving, you’ll see the chart of demographics for all of the participants in our various programs.
