This report used a very early version of Causal Map.
The Global Young Academy supports young scientists around the world to connect with other young scientists, develop their careers and work towards solving global problems with science. We asked over 100 people, who had been supported by GYA or were otherwise involved in the programme, to tell us stories about positive changes which had happened because of GYA activities. We used an online survey.
GYA’s 10-year anniversary was an opportunity to reflect on what has been accomplished so far and to inform the strategic plan to increase impact for the next 10 years. An impact evaluation was commissioned by the GYA to explore this impact further. The overall goal of this impact assessment was to understand personal narratives of impact and to generate data to inform the development of the next 5-year strategic plan.
The aims of the impact assessment were to better understand:
How members, alumni, and other young scientists experience GYA activities
The impact of GYA activities on them (on the individual, their institutions and countries, and globally)
To explore the contribution of the GYA to this impact
To collect this data, we sent a web survey to all GYA members, alumni, members of National Young Academies, and other young scientists (who may have had contact with GYA) inviting them to share their stories of the GYA. Of the 683 people reached, 103 completed the survey
We analysed the stories looking for examples of where people had said that 𝐵 leads to 𝐶 - for example, where someone said “I loved the regional meetings because they helped me widen my professional network”. Then all the 𝐵s (like, Global and regional interaction) and all the 𝐶s (like networks, friendships, support) were grouped into themes to create a Theory of Change for GYA. All the individual stories linking 𝐵s and 𝐶 s were synthesised into one story using a pre-defined set of analysis steps.
Causal Map partnered with Tree Aid to evaluate their Local Governance of Forest Resources (WEOOG PAANI) project in Burkina Faso. Using innovative methods, we assessed the project's impact on forest governance, household and food consumption amongst project beneficiaries in two communes.
Alexandra Priebe from the World Food Programme, interviewing Ashley Hollister and Sarang Mangi from the DeftEdge on their experience on using QuIP and Causal Map in their evaluation.
