Lifestart has just released a report on the outcomes and impact of the Belong INC project.
In 2018, Lifestart received funding from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) under an Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) grant to deliver Belong INC.
Belong INC was designed as a flexible, person-centred program to empower young people aged 12-18 years living with disability to connect with their community. It recognised that moving into and through adolescence to adulthood is a key life stage for all young people.
The program focused on the individual aspirations of young people and found innovative ways to build their capacity, and the capacity of their families and community networks, to encourage real participation in this important life stage and beyond. Developing skills, connections, and confidence in these formative years has shown the potential to set young people up for life beyond school and the family home.
A Most Significant Change (MSC) evaluation was selected to form part of the reporting for Belong INC. MSC is a participatory approach to monitoring and evaluating change which uses storytelling to collect information. The evaluation captured significant positive outcomes for young people involved in the program, and their parents/carers.
Every participant was able to identify positive changes; in some cases, these changes had a profound impact on young people and their families.
Outcomes for young people included new employment, work experience, a positive change to school attendance and taking the first steps towards accessing the community. Young people also identified improvements in confidence, a greater sense of advocacy and voice and a sense of seeing the future as significant changes for them.
We hope you enjoy reading about Belong INC and the difference it made for young people, families and carers. You can read the full report here Belong INC MSC Report August 2020.
