NB3 Foundation Evaluation and Research team was onsite to finish up the post evaluation of NB3FIT Summer Camp. Data compiled will be used to determine how camp impacted the youth, and used to further tailor NB3FIT programs to meet the needs of our youth and communities.

The Evaluation and Research Department (ERD) has been working on gamifying the evaluation methods, especially for our NB3FIT youth programs.  The ERD joined the NB3FIT Summer Camp to implement the gamified evaluation methods to gather data from the youth.  The two methods implemented include, the Rez Dog likert scale and Body Mapping.  Both methods included questions which were developed using the NB3 Foundation’s four core areas of physical activity, healthy nutrition, youth development and cultural connections, and also using the outcome statements developed by all staff at the Foundation.  Both methods originated from our collaborative efforts with John Snow, Inc., as they suggested some participatory tools that can be used with youth and other stakeholders to collect the necessary data.

The Body Mapping method explores existing attitudes and practices; and also to explore the likes and dislikes of the youth. Through this process, the participants drew and outline of their body, as depicted below in the picture.  On the outline or inside of the body they wrote and drew pictures while also using words to describe their health and wellbeing based on the questions being asked.  The responses in the picture below were based on the following questions:

1. Healthy Nutrition 

1. 1. How does eating healthy foods make you feel? Around the edge of your body map, write or draw those feelings. 
   2. On the mouth of your body map, write how many cups of water should you drink a day?  
   3. Draw a line from your mouth outward. Now, draw or write what healthy foods you eat. What unhealthy foods do you eat? 

2. Physical Activity

2. 1. Draw a line from your legs outward. Now, draw or write activities you can do with your legs to be active.  

3. Youth Development 

3. 1. Draw a line from your head outward. Draw or write what you think of yourself? 

One youth’s body mapping illustration.

The Rez Dog likert scale was originally called the Self-Confidence snails and the activity encourages participants to score changes in their self-confidence before and after the program.  For this tool, the ERD tailored the activity for better understanding from the youth we serve in NB3FIT by calling this activity the Rez Dog likert scale.  The questions for this activity were geared towards bravery for certain activities and it included the rez dog showing different emotions, which was explained to the youth what each emotion meant to help them understand.  The likert scale started at one and ended at five.  At one the rez dog was brave and at five, the rez dog was not brave at all.  In the picture below, the children were asked ‘how brave are you to make new friends’, on the left side of the picture is the higher end of the likert scale which is at five.  For this specific question a majority of the youth felt brave to make new friends.

The other questions for this activity were:

• How brave are you to talk to a group of people?
• How brave are you to learn a new sports skill?
• How brave are you to be physically active?
• How brave are you to teach an activity you learned in the program to your family?

The new gamified evaluation methods are new for the NB3FIT program and as we move forward we will learn and adapt to best fit what will work for us in evaluating our NB3FIT program.  Findings from these methods provide general patterns that can be strong indicators of changes taking place in the youth that we serve.  We will revisit these evaluation games at the end of the NB3FIT Summer Camp for a post evaluation to determine where the youth are at and how the summer camp has impacted them.

The NB3 Foundation Community Empowerment Series kicked off in late March and was focused on providing a free space for Native-led organizations, tribes and schools to connect and learn together. The series consisted of four virtual gatherings focused: personal and organizational wellness, a training focused on engaging youth virtually, providing tools and resources and sharing and advocating. 

“With this series we were really looking to provide the needed space for community partners to network and learn together,” Leroy Silva, community coordinator said. “I think what we all learned is that we share a lot of the same goals and experiences, and that when we work together we can go further and make more positive impacts on the lives of Native youth.” 

Each gathering was centered around listening and sharing. Community partners were often asked to tell a story and share an experience or resource that was helpful to them. Everything shared was intentional and provided a takeaway for participants. Together, they worked towards strengthening relationships with Indigenous youth while incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing into current practices. 

One example of this was a prompt that required community partners to reflect and share how their ancestors communicated. The exercise was a way of showing that even without all the technology we have available today, our ancestors proved to be great communicators. So, how? How did our ancestors do it and what can we learn from them to strengthen our communication today? The exercise brought forward great reflections and proved to be a meaningful learning experience, sparking ideas of how to incorporate what their ancestors did into the work they’re doing today. 

“The communications session was great! It was cool to hear everyone’s stories,” one participant said. 

Wrapping up the series, the group focused on collective impact and how even though each organization is unique, they all shared a common goal of promoting the health of Native youth. 

“The dedication from everyone’s stories and impact that are similar to my community. It’s great knowing we are all working towards a common goal.,” another participant said. 

 Though the series was not focused on providing financial support to organizations, participants were able to meet and connect with allies from across the U.S. and Canada. The NB3 Foundation Community Empowerment team is also looking to build off the series, taking participant feedback and looking for ways to provide resources and gatherings that are tailored to the needs of Native-led organizations. 

“We’re so grateful for all the community partners who joined us for the series and to NM Health Equity Partnership for helping us facilitate,” Simone Duran, program coordinator said. “Networking and sharing were at the forefront of the series because we know how important and reassuring it is to have like-minded support in our focus of work. We look forward to hosting more gatherings for new and current partners.”