Preliminary Findings from Family & Life Coaching Program Evaluation

• In Event: Implementing Comprehensive Strategies to Prevent Violence in Oakland, CA

Abstract

This presentation shares the initial findings of the Urban Institute’s program evaluation of the City of Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention (DVP)’s Life Coaching program. Funded by the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) grant, the Life Coaching program aims to reduce group-related violence by engaging individuals who have been impacted by violence or are at a high risk of being impacted by violence in Oakland in regular coaching sessions to identify and implement goals, behavioral changes, and strategies to keep them safe. Urban’s evaluation of Life Coaching aims to understand the implementation of the program, strategies for participant engagement, and violence reduction outcomes. This presentation will share preliminary findings from four data collection activities: (1) observations of Life Coaching activities; (2) interviews with Life Coaches and other staff; (3) interviews with Life Coaching participants; (4) and the collection and analysis of programmatic administrative data.

Authors

• Lyndsey Paige Delouya, Urban Institute

• Paige Thompson, Urban Institute

• Lily Robin, The Urban Institute