Engagement of School and Community Stakeholders

Identification and engagement of school and community stakeholders is our first programming approach. Engagement of school and community stakeholders helps us in understanding their values, knowledge, attitude and perspectives on critical school and community problems. It also helps us in gauging their support for and commitment to evidence based school and after-school programs, interventions and practices. 

Meaningful engagement of school and community stakeholders such as school heads, teachers, parents, students, educational policy makers and ‘gate-keepers’ not only promotes ownership and consensus building but also energises support for dissemination and implementation of evidence based school and after-school programs.  Research on implementation of evidence based school and after –school programs such as child sexual abuse prevention programs and interventions strengthens the case for consistent engagement of parents, teachers and policy and community “gate keepers.

Research on implementation leadership suggests that the success of implementation of evidence based programs depends on the support of school heads and teachers.  Moreover, dissemination and implementation of evidence based school and after-school programs require dedicated resources from stakeholders.

Better Futures for Children’s evidence dissemination and implementation programing starts with intensive identification and consistent engagement of school and community stakeholders. We believe this process potentially reduces possible resistance to dissemination and implementation of evidence based school and after-school programs.