OverviewAt P/PV, innovation means having the creativity to approach social challenges from fresh perspectives, the will to design and rigorously test new program strategies, the discipline to focus on high-quality implementation as these strategies "hit the ground," and the candor to report—and act on—the results. Whether incubating new models through small-scale pilots, evaluating promising existing programs or leading national demonstrations, we are committed to advancing knowledge about what works to improve the lives of children, youth and families in high-poverty communities.To view the "Innovation" clip from P/PV's 30th anniversary video, click here. Launching Innovative Pilots In partnership with funders, program leaders and local decision-makers, we work to identify the factors that limit opportunity for youth and young adults living in poverty. We examine gaps in existing programming, and sift through the sea of available evidence to determine which practices stand the best chance of success. We then pilot new program models, carefully integrating technical assistance with research to guide program development and ensure strong implementation. Recent pilot projects include the Women's Reentry Initiative and The Gulf Coast Alternative Staffing Project. Several P/PV pilots have grown into successful nationwide initiatives. For example, in 2000, recognizing the daunting challenges faced by children of prisoners, P/PV created Amachi, a unique partnership of secular and faith-based organizations working together to provide mentoring to children of incarcerated parents. Since the program's launch in Philadelphia, Amachi has expanded to all 50 states, serving more than 100,000 children. Philadelphia was also home to the Youth Education for Tomorrow (YET) project, a literacy initiative originally implemented in 30 community- and faith-based organizations, which has now grown to more than 500 after-school classrooms around the country. Piloting new ideas can extend beyond particular program models and focus instead on strategies to propel an entire field forward. P/PV's Benchmarking Project, for instance, aims to identify meaningful outcome benchmarks for the workforce development field so that practitioners, funders and policymakers can be better informed about what constitutes "good" performance. This innovative project is developing a tool that allows similar organizations to compare their job placement and retention outcomes; in an effort to boost performance across the field, it is using the data collected and the experiences of participating organizations to identify and document effective program strategies. Evaluating Promising Models P/PV designs and implements rigorous evaluations of promising social programs. We draw on a variety of research methods to illuminate what works—and how—in a broad range of program areas. Examples include:
P/PV creates, manages and evaluates national demonstration projects that address some of the nation's most pressing social problems. These include:
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View the "Innovation" clip from our 30th anniversary video (to view credits, click here).
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