Response to Review of Youth Participatory Evaluation: A Field in the Making

Kim Sabo
Kim Sabo Consulting

Citation: Sabo, Kim. “Response to Review of Youth Participatory Evaluation: A Field in the Making.” Children, Youth and Environments 14(2), 2004. Retrieved [date] from http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/

I want to start by thanking the reviewer for describing the book Youth Participatory Evaluation: A Field in the Making as “powerful.” I am especially appreciative of her comments regarding the significance of Lev Vygotsky’s contribution to the field of youth development, and in my understanding, to the field of Youth Participatory Evaluation (YPE).

I think it is important to note that while I used Vygotsky’s theories to frame the conversation regarding YPE, many of the authors would not consider themselves Vygotskians. Contributors to this book had a variety of different backgrounds and perspectives ranging from youth development, to environmental psychology, to community development, to health and prevention, to participatory action research, to human/child rights. Within each of the chapters, authors brought their own unique theoretical perspectives to bear on the subject of youth participatory evaluation.

Just a few points of correction; first, most of the people who contributed to the volume were not part of the meeting entitled Children’s Participation in Community Settings, sponsored by Childwatch International Research Network and the Growing Up in Cities project of the MOST program of UNESCO but many were part of subsequent meetings and continue to do terrific work growing the field of YPE. Those who were involved in the meeting influence my thinking greatly and I wish to thank them for their seminal thoughts on the matter. Further, I wish to credit Roger Hart, my dissertation advisor, with discovering the need for research in this area. Lois Holzman, my undergraduate mentor, remains a close colleague and great influence on thinking.

Kim Sabo holds a Doctorate in Psychology from the City University of New York Graduate School and has worked in the areas of youth development and participatory evaluation for the past decade. As a consultant to the United Nations Drug Control Program, UNICEF, The U.S. Diana Princess of Wales’ Fund, and The Robert Bowne Foundation, she has worked to develop and evaluate children and youth programs both nationally and internationally. Dr. Sabo has also conducted numerous long- and short-term evaluation training institutes for non-profit organizations. Dr. Sabo has a strong commitment to engaging children and youth in the process of research and evaluation and has recently published a volume for Jossey Bass’ New Directions for Evaluation entitled Youth Participatory Evaluation. Address: Kim Sabo Consulting/ 424 West 49th Street #4A/ New York, NY/ 10019/ KimSabo@aol.com