TY - JOUR
T1 - Emerging Tensions in Data Work
T2 - Staff and Youth Perspectives in Youth-Serving Organizations
AU - Fink, Alexander
AU - Roholt, Ross Velure
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. Published by The University of Chicago Press. https:.
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Youth-serving organizations (YSOs) are under increasing pressure to develop performance measurement systems tracking youth participants and program outcomes. Although the challenges of developing performance measurement systems in human service organizations (HSOs) are well documented, scholarly understanding of challenges in the specific case of YSOs is limited. This study uses par-ticipant observations in YSOs, interviews with program staff, and focus groups with young people to delineate performance measurement practices. We then employ a framework developed by Carnochan and colleagues to describe performance measurement challenges in HSOs. Findings suggest Carnochan and colleagues’ framework is useful for YSOs. However, because of differences in funding streams, concerns about harm to clients, and strong commitment to client involvement, YSOs face specific tensions in organizational data work not addressed by this framework. Organizations need a rubric focused more on ethical and power conflicts; our article demonstrates the need for further research into data work in YSOs.
AB - Youth-serving organizations (YSOs) are under increasing pressure to develop performance measurement systems tracking youth participants and program outcomes. Although the challenges of developing performance measurement systems in human service organizations (HSOs) are well documented, scholarly understanding of challenges in the specific case of YSOs is limited. This study uses par-ticipant observations in YSOs, interviews with program staff, and focus groups with young people to delineate performance measurement practices. We then employ a framework developed by Carnochan and colleagues to describe performance measurement challenges in HSOs. Findings suggest Carnochan and colleagues’ framework is useful for YSOs. However, because of differences in funding streams, concerns about harm to clients, and strong commitment to client involvement, YSOs face specific tensions in organizational data work not addressed by this framework. Organizations need a rubric focused more on ethical and power conflicts; our article demonstrates the need for further research into data work in YSOs.
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U2 - 10.1086/722277
DO - 10.1086/722277
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85143503721
SN - 0037-7961
VL - 96
SP - 617
EP - 654
JO - Social Service Review
JF - Social Service Review
IS - 4
ER -