CCE Project Guidelines

During the brainstorming, planning, and execution stages of an intervention project, the CCEs follow these guidelines to make sure what they're doing is effective.

 

  1.   Identify a specific problem to target.  Smaller is better.
  2.   Identify and analyze the complexities of the problem.  How does it manifest? What are the contributing factors? What mitigates or exacerbates it?
  3.   Look for elements/processes that can be altered or interrupted. What are the ‘weak links’ in the chain of events that leads to the problem? What are the protective elements that can be strengthened? 
  4.   Make a specific, focused plan.  What will you do and why?  How will it act upon the conditions you aim to change?  What people are involved, and how will they be affected by and/or affect the plan?  What will success entail?
  5.   Evaluate your plan. 

    1.   Is it positive?

    2.   Does it advance core CCE goals?  (encouraging mindfulness; building respect and recognition; proliferating options; strengthening community) Will it be interesting and/or fun?

    3.   How well might it work? Can you do some advance experimentation to gather evidence?  What measures of effectiveness could you use?

    4.   What are the likely possible side-effects?  What unintended consequences might you need to plan for—either to avert or to manage? Particularly watch out for:

      1.   Gender normativity or heterosexism

      2.   Other ‘isms’ – what is reinforced or challenged along the way?

      3.   Inadvertently reinforcing some part of the script

      4.   Scare tactics or divisive language

      5.   Potential PR crises

    5.   Get outside input.  Others will see things you cannot.

      1.   Garrett, Hannah, and/or Melanie

      2.   any relevant authorities (in the colleges, the dean and master; in the cultural centers, the director; in a student group, the leaders or liaisons; etc.)

      3.   other CCEs

  6.   Adapt your plan as necessary.  Re-evaluate.  Repeat steps 4-6 several times.

  7.   Develop your implementation plan, being as concrete as possible.  Who will do what, when, and how?  Assign tasks, make a timeline, etc.  Include an evaluation plan.

    1.   Get final approval from Garrett, Hannah, or Melanie; make sure whomever approves the plan knows all the details.

  8.   Implement! 

    1.   Stay on your toes—gather as much information as you can along the way.  Keep an eye out for evaluation opportunities.

    2.   Take pictures if appropriate. 

  9.   Afterwards—evaluate again. 

    1.   What worked?  How and why? 

    2.   What challenges arose?  How and why?  Were they manageable in the moment? How so?

    3.   What changes, follow-up actions, etc., are necessary?  Who will take them on?

  10.   Document your work

    1.   Write up a detailed account of your event: What dynamic were you trying to intervene in?  What did you do, why, and how? What went well?  What would you like to change if you repeat the event?  Your account should be specific enough that other CCEs will be able to understand, reproduce, and improve on your work.  Be sure to include the files for all supporting materials (e.g.: posters, flyers, table tents, surveys, games, cards, pictures).

    2.   Upload all this to the CCE internal website and assign appropriate tags.

  11.   Later

    1.   Direct follow-up – make sure that any issues that arose were addressed as planned.

    2.   Thinking back – were there longer-term goals?  Do you believe they are being reached?  Why/how?  What else can you do to support those goals?