This page focuses on the recruitment and compensation processes related to data collection. For the YEP project, research group members led recruitment, while we scheduled interviews. Our team also led the interviews and distributed electronic gift cards to participants.
Recruitment
For the YEP project, research group members identified and conducted initial outreach to people they wanted to interview about youth engagement in their policy efforts. Once individuals agreed to participate and have their email address shared, Child Trends received their contact information and began scheduling interviews.
Downloadable Resource
- YEP Email Templates for Interview Outreach– This document contains four email templates Child Trends used for scheduling interviews and following up with participants. The first is the initial outreach email, second is the follow up if we did not hear back, third is the content that went into the calendar invite to participants, fourth is the reminder email, and fifth is the follow up with gift card information once an interview was completed.
Incentives
Based on other CEnR projects the Child Trends staff had been involved in, we decided to offer $50 electronic gift cards to interview participants. We used Giftbit to purchase our gift cards and had a Child Trends staff member distribute them through email after the interviews. The email also included some frequently asked questions about the platform, Giftbit. You’ll find email templates for sending electronic gift cards in the document linked above.
The Youth Engagement in Policy Research Group brought together young leaders and practitioners from across the country: Jamya Clark and Faith Robinson (New Orleans Youth Alliance); Teddy DeLeon-Alvarado, Blandina Flores, and Sam Joo (Para Los Niños); Iziko Calderon and Brisia Gutierrez (Los Angeles Opportunity Youth Collaborative); Nadirra Monrose and Tony Turner (Center for Fair Futures); and Deven Rudy-Johnson, MSW, and Kyra Stoute (Georgia EmpowerMEnt). Child Trends staff included principal investigators Amy McKlindon and Samantha Holquist; researchers Alyssa Scott, Ja’Chelle Ball, Jessica Conway, and Sage Caballero; and senior advisors Karin Malm and Elizabeth Jordan (Child Trends) and Julie Petrokubi (Education Northwest).
If you have questions about the Authentic Youth Engagement in Policy Project, please contact co-Principal Investigators Amy McKlindon at amcklindon@childtrends.org and Samantha E. Holquist at sholquist@childtrends.org.
This study is supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation through its Foster Youth and Opportunity Youth Initiatives.