Our Success
Strong Start® places a high value on evaluation of the effectiveness of both our programs and the methods through which they are implemented. Whenever a new program is planned, an assessment and evaluation component is built in from the beginning.
Following is information on the evaluations of our long standing Letters, Sounds and Words - Standard program.
Strong Start® Gathers the Proof
It is very important to us to know for sure if the Letters, Sounds and Words program and the service delivery model surrounding it, are effective. An assessment and evaluation component has been part of the project design from the beginning. Each year we gather both statistical data on the progress the children make in acquiring the targeted skills and anecdotal evidence of the success of the program.
The results have consistently demonstrated that the program is effective in helping children acquire the targeted skills. These test results confirm the opinions of volunteers and teachers that this is a valuable program.
To view assessment data summaries, choose:
Wilfrid Laurier University Researchers Study Strong Start®
In 2008, Strong Start® commissioned researchers in the Community Psychology Department of Wilfrid Laurier University to evaluate not only our outcomes but also the way in which we operate. A comprehensive evaluation concluded that, “Strong Start® is a healthy and effective program with a solid organizational home. The findings provide substantial evidence that the Strong Start® program is achieving the outcomes they desire.”
>>> Click here (PDF, 4 pages, 56 kB) to read an executive summary of this report.
There are many great stories of the how Strong Start® has done more for children than just help them learn the names of letters, the sounds, some words by sight and how to learn a word using the sounds of its letters. There are stories of Strong Start’s contribution to building community. There are stories of how the community is rallying to support Strong Start®. Of great importance also, are the many wonderful testimonials of the impact volunteering in the program has on the lives of adults.
The Strong Start® Co-ordinator has begun documenting these true-life stories and some of them are shared with you here, with the permission of the people involved. The names of the children have been changed.
We wish to gather more stories and encourage anyone who has a Strong Start® story to share to contact us at 519-743-9578 or
Enjoy the stories!
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