Episode Details

Sandie is joined by Jeni Sorensen from Poverty Action to discuss research methods and data gathering approaches to help NGO’s evaluate their programs. They look at the different types of data, how to design your research, and existing tools.

Jeni Sorensen

Jeni Sorensen is a human trafficking specialist with 20 years of experience designing, managing, and evaluating programs to combat human trafficking in the U.S. and around the world. Ms. Sorensen currently serves as Director of International Poverty Action’s Human Trafficking Research Initiative, which fosters partnerships between researchers and program implementers to build and carry out rigorous research studies. Previously, Ms. Sorensen served as Director of Winrock International’s Human Trafficking and Safe Migration programs, where she oversaw a $70 million portfolio of counter-trafficking programs in Asia and Latin America. Ms. Sorensen holds a BA from the University of Texas at Austin and an MPP from Georgetown University.

Key Points

• To measure prevention impact, a theory of change and measurement of success should be identified beforehand.
• To measure trainings, identify the goal of the trainings, randomize your audience, and take a pre-test and post-test.
• Qualitative and quantitative data is important to humanize stories and this issue and to determine the efficiency of programs, respectively.
• When gathering data, be sure to only collect data on indicators you actually have time to analyze.

Resources

• IPA’s Human Trafficking Research Initiative
• CART Principles
• The Goldilocks Challenge: Right-Fit Evidence for the Social Sector by Mary Kay Gugerty and Dean Karlan
• 2022 Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage Report
• 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report | U.S. Department of State
• Seafood Watch | Monterrey Bay Aquarium
• Sweat & Toil (mobile phone app) | U.S. Department of Labor
• Ep. 243 – Ethical Story Telling in Prevention

To get more information about HTRI’s program evaluations or their competitive fund and research funds, contact IPA_HTRI@poverty-action.org.

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Dave [00:00:00] You’re listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode number 286, How Do We Measure Prevention, with Jeni Sorenson.

Production Credits [00:00:09] Produced by Innovate Learning, maximizing human potential.

Dave [00:00:29] Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. My name is Dave Stachowiak.

Sandie [00:00:34] And my name is Sandie Morgan.

Dave [00:00:37] And this is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. And of course, a big