A new report from UC Berkeley’s Possibility Lab details findings from a study employing the Lab’s “Firsthand Framework for Policy Innovation.” The study was conducted in partnership with two local housing and homeless services providers, LifeMoves and Bay Area Community Services (BACS). Unhoused Initiative Research Grantee, SCU Professor of Political Science, and Faculty Affiliate at the Possibility Lab, Dr. Naomi Levy is a co-author of the report. UI Faculty Research Grant funds were used to support SCU student researchers working on the project.
The Firsthand Framework for Policy Innovation centers the voices of people with lived experience. Through focus groups and interviews, the information gathered from people most impacted by policies and programs related to housing and homelessness then informs those policies and programs and how they will be implemented going forward. The Firsthand Framework aims to “authentically represent community perspectives and priorities” when developing or amending policies and programs.
The study identified over 1,200 unique client-identified indicators of well-being. These were then coded and organized into individual-level and community-level indicators. Individual-level indicators were often associated with daily experiences rather than larger milestones; for example, feeling supported and capable as opposed to securing a housing placement. Community-level indicators show how an organization’s policies and programs impact clients’ day-to-day experiences. As described by Dr. Levy, “by centering clients’ lived experiences, the Firsthand Framework makes visible aspects of wellbeing that are often overlooked, including early signals of progress or challenges that emerge well before longer-term outcomes like housing stability are realized.”
The study identifies two ways the client-centered indicators can improve programs and services. First, by tracking client-defined indicators over time, service providers can address client hardships in ways that reflect clients experiences and priorities. Second, the indicators offer organizations a community-informed way to understand, improve, and describe what their programs actually achieve.
Congratulations to Dr. Levy, the Possibility Lab and all who participated in, and worked on, the study. You can read a press release about the study and access the full report here.
The Unhoused Initiative at SCU 