Journal Writing Guide
Summary
Journal Writing is a tool is for gathering qualitative data which helps to monitor how the program impacts on the participants’ lives over time. The journal is to be completed each week during the program hours. Questions or prompts are given to participants to help structure the writing process.
Further Details
Journal Writing is a tool that aims to gather qualitative data which can help to monitor how the program impacts on the participants’ lives over time. The aim of the tool is to capture long-term changes that take place and to provide agencies with a way of collecting data to demonstrate that their program had a positive impact on the young people’s development and their mental well-being.
Further down the track or at the end of the program participants are asked to look back at their writing and to reflect on the changes they have gone through themselves. This process can help them realise how they have changed since coming to the program.
The journal is to be completed each week during the program hours. Questions or prompts are given to participants to help structure the writing process, e.g. Write about something good that happened to you this week; or What did you learn in today’s session?
Depending on a program’s resources and on the participants’ interests, the journal can be completed either as an online blog or as a paper-based journal. Using an online blog requires the program to set up an account with a website that allows you to create free blogs e.g. www.blogspot.com or www.blogger.com. Detailed instructions for setting up a blog account are available through these websites.
For paper-based journals simple exercise books may be used, which can be decorated by each participant with pictures, photographs etc.
Suggested Uses of the Tool
Journal Writing is most appropriate for programs which run for a fixed period of time e.g. one semester, one year. The journal is intended to be completed by young people for about 15 minutes during each session. It is less appropriate for short term programs (e.g. less than 1 week) or weekend camps/retreats since changes may not have had time to take effect.
Journal Writing can be used as an evaluation tool if participants give consent to staff/volunteers to read what they have written. However, knowing others will be able to read their journal may influence what participants actually write. Journal Writing is also an effective self-reflection tool for participants. Taking time to consider what changes have occurred for them, even small changes, can be therapeutic and an important way of keeping participants engaged in a program.
Download the User Guide