As noted above, we also attended and participated in Project workshops where we collected data through group conversations, informal individual conversations, and observation. During the second workshop, we shared learning that had emerged from the first set of data and sought to deepen the learning through discussion. In addition to collecting data from Project participants, we interviewed the three Project coordinators as a group.

Evaluation Findings: Summarizing the Learning

Learning about Engagement in the Project

We began our discussions with participants by seeking to understand what it was about the VALTA Project that engaged them or, in other words, what moved them to become involved. Learning about engagement is important in that it sheds light on the experiences of participants and addresses the question of why learning about violence and its effects is relevant to their practice. Moreover, it adds to our understanding of the contexts in which participants practice and in which their learning will be implemented. Through our discussions we learned that: