Emerging Tensions in Data Work: Staff and Youth Perspectives in Youth-Serving Organizations

Abstract

Youth-serving organizations (YSOs) are under increasing pressure to develop performance measurement systems tracking youth participants and program outcomes. Although the challenges of developing performance measurement systems in human service organizations (HSOs) are well documented, scholarly understanding of challenges in the specific case of YSOs is limited. This study uses participant observations in YSOs, interviews with program staff, and focus groups with young people to delineate performance measurement practices. We then employ a framework developed by Carnochan and colleagues to describe performance measurement challenges in HSOs. Findings suggest Carnochan and colleagues’ framework is useful for YSOs. However, because of differences in funding streams, concerns about harm to clients, and strong commitment to client involvement, YSOs face specific tensions in organizational data work not addressed by this framework. Organizations need a rubric focused more on ethical and power conflicts; our article demonstrates the need for further research into data work in YSOs.