Let’s Debate Change 2022, Impact analysis results

We conducted assessments with Debate Club students on the first meetings of Debate Clubs and after finishing them. These assessments were conducted with different participants in two phases, in the Spring and Autumn of 2022. The Spring assessment collected data from 144 participants in the pre-test and 63 participants in the post-test, whereas the Autumn assessment gathered surveys from 68 respondents in the pre-test and 55 respondents in the post-test. Participants gave their full names in these questionnaires, which made it possible to match respondents across time. In total, 52 respondents were matched in the Spring debate clubs, whereas 50 respondents were matched in the Autumn debate clubs.

Based on the data analysis report participants in Debate Clubs show a number of significant increases from the pre- to the post-test. Specifically, after participating in Debate Clubs, respondents report a higher level of activism in the community and more frequent participation in volunteering activities in their communities. In addition, after going through the experience of Debate Clubs, participants reported having more meetings with the municipality mayor or other municipality officials. It is possible that these meetings have happened directly as a result of the engagement in Debate Clubs. Finally, after finishing the Clubs, respondents report a significantly higher degree of positive citizen activism in their municipalities as well as an improved perception of municipal life and the capabilities of municipalities to improve the lives and experiences of citizens.

These findings conclude our intervention and captures the success of this project in the best way for 2022. Even though other components of the measurement show an increase, the most notable increases are shown in the level of activism and student’s relationship to the municipality officials, which now is a more positive one.

Analysis done by Prof. Ass Jon Konjufca, Department of Psychology, University of Prishtina