Using a Participatory Approach to Investigate a Leadership Program’s Theory of Change

The linkages between interventions and outcomes of leadership initiatives have been insufficiently studied. To better understand these links, the Virginia agricultural leadership program conducted a pathway mapping session to investigate the program’s theory of change. In this novel process, program participants engaged in collaborative brainstorming to identify outcomes and connect them to program activities. This process helped participants reflect on their learning and helped program staff identify the mechanisms (i.e., learning activities) that led to desired outcomes. The group produced a visual model that represents the program’s theory of change depicting how the program develops capacity for leadership. Using program participants to identify the connections between pedagogy, practice, and outcomes can inform the evidence- base and development of evaluation plans for leadership development programs.