Monitoring

In step 4 the tailored focus becomes a personal development plan, and you follow progress on it. It sounds administrative. Done well, it is one of the most motivating parts of the work.

Why it works

Young people in our target group often feel that nothing changes. Setbacks feel bigger than successes. Feedback research shows that seeing small progress strengthens self-efficacy: the belief that “I can do this”. That belief predicts whether someone keeps going. Monitoring also protects you from blind spots. It shows what works, and when it is time to adjust or refer.

The personal development plan

Keep it short and in the young person’s own words.

• One or two goals, linked to their dreams and the focus from step 3.

• Concrete steps: “go to school four days this week”, not “do better at school”.

• Who does what: the young person, you, and anyone else involved.

• A review date.

What you track

• Attendance at each session. Showing up regularly is already a result.

• Steps on the plan: what was done, what was not, and why.

• Observations: short, factual notes on behaviour, mood and signals.

• Referrals: to which partner, and how it went.

Record this after each session, for example in a simple online form. Write as if the young person could read it: factual, respectful and without labels.

What you do

• Review together: look at the plan with the young person every two weeks. Ask them to score their own progress from 1 to 10, then ask: “Why not lower?” This makes them name their own strengths.

• Praise effort and strategy.:“You kept trying after that bad day” builds more than “Well done”.

• Treat setbacks as information: change is rarely a straight line. A setback is a moment to adjust the plan, not proof of failure.

Watch out

Monitoring without the young person. A plan that lives only in your files motivates no one.

Only recording what goes wrong. Incidents must be recorded, but so must every step forward.

Vague goals. “Behave better” cannot be monitored. “No fights in the next four sessions” can.

From practice

We Are Streetwise trainers record attendance and short notes after every session, using a simple online form. Every two weeks, they sit down with each young person to look at the goals in their personal development plan.

Try this week

Ask one young person to explain their own plan in one sentence. If they cannot, the plan is too vague or too much yours.

Key message

Monitoring makes progress visible, keeps the plan alive and prepares step 5.