At the heart of our work at PIPs Rewards is agency, helping young people make choices and take action toward their own goals. Closely related is self-efficacy, the belief that you can accomplish something.
I recently described these ideas to someone using “The Wizard of Oz” as an example. Dorothy and her companions set off down the Yellow Brick Road looking for what they believe they lack. Along the way, they discover they’re capable of more than they realized. By taking action and overcoming challenges, they gain confidence in their abilities. We hope our incentive programs help young people build that same confidence and agency.
Creating opportunities for agency isn’t always easy. The organizations we work with often have limited staff and resources, while the young people they serve face significant challenges. Giving participants meaningful choices and opportunities to take responsibility for their progress can require more time and effort. Our app makes that easier by putting choices about actions and rewards directly in young people’s hands.
Is there a time when you discovered you were capable of more than you realized?
Agency in Action
Recently, I was talking with a teacher at one of our client organizations about how students should earn points for passing the state civics test required to complete their program.
This school had two options. Staff could add the points to students’ accounts after they passed the test, or students could open the PIPs Rewards app and claim the points themselves, with the school confirming their accomplishment.
In user experience design, it’s generally best to make things as easy as possible and eliminate unnecessary steps. So I wondered whether the first option would be better.
The teacher immediately preferred the second. When I asked why, she reminded me that part of the program’s purpose was to help students take more responsibility for tracking their own progress and accomplishments, rather than having this reporting done for them.
I loved her response. She recognized that what might look like an extra step could be an opportunity for students to take ownership. The positive news for us is that we get to work with organizations that want young people not only to complete their programs, but also to develop the confidence and independence they’ll need for what comes next.