Define The Target Population
Most programs serve a range of people with varying levels of engagement and fit – from those involved once who never fully engage to others who participate enthusiastically even though they are not the primary program audience. This full set of people you serve through any part of the program is the service population.
The target population is the subset of people for whom the program is designed, that you will actively recruit and retain, and for whom you will hold yourselves accountable for achieving outcomes.
In specific, measurable terms, what is the population for whom you will hold yourself accountable to meet desired outcomes?
- Service population: Low-income youth living in Alameda County.
- Target population: High school-aged youth of color who are under-performing in math or science, who have little to no prior experience in the outdoors, and who complete orientation, intake, and a 4-hour readiness workshop.
the Defining the Target Population worksheet
