Theory Of Change
The Theory of Change is an international research project undertaken by Make-A-Wish International and affiliates across 50 countries, detailing the long-term positive impacts of wishes.
The research project was undertaken in 2022, and sought to measure the outcomes of wishes for children and their families, on a global scale. In total, we collected over 2,300 responses from wish children and their parent and guardians. The Theory of Change findings provide us with an explicit, step-by-step description of how intervention activities at various stages of the wish journey contribute to short, medium and long-term positive outcomes for wish children, their parents and wider family.
Make-A-Wish International engaged Research for Impact to develop the Theory of Change in order to help us define and analyse the actual impacts at different stages of the Wish Journey. It shows how these stages affect each other and what needs to be true at each stage to create meaningful change and maximise the impact.
Above all, we will use this Theory of Change to evaluate and demonstrate that the Wish Journey makes a true difference in the lives of children with critical illnesses and their families, regardless of where they live.
Wish Impact
Across all phases of the Wish Journey, Joy and Happiness consistently scored the highest among all types of impact, while the wish realisation phase was the moment that both children and parents expressed having the most positive experience. Throughout the Wish Journey the positive experience across all types of impact increases, with the peak happening at the wish realisation phase.
Some highlights of findings were:
92% of wish children said the wish experience improved their well-being
90% saying it helped them look forward and broaden their horizons.
97% of parents and children said it brought them joy and happiness.
93% of parents said the wish experience provided family bonding.
90% of parents said the wish provided respite and distraction for their child.
Validated Outcomes
Globally, there is a strong convergence around common outcomes and the Wish Journey:
The benefits of a wish for a child included improved physical, emotional, and social well-being and inspiration of hope and optimism.
A wish experience has a positive impact on the physical, mental and emotional well-being of parents/guardians.
The wish experience has positive impacts on families by creating happy lasting memories, benefitting other family members (e.g. siblings) and giving themselves/their child relief from medical treatments and creating a sense of normalcy.
