| Roundtable: Lessons Learned From the Evaluation of Partnerships Between One Non-governmental Organization Within the European Union and Two Caribbean Organizations |
| Roundtable Presentation 458 to be held in Jefferson Room on Thursday, November 8, 5:15 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Presenter(s): |
| Lennise Baptiste, Kent State University, lbaptist@kent.edu |
| Abstract: Historical links due to colonization, have facilitated partnership ventures between agencies in the European Union and Caribbean organizations for special interest groups, business and education projects. The presenter will discuss the lessons learned from the evaluations of two such partnerships. Lessons about traversing unfamiliar terrain and culture emerged during project preparation, even though language did not seem to be a barrier, and the Terms of Reference comprehensive. A key finding was that routine tasks can become monumental when an evaluator is not in familiar territory. Though the data gathering process may be physically and emotionally taxing, it is important to maintain fidelity to the qualitative methods of triangulation and member checking to validate the conclusions and recommendations outlined in the final report. These lessons can guide evaluators who wish to undertake projects that span more than one country. |