|
Transforming an Early Intervention Pilot Project to a Fully Sustained Program by Embracing Change and the Inclusion of All Partners
|
| Presenter(s):
|
| Lorna Escoffery, Escoffery Consulting Collaborative Inc, lorna@escofferyconsulting.com
|
| Marta Pizarro, Health Foundation of South Florida, mpizar4682@aol.com
|
| Abstract:
Developing a new intervention program to provide services is challenging and its sustainability can be daunting. However, by forging a dynamic partnership among foundation and program staff and evaluation consultants, the Blind Babies Program grew from a pilot to a fully sustained program serving over 90 blind or visually impaired children. The activities in the process changed as the contextual factors changed and these factors included funding and funders, identified disabilities, assessment and monitoring instruments, internal staff, parents/caregivers, and requirements from external agencies (county, state, and federal). The results of the evaluation indicate that is it possible to develop, implement, refine, and sustain a new program when the main stakeholders have the pertinent knowledge; when decision makers know how to use data for the benefit of clients as well as program improvement; and funders, program staff and the evaluators respect each other as well as the clients being served.
|
|
Learning Inside and Out: The Role of Context and Co-creation in An Urban Evaluation Setting
|
| Presenter(s):
|
| Kate Tilney, Hope Community Inc, kbport@comcast.net
|
| Abstract:
This paper describes how a unique context effects the implementation of useful and appropriate evaluation processes, and how such a context dictates the nature of an evaluator's efforts and her role as a consultant working as a participant-observer twenty-five hours a week inside a large, non-profit Community Development Corporation in Minneapolis, MN. The context is divided into thirds: the values and culture of the organization itself; the nature of the 'internal evaluator' role and how it came to be defined co-creatively; and the slow transformation of the organization's evaluative culture. I also identify the challenges of the context, the keys to successes achieved so far, and the possibilities for future mutually-beneficial collaboration. Finally, I consider how some of the most relevant theories around collaborative inquiry--utilization-focused, participatory and empowerment evaluation theory specifically--have influenced the approach to the work and indeed, the entire context.
|
|
Context-Focused Evaluation Methods for Use With Ethnic-Specific Collaborations: Challenges and Successes in Establishing a Collaborative Evaluation for A Learning Community With a Strong Outreach Component
|
| Presenter(s):
|
| Lyn Paleo, First 5 Contra Costa, lpaleo@firstfivecc.org
|
| Denece Dodson, First 5 Contra Costa, ddodson@firstfivecc.org
|
| Lisa Morrell, First 5 Contra Costa, lmorrell@firstfivecc.org
|
| Suzanne Gothard, University of California Berkeley, suzanne.gothard@gmail.com
|
| Abstract:
Many new mothers welcome the services of a Home Visitor to help them with the early challenges of motherhood; however, some refuse services which could benefit them and their infants, even when the services are provided by a professional from their own community. What facilitates a distrusting person to accept services, and why? The Hand to Hand Collaborative is testing combinations of outreach strategies and incentives to find effective ways of enabling trust for the services in their communities. In addition, the collaborative meets monthly as a Learning Community to engage in a continual learning and improvement process. The evaluation is based on a multi-strand impact model developed with the collaborative, and combines traditional assessments, non-print forms using drawings and labels, and questions for dialog at Learning Community meetings. This paper will discuss the challenges and successes of evaluation for a Learning Community collaborative comprised of multiple ethnic-specific agencies.
|
| | |