| In a 90 minute Roundtable session, the first
rotation uses the first 45 minutes and the second rotation uses the last 45 minutes.
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| Roundtable Rotation I:
Coalition Evaluation: The Power of Coalitions to Change a Cultural or Organizational Norm |
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Roundtable Presentation 905 to be held in Conference Room 1 on Saturday, Nov 5, 12:35 PM to 2:05 PM
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Sponsored by the Collaborative, Participatory & Empowerment Evaluation TIG
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| Presenter(s):
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| Lesli Johnson, Ohio University, johnsol2@ohio.edu
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| Abstract:
Using coalitions to address complex social problems has become a recognized strategy for change. We explore the importance of coalition evaluation reviewing three initiative evaluations that employed coalitions as vehicles to change cultural or organizational norms. The relationship between individual coalition characteristics including coalition effectiveness and the ability of multiple coalitions to achieve a change in a cultural or organizational norm is discussed. A statewide tobacco use prevention initiative, using community coalitions to change the social acceptability of the use of tobacco products; a statewide initiative, changing the organizational norm of local Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE) programs towards encouraging their students to pursue education and training beyond the high school equivalency exam; and a foundation initiative, promoting school-based childhood wellness and obesity prevention through the development of school wellness councils are reviewed in terms of their effectiveness to alter a community or organizational norm.
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| Roundtable Rotation II:
'Trickle Down' or 'Bubble Up': Using Evaluation to Build a Useful Model for Implementing a Policy of Collaboration |
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Roundtable Presentation 905 to be held in Conference Room 1 on Saturday, Nov 5, 12:35 PM to 2:05 PM
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Sponsored by the Collaborative, Participatory & Empowerment Evaluation TIG
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| Presenter(s):
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| Rachael Lawrence, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, rachaellawrence@ymail.com
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| Sharon Rallis, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, sharonrallis@earthlink.net
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| Abstract:
Evaluating collaboration between education providers and mental health workers serving institutionalized youth proved challenging due to complexity in and power differentials across the system. First, two state agencies mandated policy that all providers and levels collaborate. Second, these agencies contracted multiple service providers who hired site level practitioners. Policy was expected to 'trickle down' through at least three levels to program operations. Further, each agency and level interpreted collaboration differently. What collaboration meant - or if collaboration existed - was ultimately defined by varying practices at sites. As external evaluators, we quickly realized that simply measuring collaboration was not feasible, nor would it produce useful information to either program leadership or practitioners. Instead, we refocused to document practices in operation from which we generated a theory-based model that proved useful to understand and support a policy 'bubbling up' from practice. This roundtable will discuss how practitioners and leadership used our model.
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