Evaluation

Introduction

An evaluation measures the extent to which the project has successfully achieved its goals and objectives (Youth Affairs Council of Victoria, 2004). It also seeks to find out how the process was for children and young people, whether they were satisfied with their participation and what impact it has had on them (Queensland Department of Child Safety, 2006).

Factors to consider when evaluating

It is worth considering using an external organisation or individual to conduct the evaluation. This is helpful for maintaining a distance between the project facilitators and the participants, making the process truly objective.

Also consider involving children and young people in facilitating the evaluation. This would require training them in interviewing techniques or other appropriate methodologies. Children and young people can work with adults to develop their own questions to provide a unique view of how a particular project is impacting on children and young people (Cambridgeshire Children’s Fund & Save the Children Fund, 2005).

All evaluations must adhere to the same ethical principles discussed in the Ethical considerations and Consent sections of this site. This means providing participants with an information sheet outlining the purpose of the evaluation and what their involvement will entail.

It also means obtaining informed consent.

Checklist

• Will you use an external agency to conduct your evaluation?
• What type of evaluation will you conduct? Will it be formative, summative or a combination of both?
• What methods will you use to evaluate your project? Quantitative, qualitative or a combination of both?
• Have you planned how the evaluation will be conducted? Who will you collect information from? Will children and young people be involved? What questions will you ask participants? If you are only collecting information from a sample of participants, how will you choose the sample?
• Have you decided how you will analyse the information or data that you collect?
• Once you analyse the data, have you reflected on your findings in light of your original project aims?
• Have you used your evaluation findings to think about what changes you might make to future projects?
• Who will you report your evaluation findings to?
• How will you report your evaluation findings? Will you do this differently for different audiences?
• Have you reported your evaluation findings to the people who took part in your project and its evaluation?