This presentation discusses the evolution of a comprehensive participatory coalition evaluation model and the concurrent development of a workbook which emerged from a six-year Healthier Communities initiative in New Mexico. Despite the explosion of interest in a new paradigm for coalition evaluation, with community indicators and stakeholder involvement, there are few models in the literature that encompass the dimensions of coalition effectiveness, capacity outcomes, and a participatory evaluation process of working with communities. The New Mexico model features a participatory non-linear process, the use of community visioning and systematic analyses of health issues, and the integration of individual and system level change targets and indicators. Several case stories from different communities illustrate the development of this model and present some of the difficulties and potentials of using a participatory evaluation model for coalitions, including recommendations for future evaluation practice.Lessons learned include: the complexity of coalition evaluation; the need for clarification of evaluator roles; the use of guiding principles; the use of a logic model process; the importance of using community jargon-free language; and the limitations of expecting coalition members to adopt professional evaluator roles. These processes require both a constantly-negotiated relationship between the evaluator and community members, and a grounding in indicators which are useful for community understanding, and ultimately, for decision-making to improve health.
Learning Objectives: Learners will be able to: 1) Define the steps for conducting participatory evaluation of coalitions 2) Articulate different levels of outcomes and targets for community change 3) State the dilemmas, difficulties, and potentials of conducting participatory evaluation
Keywords: Community Collaboration, Evaluation
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.