Intergenerational Program Evaluation

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Intergenerational Program Evaluation

• Shannon E. Jarrott, Ph.D.
• Virginia Tech
• Presented at the biannual Generations United
  Conference
• Washington, DC
• September 13, 2005

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Objectives

• Consider the 4 Ws of evaluation
• Why
• When
• Who
• What
• Identify effective evaluation practices and
  tools. The HOW? in evaluation.
• Review step-by-step evaluation
• Go forth and evaluate!

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Why evaluate?

• Inform program development
• Identify problems early and fix them.
• Identify benefits and replicate.
• Empower people through participatory evaluation.
• Secure funding.
• Market your program.
• Practice, theory, research inform each other.

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Theory-Practice-Evaluation Feedback Loop
Theory
Research
Practice
Evaluation
Lavee Dollahite, 1991
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Evaluate when?

• Begin before you begin!
• Formative evaluation
• Repeatedly and continually!
• Program monitoring process evaluation
• Impact evaluations get results!

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Who evaluates?

• Internal evaluators
• Increases investment
• Cost-effective
• External evaluators
• Greater objectivity
• Additional expertise
• Combined approach

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What to evaluate?

• Intergenerational IQ
• Goodness of fit
• Fit with program objectives
• An ecological perspective
• Fit with resources (personnel, money, time)

Needs Time Cost Expertise
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Results Oriented Management Design
Activities/Practices
Community Needs/Assets Agency Resources
4
1
3
2
Program Results
Community Results
Bowen et al., 2001, p. 20.
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HOW to Evaluate Practices Tools

• Multiple Methods
• Observations
• on using high tech methods
• Interviews (e.g. QOL-AD)
• Surveys (e.g. IEAS)
• Administrative data (e.g. participation)
• Documentation

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• Multiple perspectives
• Participants
• Staff members
• Family members
• Community members

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Triangulation of evaluation data
Gigliotti et al., 2005
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• Multiple points of evaluation
• Repeated measures
• Longitudinal evaluation

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• Resources for Evaluations
• Agencies, universities
• Web sites
• Small community grants for evaluation

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Step-by-step

• Identify goals
• Identify needed resources
• Support participatory evaluation
• Work with external evaluators
• Disseminate findings

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Review

• Consider the 4 Ws of evaluation
• Why
• When
• Who
• What
• Identify effective evaluation practices and
  tools. The HOW? in evaluation.
• Step-by-step evaluation
• Go forth and evaluate!

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Conclusion

• Societys needs circumstances call for
  intergenerational options of all shapes sizes.
• The presence and importance of intergenerational
  programs is increasing.
• To grow and sustain these programs, evaluations
  MUST be conducted.

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Contact Information
Shannon Jarrott, Ph.D., Associate
Professor Director of Research, VT Adult Day
Services Dept. of Human Development Virginia
Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061-0416 sjarrott_at_vt.edu
[phone] http//www.humandevelopment.vt.edu/
ads.html
Neighbors Growing Together
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• Learn about studying intergenerational
  relationships at VTs Dept. of Human Development
  in Blacksburg, Virginia.
• B.S. M.S. in Human Development
• Graduate Certificate in Gerontology
• Ph.D. in Human Development
• Adult Development and Aging
• Family Studies
• Child Adolescent Development
• Marriage Family Therapy
• Neighbors Growing Together offers tours of our
  program and consultation on developing,
  implementing, and evaluating intergenerational
  programs.