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Participatory Evaluation. What is participatory evaluation?.
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What is participatory evaluation? • Participatory evaluation is an evaluation that involves all the stakeholders in a project - those directly affected by it or by carrying it out - in every phase of evaluating it, and in applying the results of that evaluation to the improvement of the work.
Why would you use participatory evaluation? • Advantages of participatory evaluation: • It gives you a better perspective on both the initial needs of the project's beneficiaries, and on its ultimate effects. • It can get you information you wouldn't get otherwise. • It tells you what worked and what didn't from the perspective of those most directly involved - beneficiaries and staff. • It can tell you why something does or doesn't work. • It results in a more effective project. • It empowers stakeholders. • It can provide a voice for those who are often not heard. • It teaches skills that can be used in employment and other areas of life. • It bolsters self-confidence and self-esteem in those who may have little of either. • It demonstrates to people ways in which they can take more control of their lives. • It encourages stakeholder ownership of the project. • It can spark creativity in everyone involved. • It encourages working collaboratively. • It fits into a larger participatory effort.
Why wouldn't you use participatory evaluation? • Disadvantages of participatory evaluation: • It takes more time than conventional process. • It takes the establishment of trust among all participants in the process. • You have to make sure that everyone's involved, not just "leaders" of various groups. • You have to train people to understand evaluation and how the participatory process works, as well as teaching them basic research skills. • You have to get buy-in and commitment from participants. • People's lives - illness, child care and relationship problems, getting the crops in, etc. - may cause delays or get in the way of the evaluation. • You may have to be creative about how you get, record, and report information. • Funders and policy makers may not understand or believein participatory evaluation.
When would you use participatory evaluation? • When you're already committed to a participatory process for your project. • When you have the time, or when results are more important than time. • When you can convince funders that it's a good idea. • When there may be issues in the community or population that outside evaluators (or program providers, for that matter) aren't likely to be aware of. • When you need information that it will be difficult for anyone outside the community or population to get. • When part of the goal of the project is to empower participants and help them develop transferable skills. • When you want to bring the community orpopulation together.
Who should be involved in participatory evaluation? • All stakeholders, including: • Participants or beneficiaries. • Project line staff and/or volunteers. • Administrators. • Outside evaluators, if they're involved. • Community officials. • Others whose lives are affected by the project.
How do you conduct aparticipatory evaluation? • Recruit stakeholders as participant evaluators. • Train evaluators. • Name and frame the issue. • Develop a theory of practice to address it. • Determine the evaluation questions. • Collect information. • Analyze the information. • Use your analysis to celebrate what worked and adjust the rest to improve the project. • Stick with it indefinitely.
