0125 - Program Evaluation

Course Description

People who run programs and organizations in the public sector are not normally accountants but they do need to have a good basic understanding of how financial management works. In the same way, managers who are not professional researchers can benefit from a solid understanding of how program evaluation works. The tools of the program evaluation trade can be useful in a variety of surprising ways. Anyone who wants to make more strategic use of data when planning or making other decisions is, in a way, doing informal program evaluation.

This two-day workshop on program evaluation is organized around simple, practical steps involved in conceiving, designing and implementing an evaluation project. It is designed for managers who are responsible for initiating and overseeing evaluation projects with limited resources, but it is also an excellent introduction for someone who expects program evaluation to be a more central component of their work. We will focus on clarifying theories of change, developing evaluation questions, identifying indicators for measurement, designing data collection tools, using data strategically for planning and decision-making and communicating results in a persuasive way. We will also discuss how different evaluation approaches, such as developmental evaluation, may be appropriate in your work when traditional program evaluation doesn’t seem like a good fit.

Notes

For more information contact the Faculty of Social Work Professional Development office:

Email: fswprofessionaldevelopment@wlu.ca
Phone: 548-889-5128

Cancellations and Transfers
Be sure to carefully review our cancellation and transfer information before registering.

Website: wlu.ca/fswpd

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Management and Leadership Certificate : Management and Leadership