Community-Campus Partnerships and Community-Based Program Evaluations

Communities today are often called upon to meet the diverse needs of their community members. In fact, however, community efforts to solve the problems of children and families are not new. For example, in the 19th century, Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr's “Settlement House” approach brought together university researchers and community members. This work foreshadowed current efforts based on an applied developmental science (ADS) framework. The ADS framework calls for systematic attempts to ameliorate or prevent problems and to promote [Page 281]positive healthy behavior through collaboration between scientific and community partners (Lerner, 2002).

Program evaluation is one important opportunity for such collaboration. In the past, the evaluation of a program was all too often based on the feelings of the participants and staff, rather than data collected through systematic evaluation. However, it is clear that without high-quality program evaluations, it is difficult to know (a) whether the program is having the intended impact and meeting the needs of the program participants, (b) whether the program could be conducted more effectively and efficiently, (c) whether the program is having a positive impact on the broader community it strives to serve, (d) whether this particular approach is worthy of the resources being invested, and (e) whether the program should be continued. Thus, organizations and agencies must not only design but also implement, manage, and evaluate programs if they are to meet the complex needs within a community. Such needs may be related to serious and/or longstanding problems, such as poverty, low educational attainment, or violence. Given the importance of the issues these programs intend to address, it is essential that an evaluative process be incorporated from their inception. Comprehensive evaluation should, then, involve conducting needs assessments throughout the program and outcome assessments at the conclusion of the program. The following paragraphs review critical characteristics and components of effective evaluation, including approaches and methods.