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Making a difference in the real world. User-centred impact evaluation of an eight-country, community-based early childhood programme

Author

Listed:
  • Lake, G.
  • Urban, M.
  • Giblin, F.
  • French, G.
  • Farrell, T.

Abstract

This paper presents a unique approach to the Impact Evaluation of a project that focused on low-threshold intergenerational play-based interactions in order to support young children from marginalised communities in eight European countries. The approach builds upon the work of Fetterman’s Empowerment Evaluation and Patton’s Utilization Focused Evaluation and brings them together to form an adapted model of evaluation. We outline in this paper how these two well developed methods of evaluation have been applied to a real world context, that is, the impact evaluation of a complex international project. Our approach highlights the complexities of differing contexts and allows for surprising and unintended consequences to emerge. It results, through double loop learning, a type of feedback loop with the internal stakeholders and implementers that is useful to the project coordination team, with a view to further upscaling of the initiative. Recommendations for policy at local, national and European Union levels were provided to the project and potential external users. However, the predominant feedback was provided at two crucial points along the way; during a stakeholder mapping exercise and during the further development of monitoring data tools.

Suggested Citation

  • Lake, G. & Urban, M. & Giblin, F. & French, G. & Farrell, T., 2022. "Making a difference in the real world. User-centred impact evaluation of an eight-country, community-based early childhood programme," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:92:y:2022:i:c:s0149718922000167
    DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2022.102062
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ofek, Yuval, 2017. "Evaluating social exclusion interventions in university-community partnerships," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 46-55.
    2. Bryson, John M. & Patton, Michael Quinn & Bowman, Ruth A., 2011. "Working with evaluation stakeholders: A rationale, step-wise approach and toolkit," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 1-12, February.
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