Program Evaluation
- Peter Gabor, Peter GaborPeter Gabor is a Professor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. He is currently an Associate Dean of the Faculty and Head of its Southern Alberta Region. Peter holds a BA, BSW and MSW from McGill University and a PhD in social work from Arizona State University. Gabor has experience as a child and youth care worker and social worker, and has served as executive director of a residential children's centre and youth corrections facility. He has also held positions as a senior manager in the Alberta child welfare system. Gabor teaches research methods, evaluation, supervision and organizations at both undergraduate and graduate levels in face-to face, blended and on-line formats, and is active as a workshop leader. In partnership with the Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs (FRP Canada), he served as principal researcher of a multi-year national project to increase evaluation capacity in the family resource program sector in Canada. A national evaluation system—e-Valuation—now used at hundreds of program sites across Canada, was created as a part of this project. In his consulting practice, Gabor has conducted evaluations and has developed evaluation systems for a variety of local, provincial and national organizations.
- Richard M. Grinnell Jr.Richard M. Grinnell Jr.Western Michigan University
- and Yvonne A. UnrauYvonne A. UnrauWestern Michigan University
Summary
This article discusses how four types of program evaluations can be used in social service programs: (a) needs assessments, (b) process evaluations, (c) outcome evaluations, and (d) cost-efficiency evaluations. Different approaches to evaluation are also reviewed, including culturally appropriate evaluations. The future of program evaluation within the social work profession is also discussed along with various trends.
