480 chapter 50
EVALUATION
An ongoing process of evaluation by the members of a community program is
necessary if problems are to be corrected and improvements made.
Evaluation is a tool for problem-solving and planning.
Informal evaluation can take place often: the group sits down together once a week
(or even for a few minutes once a day) to discuss successes and failures, what seems
to be working well, and what does not. Together the group looks for solutions and
makes plans.
A somewhat more formal evaluation might be done at the end of each month and
each year.
The PROJIMO team, at the end of each month, makes an effort to fill out an
evaluation form that outlines the following information:
• numbers and names of workers involved, the responsibilities of each, hours
worked, and pay received
• number of children seen (new and returning) at the center and in their homes. Also
their ages, type of primary disability, and secondary disabilities.
• number of children who stayed at PROJIMO for more than one day, for how long,
and with what family members
• attention received by children and families: hours of instruction or therapy, number
of braces, limbs, wheelchairs, and other aids or equipment made or provided
• accounting for costs of the above, including what portion was paid by each family
and how much was paid by the auxiliary fund (See p. 484.)
• summary of financial accounts with lists of all monies gained and spent
• summary of evaluations of individual children by the PROJIMO team and by
their parents (This includes a list of children who have made return visits, with
comments on their progress and response to suggestions, home therapy, or aids.)
• volunteer help or participation by members of the community (children and adults)
• number and profession of special visitors or visiting instructors
• new relations or interactions with other rehabilitation centers, programs, and
communities
• feedback based on parent questionnaires, what they and their children have gained
from PROJIMO, how they feel they were treated, what criticisms they have, and
suggestions for improvement
• outstanding problems and successes in each of the main activities of PROJIMO
• conclusions and recommendations
To help in the evaluation of PROJIMO, parent questionnaires are given to each
family at the end of their first visit. Another questionnaire is sent several months later, to
learn more about how the child has (or has not) benefited.
The PROJIMO workers are still not happy with the forms and questionnaires they are
using, and have revised them several times. For this reason, we do not include samples
here. However, we would be glad to send our forms, such as they are, to anyone who
thinks they might help in designing their own.
Disabled village Children