SOCA6240: Social Program That Gives You Everything- Essay Writing Assignment

Internal Code: 1HFDG

Essay Writing Assignment:

Task: For your second assessment, you can design your own hypothetical program, evaluate a social program you are interested in, OR if you prefer, one that you have been directly involved in, OR choose to examine a policy relating to your area of interest. The main criteria for deciding what you are going to concentrate on, is whether you are able to gather enough information on that project, e.g. are you able to access information such as: The Program

1. What does it set out to achieve? (What is the key issue?)
2. Who are the intended beneficiaries?
3. Who funds it? Is it a partnership? In the case of a government projects, there may still be industry partners. Ask yourself - Is it part of a new ambitious policy? Often funding is part of a ‘tied aid’ arrangement e.g.  Donors say to countries if you want to get the aid you need to introduce a new policy on gender equality … the government says ‘yes, of course’ but does nothing …
4. What techniques are used by the program designers to evaluate their progress and their achievements? Has it made a difference?
5. Has it stayed within budget? If not, what compromises had to be made?
6. Was it considered a success by those who delivered the program? The stakeholders/donors? Or the beneficiaries? Or, all of these?
7. Is there any record of how the beneficiaries regarded the program? In other words, did qualitative data interviews take place to gather their responses? Often there is not – this does not mean you cannot use this project but it does mean you need to comment on this.
8. Have any of the stakeholders identified ways the program could have been better delivered?

Note: Not all this information will be readily available, but you need to be able to answer most of these questions for the assessment. What can I evaluate? – I can’t find a program to evaluate! This is very common. It is difficult to find ALL the information on a social program that gives you everything: how participants were recruited, the budget, names all the stakeholders, have qualitative interviews been done with participants about how they regard the project, impressions by field workers about how well or badly the program went etc. SO: If there is a program you want to evaluate and can get at least some of this information, do that. Then find what other information you can find on a comparable program to fill in extra information. E.g. you might be researching a water programme in Zambia but can only find so much information. Then look online (using Google Scholar) for more details from a comparable program in another part of southern Africa, or even the Philippines and make some conclusions. If you have some information but maybe do not know how participants were recruited, then if you read the information carefully, you could make an educated guess at how this might have been done. In other words, you can be a bit creative. NOTE:  If you have already chosen your topic area and there is no qualitative feedback available, DONT PANIC.  There will be plenty to discuss in terms of how the project would benefit from qualitative techniques and participatory research methods etc. Can I evaluate something else, like a policy? If you contact me and make a case, yes you can do this – but I MUST know ahead of time and make sure this is OK. Secondly, it might seem easier, but often you will have the same problems trying to find out all the details of how the policy was lobbied for, agreed upon and implemented – who were the stakeholders etc. Depending on your own work experience or your passion, you may decide to do one or the other. Please start researching your topic in a general way NOW so you will know how much is out there. OVERVIEW OF DESIGNING/EVALUATING A PROJECT

• Try and choose a program you are interested in or passionate about.
• Break down the elements you are expected to address into headings.
• Illustrate and critically discuss the program design.
• There should be an Introduction outlining the project and its intentions. You will give more detail in the body of the report. See notes below how this is different from an Abstract.
• Body of report: discuss the broader social issues underlying the NEED for the program, and describe why this program is beneficial and structured in a way that serves the beneficiaries and WHY you think that (refer to your readings).
• Describe how you would set this program up and mention (but do not go into immense detail) what evaluations you would build into the program.
• Ideally design a program where there will be some qualitative data (e.g. interviews with actual people working in the area, or those who are beneficiaries of the program)
• Discuss advantages of participatory research.
• Conclusion/recommendations