Community Accountability Programs Information ... - Ministry of Justice

• Whether and how it has changed over time• How effective it has been in achieving its objectives• Its particular successes and failures• The costs associated with running it• Its impacts – both intended and unintendedWhile you may evaluate your program at different points ofimplementation, you should plan for the evaluation right at the outset.Earlier, we noted that your program purpose and objectives form thefoundation of your program plan. They are also the basis for a properevaluation.Information to gatherThe kinds of evaluation data you gather will depend on the kind of programyou implement, its objectives, and your evaluation questions. There arefour categories of information you should be aware of. A completeevaluation should address all four types:• Inputs: Resources required to carry out the program (e.g., number ofvolunteers and volunteer hours, funding, operating facility, etc.)• Activities: Steps taken to carry out a program (e.g., coordinatingmediation sessions or conferences, training volunteers, monitoringagreements, etc.)• Outputs: Measurable and direct results of program activities (e.g.,number of mediation sessions or conferences held, number ofagreements reached, etc.)• Outcomes: Measurable impact of your program activities and outputson clients or the community (e.g., less re-offending, victims andoffenders satisfied with the process and agreements reached, etc.)You may wish to gather additional data that will answer particularevaluation questions you have about your program. Your evaluation planshould also indicate how and when the evaluation will be undertaken andwith whom you will share the evaluation results. A quarterly datacollection form is included in Appendix M.For more information about developing an evaluation plan, refer to the SafeCommunities Kit booklet, Splash and Ripple: Using Outcomes to Design andGetting Started 52