Program Evaluation Re-Imagined

Abstract

Based on a real program evaluation conducted in 2004, this article attempts to challenge conventional notions of evaluation as an empirical assessment of discrete measurable outputs and focus instead on the vision or active spirit of a community program. Working towards creation of an open and accessible community school to serve as a safe and trusted service centre for families at risk in downtown Whitehorse, Yukon, the Whole Child Project (WCP) has operated out of Whitehorse Elementary School since 2001. Encountering this program in its unique and isolated setting, and hearing first-hand accounts from the founders, participants, and community led the evaluator to a qualitative approach that allowed for expression of their vision and experiences through their stories – capturing the active spirit of the WCP rather than its objective benchmarks. This article explores the rationale, process, results, and impact of this re-imagined evaluation.