KRISTA COLLINS CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY NOVEMBER 3, 2011 Is Empowerment Evaluation Empowering?

Agenda 1. Definitions of Participatory v. Empowerment Evaluation 2. Current Empowerment Practice and Guidelines 3. Psychological research on Empowerment Theory 4. Measurement Considerations

Definitions Participatory Evaluation: the evaluation is conducted through a partnership between the evaluator and program decision-makers (Cousins & Earl, 1995). Empowerment Evaluation: the use of evaluation concepts, techniques and findings to foster improvement and self-determination (Fetterman, 2001)

Evaluation Processes (Cousins & Whitmore, 1998; Wandersman et al, 2005) ParticipatoryEmpowerment Control of Process Evaluator leads with stakeholder input Stakeholder leads with evaluator input Diversity of Participants Program Staff Program staff and beneficiaries Extent of Involvement Participation in all phases Primary Goal Practical Decision Making Problem Solving Evaluation Utilization Capacity Building Ownership Practical Capacity Building Organizational Knowledge Accountability Social/Community Change Improvement Community Ownership Inclusion Democratic Participation Social Justice Community Knowledge Evidence-Based Strategies

Current Empowerment Practice (Miller & Campbell, 2006) Disempowered Context  Programs target disadvantaged populations  Include minority voice Participatory Activities  Collaborative Decision Making  Training and Technical Assistance  Provide Feedback and Advise Outcomes  Data Use – improvement, decision making  Capacity Building – knowledge, skills learned

Challenges Little distinction between participatory and empowerment activities. No discussion of how empowerment activities actually link to self-determination. Examine social science literature for insight on measuring empowerment outcomes Methodological considerations for measuring empowerment outcomes

Empowerment Theory Empowerment: the perception and active demonstration of self-confidence in one’s ability to create a meaningful change (Rappaport, 1987; Zimmerman, 1995). Empowering Processes 1. Climate 2. Opportunities Psychological Empowerment 1. Self-Efficacy 2. Intrinsic Motivation 3. Locus of Control 4. Prosocial Attitudes Behavioral Empowerment 1. Leadership 2. Advocacy 3. Civic Engagement

Empowering Processes In addition to participatory activities: decision- making, problem solving and skill building Adult (Spreitzer, 1996) Youth (Cargo et al, 2003; Holden et al 2004) Safe and Supportive Climate Clear Goals Open Communication Access to Materials Positive Working Relationships Teacher Modeling Step-by-Step Instructions Positive Feedback Safety Feeling Valued Opportunity Innovative Thinking Collaboration Leadership Social Skills Critical Reflection Hands-on Learning

Empowering Processes Clear Goals/Expectations Access to Materials Hands-On Learning Positive Reinforcement Decision Making Critical Reflection Collaboration Positive Working Relationships Psychological Empowerment Self-Efficacy (Bandura, 1977) Locus of Control (Rotter, 1966) Intrinsic Motivation (Ryan & Deci, 2000) Prosocial Attitudes

Behavioral Empowerment Behavioral Outputs # Activities # Hours Attendance Behavioral Outcomes Leadership Advocacy Civic Engagement

Measurement Considerations Long-term outcomes  Changes in Attitudes  Changes in Behavior Self-Selection  Pre-Post Change Context Sensitivity  Disadvantaged Communities  Developmental Trajectory

Thank you! Questions? Contact Information: Krista Collins