– This research paper presents an innovative evaluation methodology which was developed as part of a doctoral research study in a voluntary sector youth organisation in England.
Abstract
Purpose
This research paper presents an innovative evaluation methodology which was developed as part of a doctoral research study in a voluntary sector youth organisation in England.
Design/methodology/approach
The transformative methodology synthesises aspects of appreciative inquiry, participatory evaluation and transformative learning and engages the whole organisation in evaluating impact. Using an interpretive paradigm, data were collected from youth workers via semi-structured interviews prior and post implementation of the transformative evaluation methodology.
Findings
Drawing on thematic analysis of the youth workers' experiences, it is argued that the illuminative and transformative nature of the methodology enabled the learning and development functions of evaluation to be realised. Further, it is argued that this form of evaluation not only supports the collection of evidence to demonstrate impact externally, but that the process itself has the potential to enhance practice, improve outcomes “in the moment” and promotes organisational learning.
Research limitations/implications
The research findings are limited by the small-scale nature of the project. Further research is needed to investigate the supporting and enabling factors that underpin participatory practices in organisation evaluation; and in particular to investigate the experience of the managers and trustees as these were not the focus of this research.
Originality/value
This article makes a significant contribution to knowledge in regard to the design and use of participatory evaluation. It evidences the benefits in relation to generating practice improvements and for practitioners themselves in terms of countering the negatives effects of performativity. Transformative evaluation offers an innovative structure and process through which organisational learning can be realised.
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Just how do Online User Groups provide continuing education in order to cope with all the new and updated information, training, hardware changes, cost and pricing issues, new…
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Just how do Online User Groups provide continuing education in order to cope with all the new and updated information, training, hardware changes, cost and pricing issues, new databases — in total, the entire rapidly escalating online world? Well cope they do indeed, and in a vast variety of ways. But rather than simply list the titles of programs held by user groups I would like to briefly explore and outline how online user groups manage to aid their members in being proficient and up‐to‐date searchers.
Shows that work‐related stress has immense costs for the industry. Asks whether the costs of stress are a problem which should be accepted as part of business today, or whether it…
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Shows that work‐related stress has immense costs for the industry. Asks whether the costs of stress are a problem which should be accepted as part of business today, or whether it should and can be minimised. Reviews a number of causes for work‐related stress. Recommends total quality programmesto relieve some of the costs of stress.
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Margaret Singer, David Taylor and Chris Jackson
Describes how a large service organisation, Post Office Counters Ltd, has applied total quality principles to the development of customer care initiative. Reviews the…
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Describes how a large service organisation, Post Office Counters Ltd, has applied total quality principles to the development of customer care initiative. Reviews the organisation′s approach to customer care and details its customer charter, a complete package which comprised training for staff and a series of service commitments. Discusses how the customer charter fits in with the government′s recently imposed Citizen′s Charter. Outlines two keys for achieving total quality.
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In the first, by David A. Macpherson and Barry T. Hirsch, entitled “Wages and Gender Composition: Why Do Women's Jobs Pay Less?” occupational sex segregation and its relationship…
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In the first, by David A. Macpherson and Barry T. Hirsch, entitled “Wages and Gender Composition: Why Do Women's Jobs Pay Less?” occupational sex segregation and its relationship with wages during 1973–93 are examined. Wage level and wage change models are estimated using Current Population Survey data matched with measures of occupational skills and job disamenities. Standard analysis confirms that wage levels are substantially lower in predominantly female occupations. Gender composition effects are reduced by about a quarter for women and by over one‐half for men following control for skill‐related occupational characteristics. Longitudinal analysis indicates that two‐thirds or more of the standard gender composition effect is accounted for by occupational characteristics and unmeasured worker skill or taste differences.
At the end of this chapter, learners should be able to:
- Discuss the origin of family-friendly policies.
- Explain the different types of family-friendly policies.
- Explain the…
Abstract
Learning Objectives
At the end of this chapter, learners should be able to:
Discuss the origin of family-friendly policies.
Explain the different types of family-friendly policies.
Explain the importance of family-friendly policies.
Explore the financial implications of family-friendly policies.
Understand how to calculate leave payment.
Explain possible limitations of family-friendly policies.
Discuss the origin of family-friendly policies.
Explain the different types of family-friendly policies.
Explain the importance of family-friendly policies.
Explore the financial implications of family-friendly policies.
Understand how to calculate leave payment.
Explain possible limitations of family-friendly policies.
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In this chapter, I will draw upon East-Asian wisdom traditions, quantum, transpersonal, and integral theory to posit consciousness as fundamental. In doing so, the relationship…
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In this chapter, I will draw upon East-Asian wisdom traditions, quantum, transpersonal, and integral theory to posit consciousness as fundamental. In doing so, the relationship between Self and reality will be articulated as nondual. I will argue that knowledge about the nature of Self is both an educational entitlement and learning process. Such understanding is generally thwarted by the impact of scientific materialism and behaviorism on educational orthodoxy, which instead promulgate a separate sense of self with destructive individual and collective consequences. Moving from philosophical theorization to application to teacher education, I will argue that a massive program of deconditioning and unlearning is necessary within education and show how a module I teach, “Responding Mindfully to Challenging Behavior,” attempts to do some of this work via a focus on “discipline.” The focus of the module invites us to question the nature of Self when difficulties arise. As explored, this is often a conditioned self with automatic reactions that can shift toward a “witnessing consciousness” when experiential learning and contemplative practices are integrated with theories of human flourishing.
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Research suggests that African-Caribbeans are less likely than their white British counterparts to ask for mental health support (Cooper et al., 2013). This is despite research…
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Research suggests that African-Caribbeans are less likely than their white British counterparts to ask for mental health support (Cooper et al., 2013). This is despite research identifying that minority groups as a whole, when compared to the white majority, report higher levels of psychological distress and a marked lack of social support (Erens, Primatesta, & Prior, 2001). Those who do request support are less likely to receive antidepressants (British Fourth National Survey of Ethnic Minorities, 1994; Cooper et al., 2010) even when controlling for mental health symptom severity, with African-Caribbeans less likely to make use of medication for depression even when prescribed (Bhui, Christie, & Bhugra, 1995; Cooper et al., 2013). Studies reporting on reasons for black people being less likely to attend for mental health consultation with their GP suggest a variety of explanations why this may be, focussing both on the suspicion of what services may offer (Karlsen, Mazroo, McKenzie, Bhui, & Weich, 2005) and the concern of black clients that they may experience a racialised service with stigma (Marwaha & Livingstone, 2002). Different understandings and models of mental illness may also exist (Marwaha & Livingstone, 2002). Different perspectives and models of mental health may deter black people from making use of antidepressants even when prescribed. Despite a random control trial showing that African-Caribbean people significantly benefit from targeted therapy services (Afuwape et al., 2010), the government, despite a report by the Department of Health in 2003 admitting there was no national strategy or policy specifically targeting mental health of black people or their care and treatment has not yet built on evidence-based success. One important aspect recognised by the Department of Health (2003), was that of the need to develop a mental health workforce capable of providing efficacious mental health services to a multicultural population. Although there were good strategic objectives little appeared to exist in how to meet this important objective, particularly in the context of research showing that such service provision could show real benefit. The Department of Health Guidelines (2003) focussed on the need to change what it termed as ‘conventional practice’, but was not specific in what this might be, or even how this could improve services to ethnic minorities. There was discussion of cultural competencies without defining what these were or referencing publications where these would be identified. There was a rather vague suggestion that recent work had begun to occur, but no indication that this had been evaluated and shown to have value (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2001). Neither British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy nor British Psychological Society makes mention of the need for cultural competencies in organisational service delivery to ethnic minority clients. This chapter will describe, explore and debate the need for individual and organisational cultural competencies in delivering counselling and psychotherapy services to African-Caribbean people to improve service delivery and efficacious outcomes.
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Ahson Umar and Asokan Anandarajan
Research has focused on factors causing pressure and impairing auditor independence. These include competition, opinion shopping, client and auditor size, and client financial…
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Research has focused on factors causing pressure and impairing auditor independence. These include competition, opinion shopping, client and auditor size, and client financial health. No study has examined the characteristics of the pressures. Responses to case studies sent to auditors in the USA and Australia were analysed via factor analysis. The objective was, first, to increase understanding of the underlying dimensions of pressures faced by these auditors; and second, to examine any similarities between these two countries, similar in culture, but significantly different in such respects as the legal environment. The results indicate two dimensions: pressure to retain the client, and to conform. The first is a more pervasive but subtle pressure while, in the second, the auditor is asked to follow a certain course of action. Pressure to retain the client appears to be greater for auditors in both countries, relative to the pressure to conform. So the underlying dimensions of the pressures in these countries are similar.