Context & Purpose

For my program evaluation I have chosen to look at Kids' Circle. This is a program developed through the Erie St. Clair VON (Victorian Order of Nurses) in partnership with the United Way of Chatham-Kent. 

~ Context ~

The focus of this program is to provide a safe, warm, supportive, and inclusive environment for children and teens. These individuals are either experiencing a life-threatening illness personally or of a loved one or they may have experienced the death of a loved one. Children and teens participate in various activities and education with the purpose of helping them experience and journey through the grieving process in a healthy manner. 

The best part is that this is a free program, aimed at reducing the barriers typically associated with receiving help. This program is supported through community volunteers, financial donations to the United Way of Chatham-Kent, and The Ontario Trillium Foundation. 

~ Purpose ~

This program evaluation will be looking at both impact and outcome evaluation. Questions concerning the numbers of children and teens serviced through this program and how their experiences align with the programs goal of guiding them through the grieving process in a healthy manner. 

The purpose of this program is to provide children and teens with appropriate strategies for dealing with grief in a safe environment, where they feel supported, welcomed, and loved. Because of this, the purpose of this program evaluation will be to determine if these goals are being reached. Here are some evaluation questions I will be attempting to answer:

1. How many individuals participate in grief sharing workshops?
2. Do participants feel supported, welcomed, and loved by the staff, volunteers, and other members of this group?
3. What strategies have the participants been able to put in place to help deal with grief in a more healthy manner?
4. Are participants applying these strategies to other areas of their lives when grief arrises?
5. Are participants able to provide support to others who are experiencing grief?

The answers to these questions will be gathered by being in contact with various stakeholders. Program staff can easily answer statistical questions. Participants will be asked to complete a survey surrounding their experiences with the program. Because of the young age of many participants, parents or loved ones will also be asked to complete a similar survey. These will then be looked at comparatively to see if what the child is able to express is also conveyed by the adult involved.

For more information, here is the website for the Erie St. Clair VON and the Kids' Circle program: LINK