After having discovered the creativity of our Dominican Family in dealing with questions of Justice and Peace in our religious life (Workbook #1), after having highlighted the reasons that have motivated some of us to act more radically (Workbook #2), after having presented a methodology that would allow help us to be more effective and efficient - projects - (Workbook #3), we learned how to share and communicate our lived experience with others (Workbook #4). We will now attempt to arrive at a better understanding of those processes that make it possible for a project, or any other Justice and Peace activity, to unfold and develop by constantly making necessary adjustments.
In this evolving history, the evaluation process is of major importance for the follow-up. Planning techniques are helpful for making necessary adjustments to the project or activity because of the ever-evolving problems and constant changes happening in society and within the Order. Celebration places us before God and before the men and women who are involved in this adventure of Justice and Peace; it gives all of us the strength to continue that which has begun and opens us up to the call of the Spirit.
No matter what we do to promote Justice and Peace, we need to evaluate
our actions on a regular basis, so that we can learn from them, adjust
ourselves to our ever-changing environment and to the needs of the less
privileged or to simply start afresh with new premises. The Project approach
requires ongoing evaluation as does the management of our religious life
- individual and communal - otherwise we risk remaining at the purely ideological
level.
The action whereby we review the whole of our religious life and not just a few actions or projects is called "revision of life".
The evaluation of our apostolic projects is provided for in the Constitutions of certain Congregations as well as in those of the brothers. If this concept is important in the Acts of the General Chapter of Caleruega, it is because it could already be found in the LCO #106 and #107.
Many letters written by the Masters of the Order or by General Superiors
of Congregations have called upon us to evaluate our ministries, our areas
of involvement, our investments and our resources. Our actions on behalf
of Justice and Peace require the same treatment. We must not be afraid
to interrupt an action or put a stop to a project to answer needs that
appear more fundamental or more urgent... We are called to be "walking
priories" as was requested at the Oakland Chapter (1989, 43).
We would like to encourage everyone to read or to re-read the book written by Brother Vincent de Couesnongle, Confidence for the Future (Dominican Pub., Dublin).
Although there are several methods we can use when
doing evaluations we will only be referring to those that are the least
complicated to implement.
An evaluation can be done internally (by those sponsoring/leading the project and those directly concerned by the problem) or externally (by outside experts who did not participate in the action or do not share in the life-style). These two methods produce different types of information. The latter is most likely to come to more radical conclusions because those doing the evaluation have access to other similar projects and therefore have a broader base for comparison. This allows us to better situate the project and to see it in a new light thus giving us a better chance of detecting those realities that lay hidden due to force of habit.
For example, how do we welcome visitors? What is the first impression we give to our visitors? Are they welcomed as brothers and sisters or do we make them feel more like bothersome intruders?
The evaluation can be carried out by the community doing the project in the Dominican tradition. But if we really want it to be plausible we might do better to start with a report drafted by a small group of sisters or brothers who will have gathered and examined all the data on the project.
An example: a beggar comes to ask for something to eat . Brother A. answers because he is the one who has been assigned to receive people who come to ask for food. Does the community have the right to transfer to one brother the obligation to receive all of these people? How could we provide all of the members with the opportunity to enter into relationship with these persons in need and who turn to us for help? How can we take this opportunity and use it to the full by offering a word of friendship and encouragement along with the food? Would we accept to give cash?
An evaluation can be done in groups or by one or several individuals. The intervention of a greater number of people allows for a more thorough and original analysis (with the possibility of being more objective), although it might be more unwieldy and disruptive for everyday activities. Having individual experts intervene can also be beneficial. We should not hesitate to hire competent experts because their input and contribution generally outweighs the cost.
Are there any persons in the Order specialized in evaluation?
Do you know sisters or brothers who are competent in this field? Are there
members of the Lay Chapters who possess this expertise? Do you call upon
them? Could you send us a list of such names so that we can set up a name-bank
of brothers and sisters who could serve in helping to evaluate projects
in Provinces and Congregations other than their own? The network created
by this bank could also promote the sharing of experiences and methodologies...
There exist different types of evaluations providing us with varied degrees of participation. An evaluation is often done by interviewing the various actors within the project and/or by consulting different documents (accounts, statements, charts, minutes...). The interviews might be done with groups or shared afterwards with groups. We could also invite each one to give their individual assessment to the evaluators and propose different "measuring tools"... Evaluation is not something that drops out of the blue. There is no reason to be afraid of it nor believe from the outset that we would not be appreciated or understood.
The context of the evaluation is not neutral for it will influence both the method used and the expected results. The evaluation can be done for those intervening from within the project (it would be a question here of presenting them a snapshot of who they are, what they are doing or the way in which they are perceived by others) or for the Provincial Council or the Congregation's General Council (in order to obtain some support or assignments from them). It may also be done for those intervening from outside who want to establish an opinion (particularly in the case of those who give grants or support). The results of the evaluation will vary or present different accents according to the desired goal; it is therefore very important to determine what we are expecting to do with the evaluation.
We must not expect, from an evaluation, results in the form of a "Solomonic judgment" or miraculous proposals, but rather simply elements to help establish a policy. These elements can only be contributed if each person is convinced of the usefulness of the evaluation and if they are interested in knowing the results so that they can make the necessary adjustments.
The following is an example. After evaluating the "S." Project, the consultant made the following recommendations : increase the participation of the laity, clearly delineate the life of the community from that of the project, consult the paid staff so as to encourage a more participatory style of management, find more time to relax ... and know when to take holidays!
How does one receive the results of an evaluation?
An evaluation is not a moral judgment concerning your intentions or your
person. It is a way of producing information that will help make it easier
for you to reach the goals you had set for yourself. It is not a process
undertaken to give out medals or to administer blame. Never glorify yourself
in the results of an evaluation, even if it is to your advantage. Never
doubt beforehand that it was not objective. Allow yourself to learn from
it. Don't set out to show off or to justify your decisions for this is
not the purpose of the exercise.
All that we have said so far emphasizes the importance of the need for an evaluation in determining its efficiency. Do not hesitate to take the necessary time to define beforehand what you are expecting and what you are seeking through this process. Write up a job definition workbook so that you and your team may feel more secure.
The evaluation rests on five major pillars:
The Objectives: the results are often different from the objectives stated, because the intervention and its inherent difficulties have made it necessary for us to redefined certain elements, to re-dimensionalize them (often to down-scale them!). We sometimes have a tendency to lose sight of the fundamental objectives due to the fact that we get so caught up in the everyday workings of the project. The short term takes precedence over the long term ! The evaluation is an opportunity for us to re-state the original objectives of the project and to measure the changes that have occurred.
What were you expecting to achieve through this project? Were your goals met? Why is there a discrepancy? Was this discrepancy anticipated? Was there a possibility of reducing it? How do you want to re-define your action now?
The Means: How can you assess the human and material means that were used to reach your goals? This appreciation deals as much with the use of available resources as on the future needs. There are two dimensions to consider, a view to the past (accountability) and a view to the future (forecast). What financial plan could be set up to develop the activities (with special attention given to maintenance needs generated by past investments)? You will find a sampling of simple management tools in the appendices to this Workbook.
What is the relationship between the goals and the means? Are you using all the means? Are there difficulties due to the lack of means ? Where should you invest more resources to make the project easier and to increase its efficiency?
The Results: The quantitative approach is not to be ignored but it must be superseded by a more qualitative approach. What have you learned in doing this? How did you talk about it? To whom? What impact has it had on those directly concerned and on the surrounding brothers and sisters? What social movement has come out of this? What were the reactions of the media? Has the milieu developed a greater sensitivity to issues of Justice and Peace and is it more humane as a result?
What are the conclusions that flow from your project? What has really been accomplished? What has this changed in your environment and in your neighborhood?
The relationship with the Gospel: This aspect of the evaluation is more difficult to achieve because there is no direct and single link between concrete human achievements and the Gospel. At this level, the evaluation is more a tool for discernment and questioning. Quite often we need to highlight the values that are operative and to contrast them with the Gospel. In so doing, we are running the risk of showing up contradictions between the values sought and those that are truly lived out: for example, injustice in the way we pay our staff, reduced democratic participation, over-emphasis on production...
What Gospel values are accentuated? What signs of hope does the project present?
The future phases: The evaluation must suggest some form of future for the project by showing up the disfunctioning, the wastes, the losses, the lacks and the reasons for the blockages. The evaluation report will present elements allowing to overcome the weak points and consolidate the strong points of the project. The choice of elements that appear to be the most adapted and the implementation of these will form the main phases of your project. But be careful: it must not be done too hastily nor too slowly...
What can you do to be more efficient? How will you go about doing this? with whom? What will be your schedule? What procedures will you use?
This point refers us back to the future-type analysis we identified as an important tool in Workbook #3,: "The Scenarios". It is also an invitation to go back and review the strategies implemented in terms of communications, the management of resources, the pedagogy used and the types of interventions.
| A practical exercise: do an evaluation of the community library or of the
magazines that are subscribed to... What place is given to questions relating to Justice and Peace? |
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