Internal Evaluation: Building Organizations from Within, Vol. 24
Author: Arnold J Lov
"A terrific combination of pragmatic techniques and relevant theory. I wish I had this book when I became an internal evaluator 20 years ago--but I am glad I have it now because it is helping me put my experience in context, and providing many new ideas. I will make substantial use of it on the job and as a text in my next teaching opportunity." --Gerald L. Barkdoll, Associate Commissioner for Planning and Evaluation, Food and Drug Administration "An essential tool for the managers of any organization. The evaluation techniques used for internal evaluation are discussed from the vantage points and practical concerns of internal evaluators, making the book a valuable desktop reference for internal evaluators." --Canadian Evaluation Society Newsletter "Serves as a handbook for managers developing an internal evaluation system in their company, including information on evaluating goal achievement, efficiency and strategic benefit. To help managers apply what they have learned, there are several practical exercises at the end of each chapter." --Personnel "Readers find concise summarizations of, and helpful tips about the different methods for carrying out systematic internal evaluation: needs assessment, program utilization studies, evaluability assessment, systematic program monitoring, consumer/ client satisfaction studies, quality assurance, and self-study. Whether the reader of Internal Evaluation comes from the private sector or a nonprofit organization, whether he or she is the manager of, or the person responsible for carrying out an internal evaluation, this is a practical and useful guide. It reaffirms that evaluation, properly understood and applied, is not an enemybut an ally in a hectic world." --Jan Corey Arnett in Foundation News "This book quite adequately provides the reader with a comprehensive view of internal evaluation, its value and place within an organization. . . . Very well organized with a detailed introduction to each chapter, and a comprehensive summary. Provides many case examples, diagrams and tables which help to clarify and explain concepts. This text is written in a textbook fashion. Practical exercises are provided at the end of each chapter which further clarify concepts introduced. In addition, a comprehensive reference section is provided as well as an author and subject index. . . . A solid introduction." --Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling "Presents a particular view of internal evaluation that proponents of decision-making approaches to evaluation will find useful. . . . A manifesto for a managerial approach to internal evaluation, a useful message for those who wish to take up that cause." --Evaluation and Program Planning An indispensable tool for managers and an essential part of the management process, internal evaluation has become the method of choice for evaluating programs and problems. To better acquaint managers with this invaluable management tool, Internal Evaluation offers a step-by-step guide for conducting such an evaluation. After presenting the theory behind internal evaluation (showing how internal evaluation fits with other aspects of organizational life), this practical volume describes the stages of internal evaluation, ways of identifying users' needs and selecting appropriate evaluation methods, the evaluation techniques associated with each stage, avoiding common pitfalls, and how to develop and manage the internal evaluation resource. Also included are discussions about techniques that better emphasize the vantage points and practical concerns of internal evaluators, making Internal Evaluation the perfect desk-top reference for internal evaluation practitioners. Replete with examples taken from real-world settings, this masterful volume brings to managers, practitioners, students, and internal evaluators a broad spectrum of useful methods that allow them to take full advantage of the power internal evaluation offers.
Interesting book: Mexican New York or Learning to Drive
The Kindness of Strangers: Adult Mentors, Urban Youth, and the New Volunteerism
Author: Marc Freedman
The Kindness of Strangers takes a hard, realistic look at mentoring while offering a vivid portrayal of the mentoring movement and how ordinary citizens in cities across America are trying to turn young lives around.
Publishers Weekly
In the examples of adult mentor-youth relationships presented by Freedman, who is on the staff of Public/Private Ventures, a Philadelphia research organization that focuses on youngsters in poverty, we hear from eight men and women who ``answered the call.'' They describe their not unqualified successes in helping young people through volunteer projects, and the strength of their commitment as mentors. An overview of various programs throughout the country--I have a Dream, One-on-One, Project RAISE--discusses various strategies of outreach to youth. Mentors are often challenged to the point of frustration, yet their experience of small victories and subtle changes in their young mentees are inspiring. As Freedman notes, ``Mentoring enables us to participate in the essential but unfinished drama of reinventing community, while reaffirming that there is an important role for each of us in it.'' (Sept.)
Library Journal
Americans have been volunteering for various social causes for quite some time. Freedman takes a look at the history of a number of volunteer movements, including such familiar ventures as Big Brothers/Big Sisters and less familiar antecedents such as Friendly Visiting. Emphasizing the importance of one-on-one relationships between adult mentors and urban youth, who so often experience poverty and violence in their lives, he argues that mentoring is an important partial solution to many of our social problems. Several mentors describe their experiences, and Freedman distills some guidelines for successful mentoring. This book should find a welcome spot in most social science collections.-- John Moryl, Yeshiva Univ. Lib., New York
Table of Contents:
| Preface | ||
| Acknowledgments | ||
| The Author | ||
| 1 | A Call to Action | 1 |
| 2 | Great Expectations | 15 |
| 3 | Recurring Fervor | 25 |
| 4 | Birth of a Movement | 42 |
| 5 | The Benefits of Mentoring | 61 |
| 6 | The Limits of Mentoring | 76 |
| 7 | Making the Most of Mentoring | 92 |
| 8 | Closing the Caring Gap | 109 |
| 9 | Reengaging the Middle Class | 125 |
| 10 | Reinventing Community | 139 |
| Notes | 143 | |
| Index | 157 |
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