Peer evaluation of an organization involved in community economic development

Abstract

A participatory evaluation was conducted in an organization that promotes community economic development. This approach reflects current changes in the practice of evaluation which fosters the empowerment of stakeholders, enabling them to conduct an evaluation centering on their issues of concern and allowing them to utilize the results in program planning. In the present investigation, stakeholders chose to assess the visibility and credibility of the organization in the community. Data were gathered by consulting 20 workers from 13 local organizations. The results of a qualitative analysis of these data are reported for each of five ecological factors that promote a process of empowerment among members of a setting.