An evaluability assessment of program 5C of the Winnipeg Development Agreement

Abstract

The Winnipeg Development Agreement (WDA) which is a tri level government agreement, consists of different program including "Program 5C: Employment Equity". Program 5C primarily focuses on designated groups (Aboriginal people, women, people with disabilities, and visible minorities) as these groups have been historically disadvantaged and are under-represented in the City of Winnipeg's workforce. In September, 1998, the development of a targeted evaluation framework for Program 5C was commissioned by the program manager. The primary objective of the practicum was to develop the evaluation framework so that clear standards are established for evaluating Program 5C. A related objective of the practicum was to gain hands on experience in designing, planning and implementing a qualitative approach and related data gathering techniques. This practicum report describes the development of the evaluation framework. The framework was developed by reviewing the relevant literature and by using qualitative approaches such as focus groups and i terviews with various stakeholders as feedback mechanisms. The results from the practicum indicate that the evaluation framework will serve as an important document to guide the evaluation of Program 5C. In the process of developing the framework, I gained valuable experience in planning, implementing and facilitating focus groups. In addition, I learned to analyse and interpret results using qualitative approaches. The practicum findings, conclusions, and recommendations indicate that while Program 5C has made progress with some very positive results over the last year, the effectiveness of Program 5C can only be determined through a comprehensive evaluation of the program. The evaluation framework developed during this practicum will help in this endeavour.