Evaluating the Community-Based Education Program in the Community

The Trent Centre for Community-Based Education (Trent Centre) and the U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research (U-Links) invite proposals for conducting an evaluation of the "community impact" of the Community-Based Education Program (a.k.a. community service-learning).

The Trent Centre for Community-Based Education (Trent Centre) and the U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research (U-Links) have partnered since 1999 to deliver the Community-Based Education (CBE) Program in Peterborough and Haliburton Counties (Ontario, Canada). The CBE Program is designed to:

• Work with community organizations on community-based research and other identified projects that otherwise might not be completed.


• Provide students with experience in their fields of study and enhance future employment prospects.


• Increase co-operation and partnership between Trent University and the broader communities it serves.

Students receive academic credit while community groups benefit from good information and resources they would not normally be able to access. An evaluation of the program in 2002 revealed that the vast majority of projects were successful, there was significant community benefit, and there was a need for the service.

The Trent Centre and U-Links are interested in conducting a follow-up evaluation focused on gauging the impact of the CBE Program in the community from 1999-2009. A consultant working on this project is expected to:

1. Review the 2002 evaluation report


2. Replicate/adapt the host survey


3. Analyze results and make comparisons with data from 2002


4. Draw conclusions about the impact of the program


5. Make recommendations for improvement

In addition to a follow-up evaluation based on the 2002 methodology, the Trent Centre and U-Links are also interested in a pilot study to measure the economic impact of their work.

Interested evaluators are invited to submit a brief proposal outlining how you see yourself performing these duties, including total financial costs by Friday December 12th, 2008.

Todd Barr, Executive Director, Trent Centre for Community-Based Education
toddbarr@trentcentre.ca
phone: 705-743-0523

Heather Reid, Director, U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research
ulinks@on.aibn.com
phone: 705-286-2411