Needs Assessments
When organizations and communities identify a potential need, a broader needs assessment allows the voices of service providers, clients, and/or other stakeholders to be heard. A needs assessment can help organizations clearly determine the types of supports, services, or amenities that will best meet needs in a given setting. Needs assessments also identify important factors that will increase the likelihood of any plans being successful as well as highlight barriers that can lead to challenges to program or service goals.
For example – Is the need a global need or is it limited to a specific group? If the need were to be addressed, what are the best ways to structure a service or a program? What are the potential barriers to meeting a given need? By gathering a range of information, organizations are in a much better position to plan a service or program that will be responsive to individuals, groups, or the community. Selected examples of needs assessments and research completed to date are:
Child care needs assessments
Strengths and gaps in creating child-friendly communities
Youth development needs assessments
Adolescent needs in relation to cancer prevention education
Healthcare provider professional development needs in relation to GLBT2SQ clients
Program/Practice Evaluation
Evaluation of short- and long-term programs and other organizational activities such as workshops is critical in order to continually focus on program improvement. This is a fundamental part of ensuring that programs are of high quality and are of benefit to clients.
Arbor has conducted over 50 evaluations for these purposes that range from implementation to outcome/impact evaluation. Just a few examples of these evaluation projects include:
‘Leadership Resiliency Program’ for youth
‘Resilient Minds’ for Firefighters
‘Here4Peers’ Mental Health Literacy Program for Youth
B.C. Cancer Agency’s Colon Cancer Screening Program
An Aboriginal-Focused Program Model for Women and Children Fleeing Violence
‘School-Age Children and Youth’ (SACY) Substance Use Prevention Program
Research Reviews and Environmental Scans
Research reviews provide helpful information for informing decision-making regarding programs and services. A review can accelerate learning and inform potential avenues to pursue by highlighting what has worked and what has had limited success.
By examining the latest research and existing programs and services, a more thoughtful decision-making process can be utilized by stakeholders. There exists the opportunity to learn from the work of other organizations which can be invaluable. Selected examples of our work in this area include:
Indigenous well-being practices
Best Practices in Youth Substance Use Prevention
The Health of LGBTQ Youth: Risk and Protective Factors
Global Policies for Early Childhood Education and Care
Promoting Positive Transitions Among Retirees
Cancer prevention public engagement strategies
