Hmsv 440w Task 5 Scott.Catherine
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TASK 5 RESEARCH PLAN: THE FORKIDS AGENCY
Catherine Scott
Old Dominion University
HMSV 440W: Program Development, Implementation and Funding
Professor Sharon Silverberg
10/13/2023
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TASK 5 RESEARCH PLAN: THE FORKIDS AGENCY
I have chosen to evaluate the Forkids Agency. Their South Norfolk location is about a
mile from my home. I have chosen this particular site because I want to help people and make a
difference. Currently I am undecided in what I want to do with my degree, but I feel as though
that this site may give me a good foundation for understanding how a humanitarian entity
functions. The Forkids Agency helps a myriad amount of families yearly.
Not only do they provide shelter for the people in need throughout Hampton Roads, but
they also educate people on how to break the poverty cycle. Hampton Roads Virginia in January
of 2020 had 621 families homeless [ CITATION Cam22 \l 1033 ]. The cost of housing has
increased exponentially throughout Hampton Roads. “In September 2023, Hampton Roads
Center home prices were up 5.3% compared to last year, selling for a median price of $300K”
[ CITATION Ham23 \l 1033 ]. Forkids has many partners which help with the Forkids Crisis
Hotline, which is a contact point for families in need in Hampton Roads, Virginia. That is only a
glimpse into what they do. That sounds like a huge amount of coordination and collaboration
with communities. I feel like this will be an eye-opening experience, the Forkids Agency has
many different programs within itself to assist in the homelessness of families all throughout
Hampton Roads. I am really excited to learn how they do it.
My evaluation may assist in bringing more clarity into how they can do better, or it could
show stakeholders and possible donors how much of a change and contribution it is doing to
people they are assisting, therefore possibly encouraging more donations and awareness.
Stakeholders
Stakeholders are the clients in the programs, staff, administrators, donors and board
members
can also be called stakeholders because they hold the programs in their hands. Staff are
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responsible and are knowledgeable about many different aspects of the programs and their needs
as whole. Stakeholders can also be the community in which the program is assisting in. I would
like to evaluate the staff of the agency that I am going to evaluate. I want to know if they are
happy with the work that they are doing. Is it fulfilling? Is the money they are making worth it?
Are they surviving this recession with what they are getting paid with? I am curious because I
have looked at the career area of their website and have seen how much they begin paying those
who start working for them. I plan on evaluating the Forkids program, it is a program near and
dear to my heart.
Type of Evaluation
I believe that the best kind of evaluation for my study would be a capacity building or an
empowerment type of evaluation (Posavac, 2013) because I want to evaluate with the help of the
staff. However, I am fearful of stepping on people’s toes. The person I have been in contact with
is hesitant about me coming on and asking questions, so I may reconsider doing my evaluation at
Forkids if she tells me no after I send her my proposal (that she has asked for) or change my
approach. My ultimate is to empower the agency and help families from having to come back
and be homeless again.
I believe that this type of evaluation is better for my study because as a former client of
the Forkids agency I have seen and have been in the midst of the heart of the agency, giving my
evaluation a much different point of view, and it includes other’s perspectives as an
empowerment building evaluation is implemented by collaboration.
This will address my
research question by hopefully giving me access to former clients such as myself and asking
them how Forkids is helping them if they still are and how.
Evaluation Questions
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I have chosen the following questions to be my guide throughout this evaluation process:
number one, how effective is the structure that Forkids has in place to keep families from
returning as homeless? Number two, how strong is the relationship between the agency and
stream of funding and how does this relationship impact funding? The reason I have chosen the
first question is because I would like to learn more about the effectiveness of their programs. Has
there been any relapse in homelessness from previous families? If so, how is that handled? How
does Forkids prevent relapses from occurring? What is their secret? What can America or the
world learn from their example?
The reason that I have chosen the second question: How strong is the relationship
between the agency and stream of funding and how does this relationship impact funding? The
company has grown exponentially since it started back 1988. How is it being funded? What if
God forbid, they run out of funds because they have stretched too thin, Are there any
contingency plans? If so, how are they funded and planned?
How the type of Evaluation Aligns with Evaluation Questions
I believe that capacity building or an empowerment type of evaluation is best suited for
my study because as a former client of the Forkids agency I have seen and have been in the midst
of the heart of the agency, giving my evaluation a much different point of view, and it includes
other’s perspectives as an empowerment building evaluation is implemented by collaboration.
This will address my research questions by hopefully giving me access to former clients such as
myself and asking them how Forkids is helping them if they still are and how.
Data Collection Methods
There are many types of possible sources of data collection that can be used in an
evaluation Interview, artifacts which are documents that reflect the quality of the programs in
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indirect ways, such as: essays, newspapers, community indexes such as high school drop-out
rates, population, fires, homelessness rates, rent rates and fluctuations and surveys.
I believe that
I will use community data such as homelessness rates, data from the archives of the agency such
as homeless relapse rates if any, I will ask questions and interview staff and other stakeholders as
well as if I can take a look at their fund raising data over years and look for patterns. While
looking at the fund-raising data I will compare and contrast to see what has worked best for the
agency.
Research Method and Why They Will Work Best
I would like to use a mixed methods approach to researching and creating this evaluation.
A mixed method approach to research is defined as combining elements of qualitive research and
quantitative research methods in order to answer research questions[ CITATION Geo23 \l 1033 ].
I will use this approach because, “it has been stated that using quantitative and qualitative
approaches in combination provides a better understanding of research problems than either
approach alone would be able to do” [ CITATION Olu15 \l 1033 ]. I want to make sure that I get
accurate information and a good baseline for future endeavors made by The ForKids agency.
I plan on interviewing staff and researching documents provided by government websites
and possibly the Forkids agency so, that I can get a good understanding of how homelessness has
affected Hampton Roads and how ForKids is changing the lives of families. I feel very fortunate
to have been able to be a part of one of those families. I also would like to interact with past
clients to help evaluate if, and how Forkids is assisting their “Alumni.” I would also like to ask
the “Alumni” about what supports they have to help prevent homelessness relapse and how they
think Forkids can better itself. My ultimate goal to help provide information to the program so it
can increase its goals of eradicating homelessness in Hampton Roads. Some measure I would
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like to use within a survey would be a scale similar to a doctor’s pain scale for patients, when
speaking or interviewing workers at Forkids. I would also create a checklist to assure that I am
completing my evaluation thoroughly. I may create a focus group of case managers so they can
explain in their own words how and what they think that ForKids is doing to be effective as has a
place to keep families from returning as homeless? And what ideas they have to increase of
effectiveness of the programs that they have in place.
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References
George, T. (2023, June 22).
Mixed Methods Research | Definition, Guide & Examples
. Retrieved
from Scribbr: https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/mixed-methods-research/
Hampton Roads Center, VA Housing Market
. (2023, September ). Retrieved from REDFIN:
https://www.redfin.com/neighborhood/181731/VA/Hampton/Hampton-Roads-
Center/housing-market#trends
McNew, C. (2022, August 4).
A LOOK AT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE “UNHOUSED” IN
VIRGINIA
. Retrieved from BRHA: https://www.brha.com/2022/08/02/a-look-at-the-
current-state-of-homelessness-in-virginia/
Olusola O Karimu, P. (2015). Mixed Methods Design in Human Services Research .
Global
Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences
, 4-8.
Posavac, K. J. (2019). Program Evaluation.
Outcome Evaluations with One Group. In Program
evaluation: Methods and case studies
.