Arts-based evaluation of the Communities ChooseWell program

Area of Science:

• Community Health Programs
• Arts-Based Research Methods
• Program Evaluation

Background:

• The Communities ChooseWell Program has operated for ten years, with its impact needing evaluation.
• Traditional evaluation methods may not fully capture the nuanced, long-term effects of community programs.
• Champions are key stakeholders with valuable insights into program outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand the effects of the Communities ChooseWell Program from the perspective of its Champions.
• To explore the varied, long-term impacts of the program in different contexts using an arts-based approach.
• To identify changes fostered by the program over a decade, beyond standard funder requirements.

Main Methods:

• An arts-based evaluation methodology was employed.
• The creative process allowed for an open exploration of potential effects.
• Participants (Champions) were given space to articulate what mattered most to them.

Main Results:

• Arts-based methods facilitated engagement and uncovered meaningful, valid results.
• The approach allowed for the exploration of diverse, long-term effects in various contexts.
• Champions identified key changes and impacts that were most important to them.

Conclusions:

• Arts-based evaluation is an effective and engaging method for understanding community program impacts.
• This approach provides a richer understanding of program effects compared to traditional methods.
• The Communities ChooseWell Program has fostered significant changes over its ten-year history, as evidenced by Champion experiences.