A Formative Evaluation of the Family Strengthening Program in the Treasure Valley

Family Advocates, a nonprofit organization serving families in the Treasure Valley in Idaho, offers the Family Strengthening Program. This is a 20-week program providing weekly meetings for families who need to develop strong family cohesion, resilience, and parenting skills to maintain healthy families. The program uses the Strengthening Families’ approach with an emphasis on the protective factors framework and provides incentives to participants for participation. A third-party evaluation team from a local university conducted a formative evaluation of the program to help improve its quality. The evaluation team used both goal-based and goal-free, needs-based evaluation approaches, and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data. This included survey data from past weekly sessions, Facebook alumni group communications, and group interviews and surveys with participants, graduates, volunteers, and staff. The triangulated data indicated that program participants were highly satisfied with the program and felt the program helped improve their protective factors. The data also revealed the parents’ perceptions regarding program incentives as well as their preference for learning in socialized contexts. Based on the formative evaluation results and considering the participants’ perceptions and experiences, the program amended their curriculum and incentive plans to better accommodate the participants’ needs