Ethically and Culturally Sensitive Evaluation Plans

Ethical and Legal Issues:

Though there are processes in place, it can easily veer off course in regards to violating ethics and the law. The ACA Code of Ethics (2014) is based on the principles created to provide counselors parameters in dealing with their counseling work as well protecting those who they are trying to serve and abide ethical soundness and legal obligation. Contained in the Code of Ethics, counselors are expected to gain the information needed without causing detriment to those who participate or volunteer and be productive as well. Competence is based on knowing what how well you know your skills and how you utilize them. In dealing with the public, professionals should be respectful to those they are trying to serve, honest and accurate with the information that is being shared and competent in their abilities (ACA Code of Ethics, 2014 & AEA Guiding Principles for Evaluators, 2004). In working with a program dealing with grief, the evaluator should take in consideration the clientele that is participating the program. The people who seek our grief services come because they are need and in doing so, the information that is provided to the community it serves should be information that is truthful and founded. If the program is not working it should not be falsified just to be more appealing.  Evaluators should be capable of doing evaluation effectively and have the qualifications to fulfill the task (AEA Guiding Principles for Evaluators, 2004). ACA Code of Ethics (2014) also maintains that professionals should not go beyond their capable and qualified limits. In evaluation of the grief program, in order to fully understand grief and what should be provided, the evaluator should be knowledgeable about how grief effects people and how to find resolution. Understanding this will help the evaluator know if the program can actually provide the service that it portrays it does as well as knowing what may be lacking. The participates in the program have a voice and the evaluator should take the time to investigate the allegations or concerns that may have arose. Evaluators should make the effort to learn the pros and cons that clients have find with in the program (AEA Guiding Principles for Evaluators, 2004). Each side should be explored with one side not having more weight than the other but as Royse, Thyer and Padgett (2016) maintains, sometimes the information that is supplied by clientele may not be the most truthful and caution should be warranted. In essence, a person who may be going through grief in the program could have other issues that may affect their judgement or perception.

Cultural Sensitivity:

Each person handles their grief differently. This can vary greatly when seen from a cultural aspect. Some cultures take withdraw within their group and relate only to family and loved ones while others suffer in silence and withdraw within themselves.  Bonanno, Papa and O’Neill (2202) felt that when going through bereavement, how a person manages this situation can offer insight into their overall lifestyle. Knowing and learning about a culture or community that partakes into grief counseling can make a large difference in the success or improvement in the program. Even though some expectation of the participants may not or cannot be met by the program itself, respecting the individual and who they are, where they come from and their experiences should be given.  Client’s define their issues stemming from their cultural aspects (ACA Code of Ethics, section E.5.b., 2014). In managing the grief program, these things and more should be considered. For example, looking at what the person may be feeling grief over may not be the loss of a person but could the loss of a relationship, a job or a transition in life. Understanding what they good of the community to be served should begin the process of what the program can provide, improve or do without.

Data Needed:

To fully evaluate the program in regards to culture, the evaluator needs to have some sense of direction in where to begin. One thing that is needed is the age of the group involved whether facilitators or participants. This is important because there is a breakdown between the generations. Also, knowing the various cultures that are participants in the program. Culture does not mean just where someone come from or their ethnicity but the community in which a person resonates. Opinions and attitudes could pose conflict among the staff, the participant or both. Knowing the community around the location. There could people out there who are unaware of the services that could be provided, embarrassed coming forth or have prejudge what the services is about. Learn why there is an untapped population. Saltzman et al (2001) pointed out with the gang related violence, the exposure to the youth is consistently high even though the violence itself may have been seen to decrease. Youth may see that the program may not be for them and not seek the help and the assistance they need out prejudged notions but also the exposure itself could create other issues (Saltzman et al., 2001). Knowing that they are condition that could coincide with grief, brought on by the grief or escalated because the grief could be avenues the program may or may not be equipped handle. This information could bring a different perspective for the staff and be insightful to the evaluator as to how many of other issues could be present which could complicate the grief, the help needed, and the population participating and nonparticipating.

References:

American Counseling Association (2014) 2014 ACA code of ethics. Retrieved from http://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics-pdf.

American Evaluation Association. (2004). American Evaluation guiding principles for evaluators. Retrieved from http://www.eval.org/p/cm/ld/fid=51

Bonanno, G. A., Papa, A. & O’Neill (2002). Loss and human resilience. Applied & Preventive Psychology.10(1). 193-206.

Royse, D. Thayer, B.A., & Padgett, D. K. (2016). Program evaluation: An introduction to an evidence-based approach. (6^th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Saltzman, W. R., Pynoos, R. S., Layne, C. M., Steinberg, A. M., & Aisenberg, E. (2001). Trauma-and grief-focused intervention for adolescents exposed to community violence: Results of a school-based screening and group treatment protocol. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 5(4), 291.

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