Miguel A. Chion, MD, MPH, Research and Evaluation Core, AIDS Project Los Angeles, 611 S. Kingsley Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90005, (213) 201-1605, mchion@apla.org, Angel Fabian, Clinica Romero Community Center, Clinica Monseñor Oscar A. Romero, 318 South Alvarado St., Los Angeles, CA 90057, and Matt G. Mutchler, PhD, Education, AIDS Project Los Angeles: The David Geffen Center, 611 S. Kingsley Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90005.

Formative and program evaluation is increasingly important in HIV/AIDS prevention and service programs. The research and evaluation core at AIDS Project Los Angeles (REC-APLA) provides consulting services to other CBOs in order to help them build their evaluation capacity. REC-APLA consults with 14 different agency programs. Through this work, REC-APLA has developed a model for participatory evaluation collaboration. This session will provide one such example of the use of this model.

REC-APLA consulted with Clínica Romero Community Center (CRCC) in order to implement an HIV testing needs assessment of the Latino community in the Pico-Union area in Los Angeles. The evaluation plan included CRCC’s participation during the planning process setting up goals and objectives. The staff participated in the selection of domains and questions for the evaluation tools. The evaluator trained program staff and volunteers were trained to interview people and to conduct focus groups. The training session covered formative evaluation, survey design, question selection, and data collection techniques. Key components of the training included participation and motivation, role-playing activities, and participant suggestions. The training was provided in Spanish. The evaluation partnership involved ongoing collaboration throughout the consultation process.

This model helped to increase CRCC’s capacity to conduct surveys and focus groups, improve the evaluation tools, collect data, and support CRCC evaluation activities. Furthermore, this model helped to contribute to a better understanding of CRCC evaluation needs on the part of agency staff. Lessons learned will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

1)To learn about the importance of building evaluation capacity for CBOs.
• To gain an understanding of the Research and Evaluation Core at AIDS Project Los Angeles (REC-APLA)model for participatory evaluation collaboration, including its benefits and challenges 3)To understand REC-APLA's participatory evaluation collaboration recommendations

Keywords: Evaluation, Participatory Action Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.