Mid-Term Evaluation, Provincial Capital of Potsdam (Germany)

Three years after adoption of sponsorship through Kubus gGmbH, the municipal council of Potsdam required a qualitative evaluation of the work of the recreational facility “Treffpunkt Freizeit”.

The facility is a place for multigenerational activities, addressing mainly children and their families, but also the youth, adults and elderly people.

As an external Evaluator, I accompanied the facility for one year with a qualitative evaluation, starting in February 2013. The main goal of the evaluation was the qualitative appraisal of the facility’s work, along with the detection of potential improvements related to internal procedures and management decisions.

For the analysis of activities, structures and processes of the organization, I chose a participative, interpretative and formative design. As data collection instruments, I applied questionnaires, focus group discussions with partner organizations and user networks, key informant interviews, meetings and discussions with the team and management, and a workshop (world café). The data analysis was then conducted according to previously determined criteria (relevance of offer, user structure and capacity, PR, mobilization and honorary commitment, partnership management, financial aspects).

Consequently, the focus of the evaluation was two-sided and analyzed both the activities implemented by TPF together with the related benefits for the users, and the internal procedures and organizational structures. Through a participatory process of self-reflection including team members, employees, users and partners of the facility, previous successes and problems, unused potential, as well as improved solutions could be discussed and identified.

Finally, precise statements relating to organizational processes and their impacts could be formulated and action points for improved steering and management decisions have been identified.

During the implementation of the evaluation, the actual organizational process has already been initiated through various stimuli, gained through the proactive process of self-reflection among the team members and employees of “Treffpunkt Freizeit”.

The results of the evaluation have been presented in front of a panel of representatives of the provincial capital of Potsdam. As a result, the municipal council has confirmed further funding of the facility’s work.