Social Projects’ Management and Evaluation

Recommended Prerequisites

It’s advisable to take this course in the last year of the BA degree.

Teaching Methods

Teaching consists of a mixed strategy of providing a) a theoretical reflection on the roles and limitations of the main concepts and methodologies of project management and evaluation based on lecturer’s class presentations, debate and in-class practical exercises b) of practice-based learning through the applications of these methodologies in student’s autonomous work under lecturer’s supervision.

The learning/teaching process is organized around the formulation of a project proposal by groups of 4 students in cooperation with an organisation of the field of social intervention.

Learning Outcomes

Overall objectivesThis course intends to provide to the students the basic tools of the model of management by objectives (MBO) applied to social projects as well as promoting a planning and evaluation culture.Specific objectives- To facilitate the understanding and use of the rationality of project intervention- To familiarize students with the stages of the project and its instruments- Promote awareness of some of the most relevant approaches to management by objectives in social intervention projects- Raising awareness of the importance of partnerships and the dimensions of partnership management.Generic competencies- Reflexive and knowledge application competencies- Communication and teamwork competencies- Creativity, autonomy and leadershipSpecific competencies- Ability to know the advantages and limitations of management by objectives- Ability to use different methodologies appropriate to management by objectives- Ability to reflect on social intervention through projects.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

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1) The rationality of social intervention through projects;

- Definition, history and current relevance

- Social policies and programs

- Social and sociological problems

- Social change and participation

2) Social diagnosis;

- Social information systems

- Phases of diagnosis

- The stakeholders

- The tools of the diagnosis

- Prospective analysis

3) Planning of social intervention;

- The planning logic

- Project Participatory Methodology

- Applied Method of Planning and Evaluation

- Planning Techniques

- Objectives and targets

- Effects and impacts

4) The management of projects and partnerships;

- Core issues in project management

- Shared management

- The relevance of institutional partnerships

- The phases of partnerships

- The shared coordination of intervention

5) Evaluation of social projects

- Types of evaluation

- Evaluation Methodology

- Criteria and Indicators

- Analysis of results

Head Lecturer(s)

Virgínia do Carmo Ferreira

Assessment Methods

Continuous Assessment
In-class individual presentation of one part of the ongoing project proposal : 10.0%
Written individual test : 30.0%
Written assignment by a group of 4 students consisting on a project proposalroposta de projeto : 60.0%

Final Assessment
Exam: 100.0%

Bibliography

1. ANDER-EGG, Ezequiel, Maria José Aguilar Idáñez – Como elaborar um projecto – Guia para desenhar projectos sociais e culturais, (16ª ed.), Lisboa,1999
2. ANDERSON, Andrea A.– The Community Builder’s Approach to the Theory of Change - A Practical Guide to Theory Development, The Aspen Institute, s/d
3. COHEN, Ernesto; Rolando FRANCO – Avaliação de Projetos Sociais. 8ª ed.,, Editora Vozes, 2008
4. GUERRA, Isabel – Fundamentos e processos de uma sociologia de acção: o planeamento em ciências sociais. Principia, 2002
5. GUERRA, Isabel – Participação e Acção Colectiva, Principia, 2006
6. HODGSON, Damian; Svetlana Cicmil (org.) – Making Projects Critical. Palgrave Macmillan, 2006
7. Martín, Francisco A., Metodología de la evaluación de programas, Madrid, Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas, 3.ª ed., 2002.
8. Método Aplicado de Planeamento e Avaliação – Ulrich Schiefer et al.. Principia, 2006
9. SERRANO, Gloria Pérez – Elaboração de Projectos Sociais. Porto Editora, 2008