External Evaluation of the Community Based Rehabilitation Program (CBR) in Jarash Camp, Amman, Jordan

Om publikasjonen

Utført av:Samar Al Yassir
Bestilt av:Atlas Alliance
Område:Midtøsten, Jordan
Tema:Helse
Antall sider:0
Prosjektnummer:PAL-0028

NB! Publikasjonen er KUN tilgjengelig elektronisk og kan ikke bestilles på papir

Background

The Norwegian Association of Disabled (NAD), in partnership with Swedish diakonia, has since 1994 provided financial and technical support to local NGO partners that comprise the Rehabilitation Program (RP) in Palestine. The RP has developed into a broad-spectrum rehabilitation program with the aim of promoting social inclusion of children and adults with disability within Palestinian society. The Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program is the cornerstone of the RP and one of its six inter-related components. The CBR program has been part of a long-term strategy aimed at strengthening the rehabilitation sector in Palestine as a whole in order to address the needs of disabled people. Full community participation and the use of local resources are key aspects of the CBR program. Another of the six components is regional cooperation, which aims to share the RP's and the Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program's experiences with other community rehabilitation programs in the region. Under this component, NAD and diakonia have established a relationship with three Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon, providing support to their implementation of CBR projects. This external evaluation was commissioned in order to assess the CBR project implemented in one of these camps, Jarash Camp in Jordan. The study was carried out in December 2004.

Purpose/objective

The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the project, focusing on its internal and external factors during 2000-2004. The results of the evaluation are intended to aid future development of the CBR project in terms of its activities, training of human resources, referral mechanisms, mobilization and utilization of local resources, and sustainability.

Methodology

The evaluation employed qualitative and quantitative research techniques. These included data/document review, field visits, and interviews with beneficiaries, the rehabilitation team, project management, various officials from UNRWA, and community leaders.

Key findings

The evaluation concluded that the project has been effective in implementing the WHO CBR model in Jarash camp. In assessing the quality of program services, the study indicated acceptable standards in rehabilitation goal management and in the areas of communication and respect. However, weaknesses were noted in the transfer of skills to disabled people and their families, in the physical management of disabled persons and in the quality of records kept. Participatory planning is utilized and modest efforts at monitoring are in place.

The coverage rate of the program is estimated between 45-60% with a much higher coverage rate among females and children and for persons with motor disabilities (70%). Current project activities are highly relevant to the needs of disabled people in the area served. The project has the opportunity to become a resource center for other Palestinian refugee camps interested in implementing CBR programs. However, project activities need to be upgraded in order to achieve this.

Financial sustainability appears to be difficult without external outside financing.

Recommendations

Recommendations for the CBR project include the following:
- Develop the skills of the workers in the transfer of skills to disabled persons and their families, in the physical management of disabled individuals, in the quality of records kept.
- Implement further training and coaching in planning skills for workers and for the strategic planning committee.
- Develop the internal monitoring process through the development of a database.
- Upgrade activities/services and provide capacity building of staff in the areas of public education and awareness, and social integration and mainstreaming in education.
- Consider new project activities within specific suggested areas.
- Link the program with specialists and utilize experts to support and guide the work of the community workers.