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Author: Brown, Marion × End date: 2004 × Start date: 2004 × Type: Masters Research thesis ×

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    Keep a bit of the country in the city: an evaluation of the Collingwood Children's Farm and its role in generating social capital
    Brown, Marion ( 2004)
    The Collingwood Children's Farm is an inner urban community-owned farm, approximately five kilometres from the City of Melbourne's Commercial Business District (CBD). The Farm offers a number of programs, to the local community and more broadly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate programs offered by the Farm and to determine whether the inclusion of an assessment of the key elements of social capital (norms of trust, norms of reciprocity and networks) would increase the relevance and usefulness of findings from the evaluation of social, community-based programs. Using a qualitative methods approach, four programs at the Farm - The Volunteer Program, the Young Farmers' Program, the Work Experience Program and the Community Gardeners' Program - were evaluated based on the perceptions of participants. Aspects of Appreciative Inquiry and Most Significant Change monitoring and evaluation approaches were also included in the study. Stratified purposeful and emergent sampling strategies were employed to select participants. Data were collected using semi-structured and individual interviews and analysed for common themes. Particular attention was paid to social capital which was targeted via specific interview questions. The evaluation revealed that the Farm is a successful, viable, community organisation with relevant, well-managed programs. It also has a positive impact on the lives of program participants, increasing their sense of confidence and self-worth. Most importantly the study affirmed the role of the Farm in building neighbourhood connections and community resilience. The study indicated that including specific questions on social capital in the interview guide did generate valuable information about networks, trust and reciprocity that otherwise would not have been made explicit; and that these questions are therefore worth including in any future evaluations of social development programs.