Evaluation of the international population communication and training project of the Community and Family Study Center of the University of Chicago

Special evaluation covers the period 9/77-10/81 and is based on document review, questionnaires administered to to participants in CFSC workshops, field interviews, and site visits. The CFSC has conducted 14 in-country and regional workshops for 650 trainees from 60 countries and has provided country-specific technical assistance to 10 countries, with special attention to the needs of Guatemala and Egypt. Country-specific assistance should continue to be provided selectively and on a needs basis. Due to limited CFSC staff and other commitments, the goal of providing population communications training to the staff of 8-10 LDC universities has not been met; only 8 students were recruited from four universities, none of which has developed a strong population communications training program. Future efforts in this areas should focus on residency programs for senior personnel from African countries most concerned about population issues. The CFSC has not met many of its own publication goals; many promised items have not yet appeared and the existing backlog probably cannot be eliminated before the current grant extension expires. It is recommended that the CFSC complete as many 1982 publications as possible, with priority given to completing the Media Monograph Series, especially in Spanish and French, and to updating the textbook for field workers. The Documentation Service has been of little use and should be included in the Population Information Program's computerized POPLINE service. The CFSC Field Support Service is not yet fully operative. The CFSC has maintained contact with many key local population communications agencies, but has not kept a record nor issued reports on their activities. A conference to promote cooperation between such entities has been held and a second is planned for 1982, but activities of this kind seem relatively unproductive and should be excluded from future population communications projects. The CFSC has conducted 19 summer workshops on the Chicago campus for over 1,400 trainees from more than 80 countries and will soon have admitted 50 students to graduate degree programs. Future project emphasis should focus on training, technical assistance, and publishing activities.