Why evaluation became central to prevention programs
Launch library · evergreen read
As prevention funding grew considerably over time, so did the expectation that programs demonstrate genuine impact rather than simply good intentions alone. This led evaluation to become an increasingly central and formalised part of how prevention programs are actually designed and funded across most jurisdictions.
Rigorous evaluation helps distinguish between programs that genuinely support community outcomes and those that, however well intentioned, may not be achieving their intended effect in practice. This distinction allows limited resources to be directed toward approaches with a considerably stronger evidence base behind them, rather than toward whatever seems most appealing on paper.
This emphasis on evaluation has also encouraged more careful program design from the very outset, since organisations increasingly build in clear objectives and measurement from the beginning. This is preferred over attempting to assess impact only after a program has already concluded and it is too late to adjust course in any meaningful way at all.