An Evaluation of a Community-Based Therapeutic Recreation Special Event

Description/Abstract/Artist Statement

Three ODU students conducted a program evaluation for the Norfolk Therapeutic Recreation (TR) Center’s annual Halloween Party on October 25, 2019. This is a popular annual event hosted for clients of the Norfolk TR Center. The event consisted of activities such as water pong, ghost bowling, corn hole, target shooting, dancing, a haunted maze and food. Evaluators conducted face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 15 out of 17 of the participants at the event. The participants were asked to rate the activities on a scale that ranged from highly satisfied to highly unsatisfied. Evaluators also provided a visual scale using pumpkin faces with different emotions to assist participants in completing the questionnaire. Of the six activities, the food, dancing and haunted maze had the highest satisfaction ratings, and ghost bowling and water pong were the least satisfying for participants. In addition, participants were also asked three open-ended questions to summarize likes and dislikes from this year’s event, and suggestions for the future. The majority of the participants indicated that they had no suggestions for next year’s event; they thoroughly enjoyed the Halloween party and everything about it. Based on the results, evaluators suggest that the TR center continue the event and consider expanding the haunted maze activity in the future.

Presenting Author Name/s

Victoria Diaz

Faculty Advisor/Mentor

Lindsay Usher

Presentation Type

Poster

Disciplines

Recreational Therapy

Session Title

Poster Session

Location

Learning Commons, Atrium

Start Date

2-8-2020 8:00 AM

End Date

2-8-2020 12:30 PM

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Feb 8th, 8:00 AM Feb 8th, 12:30 PM

An Evaluation of a Community-Based Therapeutic Recreation Special Event

Learning Commons, Atrium

Three ODU students conducted a program evaluation for the Norfolk Therapeutic Recreation (TR) Center’s annual Halloween Party on October 25, 2019. This is a popular annual event hosted for clients of the Norfolk TR Center. The event consisted of activities such as water pong, ghost bowling, corn hole, target shooting, dancing, a haunted maze and food. Evaluators conducted face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 15 out of 17 of the participants at the event. The participants were asked to rate the activities on a scale that ranged from highly satisfied to highly unsatisfied. Evaluators also provided a visual scale using pumpkin faces with different emotions to assist participants in completing the questionnaire. Of the six activities, the food, dancing and haunted maze had the highest satisfaction ratings, and ghost bowling and water pong were the least satisfying for participants. In addition, participants were also asked three open-ended questions to summarize likes and dislikes from this year’s event, and suggestions for the future. The majority of the participants indicated that they had no suggestions for next year’s event; they thoroughly enjoyed the Halloween party and everything about it. Based on the results, evaluators suggest that the TR center continue the event and consider expanding the haunted maze activity in the future.