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.
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
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.