Alcohol education programs aim to reduce potential harms by providing information, increasing knowledge and awareness, and changing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

Evaluation is first and foremost about program improvement. It offers a way to determine whether a program has delivered what it was intended to deliver, helps to identify how and why a program did or did not work, and can provide valuable information about the effectiveness of different approaches to alcohol education.  

Good evaluation can also answer other important questions: 

• Has the intervention worked? How well?
• Can the design and performance be improved?
• Is expenditure on implementation justifiable?
• Have lessons been taken on board for future programs?
• Can this intervention contribute to good practice?

The Evaluation section of this Guide provides an overview of what is involved in evaluating prevention programs by laying out the necessary steps and identifying available options and will help you to:

• Identify the type(s) of evaluation you need;
• Develop an evaluation plan;
• Prepare for data collection, analysis, and interpretation;
• Prepare and disseminate the findings of your program in a report.

The content for the Evaluation section is largely drawn from the IARD Toolkit, A Guide to Evaluating Prevention Programs.

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