Update
from the Western Region TOSC and TAB Programs
June 2002
Hello from the Western Region TOSC and TAB programs!
This message is an update to help keep you informed about news and activities of our programs. In this email, we highlight our participation in the upcoming "US EPA Community Involvement Conference and Training" June 25 - 28. The conference will be held in Portland, OR and we hope to see many of you there and welcome you to our home state!
Our Center will present a workshop called, "On-the-Fly Evaluation: How Do You Know When You're Doing a Good Job in Enough Time to Make a Difference?". Denise Lach, co-director of the Western Region TOSC/TAB program, and Lisa Gaines, Oregon State graduate student in Environmental Science, will lead the 90-minute session.
Below, Denise and Lisa describe their presentation:
"In our work with communities, we rarely take the time to assess how successful or effective our activities have been. There are many reasons for this: our projects are complicated and long-term; we deal with many different people on multiple issues; and it seems like we may not have control over many important factors. One of the greatest challenges in community involvement and outreach programs is consistently determining whether we're doing a good job in a timely enough fashion to make a positive difference.
Photo of Denise Lach and Lisa Gaines.
The purpose of this 90-minute skill development session is to provide participants with the basic skills needed to develop on-the-fly evaluation strategies that can be used to improve interactions with communities. In a series of interactive exercises, participants will (1) learn how to turn project goals into metrics, (2) practice intentional information collection, and (3) explore methods for implementing on-the-fly evaluations."
Technical Outreach Services for Communities (TOSC) and Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities (TAB) are both outreach programs funded by grants from the US EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. We provide free, non-advocacy assistance to communities who are affected by hazardous waste sites or hoping to redevelop brownfields. Through periodic email updates, we hope enhance communication with our collegues in the Western Region. For more information visit: http://tosc.orst.edu/ or call 800-653-6110.