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Goals and Objectives
SECTION 3 OUTLINE
SETTING PROJECT GOALS
AND OBJECTIVES
Within this section we focus on defining the goals and objectives of the early childhood program that you want to put into place. Essentially this process requires bringing together three different sets of information: an assessment of children’s developmental status, a needs analysis of the context within which the project will be developed and implemented, and your organization’s mandate and funding criteria.
Goals and Objectives: A Definition
Goal: The result or achievement toward which effort is directed: an aim or end. In general we think of goals as being the long-term outcome that we would like to see.
Objective: Something that one’s efforts are intended to attain or accomplish; purpose or target. Objectives are more specific than goals, and it is assumed that objectives can be reached through a given initiative. Generally while projects have one major goal, they are likely to have a number of objectives.
·ECCD BRIEF LINK: Objectives and Indicators: Examples.
Define the Specific Population to be Served
The choice of beneficiaries is important for technical, logistical/organizational, and budgetary reasons. Unless you have a relatively clear idea of who is to be included, you cannot begin to be clear about the most appropriate models and methods to be considered, it is not possible to design a delivery system, and costs cannot be estimated or budgets developed.
Social Principles That Inform Goal Setting
• All children, without distinction of gender, race, language, religion or of any other kind, should have the opportunity to develop to their full potential.
·SIDE TRIP LINK: Going to Scale: Expansion vs. Association.
·LIBRARY LINK: R. G. Myers. 1984. Going to Scale.
·SIDE TRIP LINK: Targeting Particular Beneficiary Groups within the Proposed Early Childhood Development Project in the Philippines.
• Children, by reason of their physical and mental immaturity, need special safeguards and care.
·ECCD BRIEF LINK: Applying Basic Research.
• Children living in especially difficult circumstances need special consideration.
·LIBRARY LINK: J. L. Evans. 1997. Children as Zones of Peace: Working with Young Children Affected by Armed Violence.
• Parents and families (however defined)–men as well as women–have the primary responsibility for the upbringing, development, and education of their children.
• Governments should establish a policy environment that enables families and communities to fulfill their responsibilities in relation to childrearing and protection.
·LIBRARY LINK: J. L. Evans. 1995. Creating a Shared Vision: How Policy Affects Early Childhood Care and Development.
Child Variables
• Age groups that could be included in an ECCD project.
• Children’s developmental status.
Some Examples of Possible Goals and Objectives
Some examples are presented of the kinds of goals and objectives for children of different ages, within a high risk setting and within a more moderate risk setting. Also included in the examples is a listing of possible ECCD interventions that could be employed to help meet the goals and objectives.
Example 1: A high-risk setting
Example 2: A moderate-risk setting
·ECCD BRIEF LINK: Examples of Possible Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Indicators in ECCD.
Reflections on Setting Project Goals and Objectives
Once the project gets underway it may be necessary to change objectives and/or the strategies designed to achieve the objectives. There may well be conditions external to the project that will affect whether it will function as planned. These may or may not have been taken into consideration when the project was planned.
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