FAMILY UNITED PROGRAMME: AN EVALUATION OF FACILITATORS TRAINING IN MACAU

Purpose: Nowadays, an increasing concern is placed on parental education and family
support in Macau, and with this Family UNited programme training, it may provide
facilitators in Macau with a new insight in how to work with families and parents,
especially the low socioeconomic group in Macau. This study is to evaluate the training
programme and their pertinence and feasibility in Macau from perspective of the
facilitators enrolled.
Design/methodology/approach: This study was conducted with a formative
evaluation using multi-method data collection, including quantitative rating scales,
qualitative open-ended responses, and interview, designed to access the outcomes of
the Family UNited Programme facilitators training in Macau through evaluating the
impacts of programme on knowledge and practical competencies to run the programme
as a facilitator and to explore the subsequent implementation experiences of the
participants in this training programme addressing the feasibility and acceptance of the
Family UNited Programme.. Collection of data consists of three stages: pre-training
stage, post-training stage, and follow-up stage, and questionnaires and interview script
were data collection tools for this study.
Participants: 31 participants with completion in the Family UNited facilitators training
workshop were recruited in both pre-training and post-training stages of this study; 2
participants of which participated in the follow-up stage.
Findings: Participants found relevance in knowledge and skills achieved -
demonstrating statistical significance (p < 0.05) - and willing to implement the
programme. They consider the programme suitable for the Macau context, yet they
anticipated barriers on engaging parents and children within the local social and cultural
context. Participants tended to provide overly positive feedback, possibly due to social
desirability, which may obscure genuine concerns and frustrations, suggesting a need
for a more open and supportive environment, allowing facilitators to share their
challenges and doubts for better empowerment on their work.
Practical implications: Programme setting must be adjusted for increasing the
feasibility of the programme in Macau. Continuous professional development is
necessary for supporting facilitators facing real-world challenges. Collaboration among
stakeholders for development and implementation of the programme is crucial for
establishing an integrated support network for meeting the diverse needs of families.
Originality/value: The study provides insights about family intervention programmes
in local context, so this study promotes professional awareness on the importance of
family resilience and family intervention programmes for prevention and protection of
child development.