Step 2: Defining your Program’s Goal Statement
Rationale
The goal statement will help everyone focus on the ultimate objective of the program. Due to limitations in the scope of most programs (such as resources, geographic coverage, and time frame), a single program cannot achieve the goal by itself, but rather aims to contribute to the achievement of the goal. Therefore you will most likely not be held responsible for, or have to measure, the goal. You will transform the goal statement into specific, achievable and measurable program objectives in Step 4, and think through which activities can achieve your objectives in Step 5.
You will write a goal statement with 3 key elements: health or social problem you are addressing, change you aim for, and the population you are focusing on (key population).
If you have already done a needs assessment (Module 2) and a Theory of Change (Module 2) you should refer to these in writing your goal statement.
3 Key Elements:
1: Specify the Health or Social Problem to be Addressed
What health or social problem would you like to make better?
2: Change You Aim For
What you would like to accomplish.
3: Population You Are Focusing On (Key Population)
Specify which population you want to impact with your work.
Examples of Goal Statements:
Increase young men’s rejection of violence against girls and women in urban impoverished communities in a certain large city.
Reduce new HIV infections among sexual minorities in the southern districts of a certain city (in response to a new integrated program of de-stigmatization among health and outreach workers).
Reduce maternal mortality among women living in remote rural communities in the mountainous regions of a certain state.
Increase the ability of women to fulfill their reproductive rights by accessing free high quality abortion and family planning services in a large urban city of a certain country.
Envisioning New Goals
Thinking about goals in terms of a rights-based social justice perspective can help direct how you re-think or develop a program and its objectives and activities. See below for some examples of rights-based social justice goals.
Worksheet: Your Turn: Writing Clear Goals
Use this worksheet to write your goal statement.
Worksheet: Fill in the Goals Section on Your Causal Pathway
