Changing Policy and Practice through Evaluation in Community Care Where have we come from and what are the challenges? Eliza Pross

Overview Broad history of NGO evaluation Evaluation drivers for NGOs Some of the challenges

CCNB Provides community care services across 11 LGAs of Northern Sydney Has experienced significant growth (funding, projects, staff) Secular, no higher auspice, independent, not-for- profit NGO Relatively ‘new’ to formal evaluation and research

History of NGO Evaluation Our purpose/worth is defined by ‘the people’ We are owned and governed by ‘the people’ ‘We will do what we need to do to meet your needs’ How can we all work together Traditional NGO We are passionate about what we do What you think is important to us Together, we define our worth We need to be sustainable Who else does what we do? (where are we in ‘the market’) Emerging NGO ‘This is an opportunity for us’ ‘We offer economies of scale’ Consistency is the key Collaboration is good, but we must retain a competitive edge ‘The bigger we are, the more choice you have’ ‘Big is best’ NGO Traditional Values and Ethics TENSION Organisational Survival

Evaluation ‘Drivers’ for NGOs What is it, at any point in time, that ‘consumers’ want, how is this expressed? Being able to identify this, and deliver, is a key driver for any NGO undertaking evaluation Consumer Choice Political- what demands are being made, what’s ‘the flavour of the month’, where is the sector ‘headed’? Systemic/economic- how are we funded, how is performance measured, what are the operational/contractual requirements? Social- what is valued, who is defining value, what is the ultimate ‘lifestyle’ being strived for? Environmental Pressures Do we have the resources, do we have the skills, do we have the time, do we understand what we need to know? Organisational Capacity and Readiness

History of NGO Evaluation Who cares? Do we care? Who else cares? Why do they care? Where do we want to be? Can we improve? How does ‘best practice’ get defined? Why are we here? How do we prove our worth? Are we here for the right reasons? Traditional NGO ‘Big is best’ NGO Emerging NGO

Evaluation ‘Drivers’ for NGOs Consumer Choice Organisational Capacity and ‘readiness’ Environmental Pressures ‘ Epicentre’ of NGO evaluation ‘ Do it because we can’ evaluations ‘ Do it because we want to’ evaluations ‘ Do it because we need to’ evaluations

NGO Evaluation Drivers It’s our core business It’s what we care about It defines our worth It helps us ‘do better’ Because we want to Our funders need the information Our ‘core business’ may be at risk We have a responsibility to be evidence based Our funding depends on it Because we need to The data’s there The timing’s right It might be interesting Because we can Client surveys, service outcomes, focus groups, action research Performance evaluation, output measures, ‘efficiency’ evaluations, project model evaluations Demographic studies, needs and gap analysis, data mapping, staff surveys

Current examples of ‘drivers’ CONSUMER CHOICE Independence models Community care Choices and options Having ‘a voice’ Staying active Financial control ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES Competitive tendering Output based accountability Government reforms ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY Funding availability Auspicing arrangements Organisational culture

Some of the challenges We are often funded on outputs rather than outcomes Smaller organisations have less capacity to demonstrate ‘worth’ through rigorous evaluation Lack of objectivity in evaluation Competition distracts from ‘the greater good’ Lack of organisational skill/capacity/ interest in evaluation Consumer capacity and interest to participate in evaluation processes