aes24 International Evaluation Conference

Authors: Penny Baldock (Department of Human Services South Australia ),Jessie Sleep (Far West Community Partnerships, AU)

The multi-jurisdictional South Australian Safety and Wellbeing Taskforce is the lead mechanism, and the accountable body to develop strategies and sustainable, place-based responses that ensure the safety and wellbeing of remote Aboriginal Visitors in Adelaide and other regional centres in the State.

This presentation discusses the challenges of establishing an evaluative learning strategy for the Taskforce that meets the needs of multiple government agencies and stakeholders, multiple regional and remote communities, and multiple nation groups.

In a complex system, this is a learning journey, requiring us to adapt together to seek new ways of understanding and working that truly honour the principles of data sovereignty, community self-determination, and shared decision-making.
As we begin to more truly centre communities as the locus of control, and consider the far- reaching reform that will be necessary to deliver on our commitments under Closing the Gap, this presentation provides an important reflection on the skills, knowledge and expertise that will be required to build evaluation systems and processes that support change.

One of the most exciting developments to date has been the establishment of a multi-agency data sharing agreement, which will enable government data to be shared with Far West Community Partnerships, a community change organisation based in Ceduna, and combined with their community owned data in order to drive and inform the Far West Change Agenda.

We present the story of our journey so far, our successes, our failures, and extend an invitation to be part of the ongoing conversation. to support the change required for evaluation success.