aes24 International Evaluation Conference

Authors: Samiha Barkat (Launch Housing) Edgar Daly (Launch Housing)

Embedded evaluation roles challenge conventional boundaries between evaluator, commissioner, strategist, advocate, program manager and critical friend.

Three years into establishing an embedded impact and evaluation team at a large not-for-profit community service organisation, Samiha and Edgar share their insights on operating as internal evaluators to advance their organisation’s mission. They draw from their recent projects, including developing and implementing an award-winning impact measurement framework. Central to their learnings is the importance of valuing relationships with diverse stakeholders and maintaining an adaptive approach.

Their insights are particularly valuable for organisations seeking to enhance the effectiveness, cost-efficiency, and impact of their evaluation services, including internal evaluation teams, program managers, and executives from both non-government and government organisations.

Samiha and Edgar work for Launch Housing, a secular Melbourne-based community organisation that delivers homelessness services and life-changing housing supports to disadvantaged Victorians. Launch Housing employs over 400 staff and runs more than 50 programs aimed at ending homelessness in Melbourne.