1018 - An Evaluation Journey: Seven Stops to a more transformative, equitable, and harm reduction evaluation process

Abstract Information: Have you been trying to figure out the best ways to build trusting, equitable relationships in evaluation with diverse communities and foster an inclusive environment where all voices are valued? Have you felt your approaches to evaluation have gone under-recognized or under-valued? So, which approach should you use and when? Anti-oppression and Decolonizing Evaluation; Collaborative or Participatory Evaluation; Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation; Culturally Responsive and Racially Equitable Evaluation; Equitable Evaluation: Feminist Evaluation; Gender Responsive Evaluation; Indigenous Evaluation; Transformative Evaluation; Trauma-Sensitive Evaluation; Systems Thinking and Evaluation; or Youth-Focused Evaluation. “[Long-standing] structural and systemic racism and oppression of marginalized communities cause significant barriers to establishing and implementing research and evaluation in partnership with diverse communities. The [disregard] of diverse communities’ values and beliefs at social, cultural, religious, and spiritual levels, for example, inhibits the building of these partnerships. [This] and other experiences with racism, bias, and or exploitation contribute to the communities’ mistrust, especially if historically they have actually been harmed or have not equitably benefited from their participation in research/evaluation studies.” (Adedoyin, A. C., et al., (2024). Culturally responsive and Equitable Evaluation: Visions and voices of emerging scholars. Cognella Academic Publishing, p. xix) Whether you are a beginner, an expert, or anywhere in between, this workshop offers a dynamic and practical look at the core concepts that will help you to engage in a more transformative, equitable, and harm-reduction evaluation process. Together, we will explore where these approaches intersect throughout an evaluation process and the vital lessons and practices that can be applied to inform ourselves, our teams, and our efforts at each stage. Jude and Julie will share information and engage colleagues using an interactive presentation, digital and analog polling to capture group experiences and consensus, group conversations, and hands-on individual and small group activities. They will begin the workshop with a brief overview of the diverse (aforementioned) approaches to evaluation and their intersecting values and practices. Next, they will present their uniquely designed “Evaluation Journey” with thought-provoking questions that will inspire a more transformative, equitable, and harm-reduction process at each of its seven stops: (1) Preliminary Understanding of Project Needs, (2) Defining and Contextualizing the Evaluation Project, (3) Collaboratively Planning, (4) Gathering Information, (5) Making Meaning of the Information Gathered, (6) Taking Action, and (7) Post Evaluation Project Reflections and Assessment. Jude and Julie will then guide colleagues in individual and small group hands-on activities to explore two of the seven stops: (2) Defining and Contextualizing the Evaluation Project and (5) Making Meaning of the Information Gathered. The exercises are designed to help colleagues: consider and reflect on how the selected phases should respond to and engage diverse people, communities, and contexts equitably and without causing harm; and identify and recruit the experiences, expertise, and skills necessary to realize this. Colleagues will leave the workshop with user-friendly materials for practical application of the “Evaluation Journey” and a list of resources from emerging and underrepresented voices to support their equity and harm-reduction approach to evaluation across all stops.

Relevance Statement: Numerous approaches and lenses support evaluators as we seek to enhance diversity, sustainability, and the evolution of evaluation, with more emerging as our understanding grows. Well-intentioned, thoughtful evaluators at all levels continue to explore ways to improve our practices. “[Long-standing] structural and systemic racism and oppression of marginalized communities cause significant barriers to establishing and implementing research and evaluation in partnership with diverse communities. The [disregard] of diverse communities’ values and beliefs at social, cultural, religious, and spiritual levels, for example, inhibits the building of these partnerships. [This] and other experiences with racism, bias, and or exploitation contribute to the communities’ mistrust, especially if historically they have actually been harmed or have not equitably benefited from their participation in research/evaluation studies.” (Adedoyin, A. C., et al., (2024). Culturally responsive and Equitable Evaluation: Visions and voices of emerging scholars. Cognella Academic Publishing, p. xix) Our experiences with previous AEA workshops or trainings led by AEA members deeply influence this work. We were particularly influenced by the workshops on culturally responsive and racially equitable evaluation (CRRE), community consulting in evaluation, trauma-informed evaluation, transformative evaluation, and feminist evaluation. We observed each approach’s unique contributions to the field and how they fit together to foster a more inclusive environment where all voices are heard. This work is also the result of the ongoing conversations and long-standing collaboration between Jude and Julie on conducting more transformative, equitable, and less harmful evaluations. As we reflect on these critical contributions to the field - Anti-oppression and Decolonizing Evaluation; Collaborative or Participatory Evaluation; Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation; Culturally Responsive and Racially Equitable Evaluation; Equitable Evaluation: Feminist Evaluation; Gender Responsive Evaluation; Indigenous Evaluation; Transformative Evaluation; Trauma-Sensitive Evaluation; Systems Thinking and Evaluation; and Youth-Focused Evaluation - we have designed a user-friendly “Evaluation Journey” that will support evaluators to develop more transformative, equitable, and harm-reduction evaluation processes. We have distilled the core commonalities across these approaches and lenses to guide colleagues along an evaluation process journey with seven distinct stops, from pre-process considerations to doing the work and post-process reviews. Throughout this “Evaluation Journey,” we recognize our privilege in the current power dynamics and seek to inspire others to consider ways to elevate historically underrepresented voices and fresh perspectives in the evaluation. For example, we highlight the integration of lived experience consultants at each of the 7 stops throughout the entire evaluation process, recognizing the importance of different types of expertise and equally valuing the know-how of all team members. We also carefully consider the impacts of the work on the evaluation team members and the importance of developing processes to foster a supportive team where all team members feel safe and grounded within the team and their work.