-
FaHCSIA
(2009)
- Evaluation of the peak
body Family Relationship Services Australia as the single IRB for
the Family Relationship Services sector.
-
DEWHA
(2009)
-
Evaluation of the national Water Campaign as administered through
the International Council for Local Environment Initiatives.
-
DEWHA
(2008 – 2009)
-
Evaluation of the Cities for Climate Protection program, as
administered through the International Council for Local Environment
Initiatives.
-
FaHCSIA (2008)
-
Development of program logic and an evaluation framework for the
Cape York Welfare Reform Trials. This is an innovative series of
interventions covering education, housing, welfare and health which
designed to rebuild positive social norms in four aboriginal
communities to empower them to participate fully in Australian
society.
-
Institute of Public Administration Australia (2007 - present)
-
On behalf of IPAA, designed and currently delivering evaluation
training programs, comprising a set of five modules on aspects of
evaluation, for APS executives and managers. The programs have been
very well received and are run on a fortnightly basis. Similar
training programs have been delivered to special groups in federal
and state government agencies.
-
Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (2008)
- Provided advice and guidance to FAHCSIA on their draft Evaluation
Framework to support the whole-of-government approach to monitoring
and evaluation of the Petrol Sniffing Strategy.
-
NSW
Motor Accidents Authority (2008)
- Designed
and delivered a customised training workshop for MAA staff on how to
manage and conduct evaluations. The training examined evaluation
concepts and uses, and approaches and tools for planning,
conducting, reporting and managing an evaluation project, including
outsourced evaluations.
-
Commonwealth Ombudsman (2008)
- Designed and delivered an interactive training workshop (including
production of a facilitator training package) for Ombudsman staff on
approaches to support the conduct and management of external review
activities. The training was based on a combination of performance
audit and evaluation review methodologies. It overviewed key review
concepts and examined approaches and tools for planning, conducting,
reporting and managing a review project, including stakeholder
management and consultation.
-
Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (2007 -
2008)
- Conducted an extensive evaluation of the national
program ($2.7B) which provides support to carers of people with
mental or physical disabilities. The evaluation identified major
concerns with current systems and provided a new assessment
methodology to overcome current inadequacies.
-
Child
Support Agency (2007- 2008)
- Provided advice and
support to the Evaluation and Reporting Team to develop and
implement an evaluation capability across the organisation. Specific
tasks included advice and assistance on the development of a
bi-annual performance monitoring framework, the development of an
evaluation program, the design and conduct of scheduled evaluations,
and the writing of a major report.
-
Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (2007)
-
Courage conducted an evaluation of the National Illicit Drugs
Strategy for FaCSIA as part of the Strengthening Families measure.
The evaluation involves a literature review, consultation with
stakeholders and a report on findings from the evaluation to the
Department.
-
Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (2007)
- Managed and conducted a review of the focus and rigour of an
internally developed Evaluation Strategy to support an impact
evaluation of the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP
V). The outputs required from the review was a brief report which
addressed the adequacy of evaluation planning to date; suggestions
for improvement (including a rationale); and guidance to engage an
independent contractor to conduct elements of the evaluation.
-
Office
of the Official Secretary to the Governor General (2007)
-
Courage conducted a review of the planning, management and execution
of the Governor General’s program. This included business process
improvement, organisational review, and stakeholder consultation.
-
Department Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (2007)
-
Designed and delivered customised evaluation training workshops to
four groups of DAFF program/project managers.
-
Department of the Environment and Water Resources (2006-2007)
-
Courage conducted a review of the Environmental Protection Program
and Urban Priorities Program. This examined the way forward for the
Department as well as the efficiency, effectiveness and
appropriateness of the lapsing/terminating programs. The project
involved extensive stakeholder consultation as well as literature
review.
-
Department of the Environment and Heritage (2006)
-
Courage reviewed the Distinctively Australian Programme – a $52.1
million program to support the identification, assessment,
management and promotion of Australia’s nationally significant
cultural, historical and Indigenous heritage. The review entailed
desktop analysis, consultation with key stakeholders and preparation
of reports. The review was conducted in accordance with DoFA
requirements for lapsing/terminating programme reviews and was
submitted to DOFA in the 2006-07 budget context.
-
Australian National Audit Office (2006)
- Courage
designed and undertook an organisational review of the existing and
required technical support function and capability to support a
modern-day audit office. We also provided options on how the
required technical support capability can be obtained and
implemented. The review involved desktop research and structured
interviews with key stakeholders to identify better practice and
options for acquiring and implementing the desired capability.
-
Official Secretary to the Governor General (2006)
-
Courage conducted a review of certain functions and operations of
the Office of the Official Secretary to the Government General (The
Office). This involved an evaluation and organisation review of key
components of Government House and Admiralty House, with a view to
making recommendations for efficiency as well as ensuring the
functions of the Office meet the needs of the Governor General.
-
Department of Transport and Regional Services (2005-2006)
-
Courage conducted an evaluation for DOTARS of the Securing Our
Regional Skies Program at airports around Australia. This included
action research, survey design, conduct of longitudinal study, needs
assessment, evaluation of program effectiveness, and assessment of
program outcomes in terms of policy and procedures recommendations.
-
Centrelink/Medicare Australia Rollout (2005-2006)
-
Courage conducted an evaluation for Centrelink and the Medicare
Australia of a trial of a joint initiative to deliver Centrelink
family assistance services through Medicare offices nationwide.
This included the Identification and clarification of the objectives
of the initiative and the success criteria against which achievement
can be judged, collection of qualitative and quantitative data to
identify if processes are working, program implementation is on
track, development of a report and provision of advice on roll-out.
Research included interviews, conduct of three surveys to different
stakeholder groups, nationwide site visits, development of data
collection instruments, review of performance data and facilitation
of focus groups.
-
Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
(2004-2006)
-
Following on from the Evaluation of the Outside School Hours Care
Quality Assurance Training Project, Courage ran several workshops
bringing together a range of key stakeholders to discuss various
issues relating to the effectiveness of the Training Project and
areas for improvement. Following this activity, Courage was
requested to facilitate a series of four workshop sessions.
Attendees at these workshops included a range of stakeholders from
various child care and quality assurance organisations such as
training providers (NATMAA consortium and WADCD), NCAC and the
FaCSIA QA Child Care team.
-
Department of the Environment and Heritage (2005)
-
Design and conducted a review of the appropriateness, effectiveness
and efficiency of the Regional Natural Heritage Programme – a $10
million programme delivering assistance, mainly through NGOs, to
biodiversity conservation projects in the Asia-Pacific region. The
review entailed desktop analysis, consultation with key stakeholders
and preparation of a draft and final report. The review was
submitted to DOFA as a review of a terminating program in the
2006-06 budget context.
-
Department of the Environment and Heritage (2005)
-
Design and conducted a review of the appropriateness, effectiveness
and efficiency of the Regional Natural Heritage Programme – a $10
million programme delivering assistance, mainly through NGOs, to
biodiversity conservation projects in the Asia-Pacific region. The
review entailed desktop analysis, consultation with key stakeholders
and preparation of a draft and final report. The review was
submitted to DOFA as a review of a terminating program in the
2006-06 budget context.
-
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (2005)
- Courage conducted a Taking Stock and Setting Directions Project
with the Australian Olive Industry as part of a DAFF initiative
aimed at developing government partnerships with rural industries
under the Industry Partnerships Program (IPP). This project
involved conducting a situational analysis of the Australian Olive
Industry in order to identify the current status of the industry,
determine the key challenges facing the industry in the next 5-10
years, and develop a strategic direction to allow the industry to
best manage the challenges identified.
-
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (2005)
- Courage conducted a Taking Stock and Setting Directions Project
with the Australian Olive Industry as part of a DAFF initiative
aimed at developing government partnerships with rural industries
under the Industry Partnerships Program (IPP). This project
involved conducting a situational analysis of the Australian Olive
Industry in order to identify the current status of the industry,
determine the key challenges facing the industry in the next 5-10
years, and develop a strategic direction to allow the industry to
best manage the challenges identified.
-
Department of Family and Community Services (2004-2005)
-
Family Violence Regional Assistance Program in indigenous
communities - Courage designed and conducted an evaluation of a
large scale and geographically spread programme of assistance for
indigenous communities. The evaluation was undertaken following
transfer of the programme from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Services (ATSIS) to FaCSIA and required Courage to take account,
among other things, of concomitant major restructuring in the
Australian Government’s approach and management of Indigenous
Affairs.
-
Department Of Education and Training (2004)
- A Courage team developed
and documented Compliance Procedural Package for the Industry
Regulation and Compliance Unit. The Compliance Package was designed
to guide staff in the assessment of the compliance of registered
providers of courses for overseas students with their obligations
under the Education for Overseas Student Act 2000 and the National
Code. Key tasks involved the provision of advice on audit procedures
and techniques and participation in client/service provider
workshops as inputs to the development of a documented Compliance
Procedural Package.
-
Centrelink (2004)
- Designed, managed and
conducted a formative evaluation of the implementation of a key
organisational group - the Service Integration Shop - within
Centrelink. The evaluation was designed to inform the
implementation of new structural and functional arrangements by
identifying risks, concerns and opportunities for business
improvement. The evaluation involved the conduct of a series of
interviews and focus groups with senior management and staff and
interim reporting on key issues to ensure their timely actioning.
-
Department of Family and Community Services (2004)
-
Courage designed and conducted an evaluation of the Outside School
Hours Care Quality Assurance (OSHCQA) Training Project. The purpose
of the evaluation was to assess the extent to which the OSHCQA
Training Project has been effective in preparing OSHC services
across Australia, including rural and remote areas to participate in
the QA process and to identify and future training and supports
needs to assist the sector with the introduction of QA. Research and
data gathering activities included surveys, face-to-face and phone
interviews and conduct of focus groups.
