EvaluAdd Buddying Program

What is EvaluAdd?

The EvaluAdd program aims to develop participants’ evaluation skills and capabilities by pairing “buddies” with “EvaluAdders”. The pairs are matched on the preferences of buddies (e.g. gender; geographic location; experience; work setting; policy area) and the background and experience of the EvaluAdders. It is a light-touch program in which the buddying pairs meet informally according to their own schedule.

How It Works
AES members who wish to participate as buddies submit EOIs outlining why they would like to join and their EvaluAdder preferences (e.g. gender; geographic location; experience; work setting; policy area). AES members who wish to participate as EvaluAdders submit EOIs outlining their experience and what they can offer their buddies. The EOIs are then reviewed by a panel to make provisional matches which are then checked with the prospective buddies and EvaluAdders before finalising. Once matched, the time commitment is set by each pair but, as a guide, will involve one or two meetings a month.

If you’re wondering about being an EvaluAdder, take a look at the below key interests buddies have identified and consider whether you can support someone learning about any of these! You don’t have to be an expert in everything!
Themes and topics of interest for buddies

Presenting findings: writing for evaluation, tailoring for different audiences, and making findings accessible, and visualising findings | Evaluations for systems change
| Place based evaluations | Updating MEL Frameworks | Developing theories of change, indicators, program logics | Embedding a culture of evaluation in an organisation
| Interpreting and synthesising data | Stakeholder engagement | Theoretical foundations of evaluation | Learning about different methods and how to select appropriate ones for the context | Culturally responsive, safe and participatory evaluation | Values based evaluation | Planning for an evaluation and understanding contextual factors
| Ethical use of AI in evaluation | Value for money approaches | Impact measurement | Quantitative analysis | CBAs/economic approaches | Leadership opportunities First Nations context | Business of evaluation/tendering | Facilitating interviews/focus groups/sensemaking workshops | Facilitation tools | Causal pathways | Realist evaluation | 

Key dates

Check out more about the program, timings and find the EOI forms here.

You can also read about an EvaluAdder and buddy experience on the AES blog.