Workshop: Introduction to Evaluating Place-based Approaches: Foundations for Emerging Evaluators      

Date and time: Thursday 25 March 2027, 10.00am - 1.00pm AEDT (registration from 9.45am). Half day workshop - 1 session

Venue: Via Zoom. Details will be emailed to registrants just prior to the workshop start time

Facilitator: Froukje Jongsma

Register online by: 24 March 2027, unless sold out prior. Spaces limited to 25 participants

Fees (GST inclusive): Members $268.00, AES Organisational member staff $395.00, Non-members $440.00, Student member $149.00, Student non-member $205.00* (GST inclusive) * Students must send proof of their full-time student status to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Workshop Overview

Place-based approaches are increasingly used to address complex social, cultural, economic, and environmental challenges. Because these initiatives are shaped by local context, relationships, governance, and community priorities, they require evaluators to work differently from more traditional program settings. This creates a growing need for evaluators who can confidently navigate complexity, emergence, and multi-stakeholder environments.

This introductory workshop offers a practical and accessible starting point for evaluators who want to build their capability in place-based evaluation. Through core concepts, key evaluation considerations, and real-world examples, participants will develop greater confidence in how to evaluate adaptive, locally driven initiatives. The session is designed to equip learners with useful frameworks, practical tools, and a stronger foundation for working in ways that honour context, relationships, complexity, and community priorities.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Explain what place‑based approaches are and why they require different evaluation methods.
2. Identify strategies for overcoming the challenges of evaluating place-based approaches
3. Describe key steps and principles for evaluation design
4. Explore foundational tools such as journey mapping, impact logging, rubrics (progress mapping), Most Significant Learning, and reflection workshop.

The session is interactive and includes small‑group exercises, short case activities, and practical tools that participants can begin using immediately. We'll utilise collaborative templates and/or live digital whiteboards, to embed engagement, consistent with AES interactive learning expectations.

Workshop Content

Participants will learn what defines a place‑based approach, how it differs from standard programmatic models, and why evaluation requires an adaptive, systems‑aware approach. The workshop explores key definitions and foundations, principles for evaluating place-based approaches and community-led change and spotlights the different evaluation phases and tools. Drawing on Clear Horizon’s extensive experience in place-based evaluation, the session incorporates real examples from work with communities, cross-sector partnerships, and government.

The workshop provides evaluators with foundational techniques for evaluating place‑based initiatives, including:

• theory-based approaches for evaluating place-based and community-led change
• outlines the principles and steps for evaluation of these initiatives
• using mixed methods suited to complexity and emergence
• working respectfully and ethically with communities
• embedding shared learning and reflection into ongoing implementation

PL competencies

This workshop aligns with competencies in the AES Evaluator’s Professional Learning Competency Framework. The identified domains are:

• Domain 2 – Evaluation theory

• Domain 3 – Culture, stakeholders and context

• Domain 4 – Research methods and systematic inquiry

• Domain 7 – Evaluation Activities

Who should attend?

Foundational - Designed for evaluators who are new to, or early in, place-based work. Basic evaluation knowledge and practice is assumed.

Workshop start times

• VIC, NSW, ACT, TAS: 10.00am

• QLD: 9.00am

• SA: 9.30am

• NT: 8.30am

• WA: 7.00am

• New Zealand: 12.00pm

For other time zones please go to https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

About the facilitator

Froukje Jongsma is a Principal Consultant at Clear Horizon and a specialist in community‑led, place‑based, and systems change evaluation. She has played a significant role in major place‑based and collective impact initiatives across Australia, partnering with First Nations communities, government agencies, backbone organisations, and community-led collaborations. Her expertise spans theory of change development, systems evaluation, developmental evaluation, participatory methods, and collaborative learning systems.

With more than fifteen years’ experience in social impact—five of which were dedicated to leading place‑based systems change—Froukje brings deep practical knowledge and a strong commitment to learning‑driven practice. She is particularly passionate about facilitating accessible and empowering measurement, evaluation, and learning (MEL) design, delivery, and capability building. A highlight of her career has been co‑leading the Connected Beginnings initiative in Galiwin’ku alongside Yolŋu leaders. Froukje holds a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact and a Master’s in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology.