No abstract

Evaluation is currently receiving significant attention in the not-for-profit sector in Australia as a changing external environment augments its role in human service organisations. These bodies typically make use of three models to carry out evaluation activities to meet funding and organisational requirements: the use of external evaluators to carry out specific projects; creating internal evaluation functions to manage evaluation needs independently; or a combination of the two. This article outlines the characteristics of an internal evaluation culture in the context of a learning organisation, and describes the increasingly common approach of evaluation capacity building. In conclusion, the relevance of utilising an organisational change process to create sustainable and valued cultural change is discussed.

While there is an abundance of literature on evaluation use, there has been little discussion regarding internal evaluators’ role in promoting evaluation use. Evaluation can be undervalued if context is not taken into consideration. Evalua­tion literacy is needed to make evaluation more appropriate, understandable, and accessible, particularly in non-government organizations (NGOs) where there is a growing focus on demonstrable outcomes. Evaluation literacy refers to an individ­ual’s understanding and knowledge of evaluation and is an essential component of embedding evaluation into organizational culture. In recognition of the value of the internal perspective, a small exploratory exercise was undertaken to reveal internal evaluator roles and ways of engaging with colleagues around evaluation. Th e exercise examined a key question: What is the role of evaluation literacy in internal evalua­tion in the non-government sector? Three Australian auto-narrative examples from internal evaluators highlight evaluation literacy and locate it among the multiplicity of roles required for optimal evaluation uptake. Analysis of the narratives revealed the underlying issues affecting evaluation use in NGOs and the skills needed to motivate and enable others to access, understand, and use evaluation information. Responding to the call for expanded research into internal evaluation from a practice perspective, the authors hope that the findings will stimulate a wider conversation and further advance understanding of evaluation literacy.

Australia has one of the largest multicultural populations in the world, with cultural and linguistic diversity (CALD) a defining feature. CALD populations have unique identities and experiences of mental health and suicide, with multicultural differences, trauma and experiences of discrimination and stigma pertinent to effective suicide prevention approaches. Very little is known however about suicide and suicidality among this population in Australia. This systematic review explored literature on suicidality and suicide prevention in CALD communities as a means of informing suicide prevention research, policy and practice in the Australian context. Five electronic databases (Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, Emcare, and CINAHL) were searched. Studies were included if they examined factors associated with suicidality or described suicide prevention initiatives in CALD populations, and were conducted in OECD countries. Study quality was assessed using the CASP qualitative checklist for qualitative studies and the Quality Assessment Tool for quantitative studies. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes in the included studies. Eighteen studies met the criteria for inclusion, including ten qualitative and eight quantitative studies. No Australian studies were identified. Key themes included acculturation difficulties, stigma, the influence of social networks and family, heterogeneity of CALD populations, and suggested prevention strategies. The review found no Australian studies looking at suicidality or suicide prevention in CALD communities. It highlights the need for a greater focus across policy, research and evaluation on suicide prevention in Australian CALD communities.

Early learning services and schools provide unique settings for mental health promotion and early intervention due to the potential for population-level dosage and reach in terms of reducing multiple risk factors and enabling protective factors among young people. Educators play a key role in supporting children and young people’s experiences of, and access to mental health promotion opportunities, and hold unparalleled opportunity in terms of creating mental health–promoting learning environments. In 2018, the Australian National Mental Health in Education Initiative, Be You, was launched. Be You is a multi-million-dollar Australian government–supported initiative, freely available to all 24,000 early learning services, primary and secondary schools throughout Australia. The potential for subsequent population reach is proposed to potentially exceed that of any mental health promotion initiative for children and young people previously observed in Australia. Be You aims to foster mentally healthy learning communities across Australia through building capacity among educators to embed mental health promotion strategies. The Initiative was developed based on a review and integration of previous national mental health promotion frameworks, with an overall alignment to existing state and territory education, social and emotional well-being frameworks, and the Australian Curriculum. In delivering facilitated support from specialised consultants to early learning services and schools participating in the initiative, Be You draws on professional learning principles designed to build capacity in educators and educational systems relating to mental health promotion. It uses an updated, multi-module online platform providing interactive, evidence-based resources. This paper presents the Be You framework, describes the evidence sources used to inform the underlying principles and objectives, discusses the specific components that form the initiative, details the professional learning modules and content, and discusses potential implications for population mental health and prevention efforts.