Canberra Evaluation Forum

Overview

The Canberra Evaluation Forum (CEF) was established in 1990 through a Department of Finance initiative with aim of promoting better practice in program and project evaluation.

In the late 1990s the CEF became a not for profit, unincorporated networking Association whose members gather for the purposes of presenting and discussing issues of common interest concerning program and project evaluation. The Forum is an inter-agency network of Commonwealth and ACT Government departments and agencies and some private sector companies interested in evaluation and performance management issues in the public sector.

Evaluation is an internationally recognised approach to public sector performance measurement. Indeed, Australia is seen by many countries throughout the world as being at the leading edge of evaluation and performance management techniques. The CEF was recognised for its work in a World Bank document in 2004.

Changes to Australian Government requirements and form of evaluations, reinforce and confirm the need for managers at all levels to be accountable for performance and evaluation and achievement outcomes.

The CEF consists of:

its member organisations and a few individual members,
the Facilitation Group – a volunteer group of people drawn from member organisations – which provides direction, session development, a yearly program, planning and governance oversight, and arranges guest presenters for the Forum, and
an electronic mailing list of people of member organisations who have specifically registered to receive session information each month.

Charter

The Forum sessions are held on eight to ten occasions a year, usually on the third Thursday of each month between February and November.

The Facilitation Group is determined that the Forum remains relevant and contemporary. To achieve this, the yearly program pursues a topical theme and covers such subjects as:

Government policy about management reform, performance management and evaluation,
Techniques of performance management and evaluation, and
Case studies of evaluation and performance information from across Government and private organisations.

The Forum seeks input from interested groups to ensure the program reflects members and individual needs, and to inform our assessment of trends in new developments.

The Facilitation Group records its monthly meetings, and appoints a CEF Convenor, Deputy Convenor by consensus, and engages an external Secretary to manage administration.

The membership fees are set at a level to cover operating expenses, such as venue, administrative and secretariat costs. Secretariat and administrative support is currently provided under arrangements with the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) ACT Division.

Why should you be involved?

The Forum is a cost-effective means of professional and personal development for people:

currently involved to varying degrees in all aspects of evaluation and performance management in their organisation;
with an interest in the session topic, but who are not actually involved in managing performance of programs, nor are they directly involved in their evaluation;
involved in policy development and analysis;

The Forum represents very good value for money. A small membership fee per year provides a program of eight to ten professional development sessions. Participating Organisations, may nominate any number of people to attend any of the sessions subject only to limitations of the venue and this, at times, may result in registrations being closed earlier than scheduled. Typically, the attendance ranges from a low of 80 to a high of 160 people. Each session provides opportunities to meet and discuss aspects of performance management and evaluation with others.

The current membership fee of $660 per calendar year entitles any employees/people from the Organisation to attend. There is a provision for limited individual membership by arrangement with the CEF Secretary at a lesser cost. A list of member Organisations is available at Membership List. Details of Member application, pricing and forms can be found at Membership. All membership inquires should be directed to the CEF Secretary.
Each monthly session is advertised in a Flier distributed via email to people specially registered to receive session information. Bookings to attend the monthly sessions are essential to assist with planning and costs. Further information can be obtained from:

The Convenor of the CEF, Noel Sutton,
telephone (02) 6230 5660; email noel.sutton@couragepartners.com.au; or
The Secretary of the CEF, Ian Giles
telephone (02) 62413104; email gilesfam@grapevine.net.au.

To be listed on our mailing list for the monthly Flier, or pass on suggestions for improvement or new topics, please send your comments or ideas to the Secretary.