The overarching Commonwealth policy approach concerning Indigenous Australians is ‘closing the gap’ which intends to address inequality through specific policies and programs (and gains measured by indices such as improvements in life outcomes including life expectancy, education, housing and access appropriate services). This however, requires knowledge of what works. Understanding what works (or not) in program and policy is answered by evaluation. It is often assumed that what works in the general population works for Indigenous Australians. The literature identifies very few evaluations and highlights methodological limitations in our current Indigenous evaluation landscape: we therefore lack specific and methodologically appropriate evaluations for this population. A reform of Indigenous evaluation practice is currently occurring in order to better track the effectiveness and impact of publicly funded investments made in Indigenous social and health policy and programs.

As the focus of Indigenous evaluation practice shifts to centering Indigenous methodologies, decision making and participation, there is a need to establish evaluation methods appropriate to the population. Collective capability, as an Indigenist evaluation methodology is one approach that could become a standard practice in Australia. Currently, Indigenist evaluations are not common and often have not been addressed or theorised in Australia. Further, there are limited Indigenist evaluation frameworks and tools, developed by and for Indigenous Australians, that reflect collective capability. The primary aim of the proposed research is to develop a collective capability framework and critical assessment tool to privilege Indigenous approaches, knowledge and perspectives as standard evaluative practice in public health and social services. This will be done applying a multi methods approach, embedded in an Indigenist research methodology.

About Bobby

Bobby is an Aboriginal woman (Yamatji), her ancestral links are to the Kimberley, Pilbara and Noongar Nations. Bobby is a PhD candidate and Research Associate at the Research School of Population Health, Australian National University. Her PhD research has a focus on collective capability in evaluation practice in Australia, using Indigenist approaches.

Bobby has extensive experience working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and social policy, including the Australian Commonwealth Government Departments - Prime Minister and Cabinet (PMC) and Health (DoH), and the non-Government sector as a sexual health educator for Aboriginal youth and Aboriginal communities in WA for Sexual Health Quarters (formerly FPWA).

Bobby holds a Masters of Philosophy (Applied Epidemiology) and has completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Indigenous Australian Research) (Honours), Curtin University. She has experience in qualitative studies and community-based participatory research, including evaluation.