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LET’S GET TOGETHER! HOW TO BUILD A GRASSROOTS EVALUATION

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

Presenters: Paul Bakker, Social Impact SquaredNatalya Kuziak, Industry CanadaDon Murray, Harry Cummings and Associates

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Agenda

• Review efforts of three local, volunteer-run evaluation communities of practice:– Ottawa’s Lunch and Learn for Evaluators

lunchandlearnottawa.lotic.ca– Toronto’s Evaluation Café

meetup.com/Evaluation-Cafe-Toronto/– Guelph’s Evaluation Network

guelphevaluation.ca

• Q & ALet's Get Together!

CES Conference June 17 , 2014

3Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17 , 2014

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Our Goal

1. Inspire others to start grassroots evaluation communities of practice

2. Provide lessons learned to help make those communities successful.

Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17 , 2014

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Commonalities

• Volunteer run• Free• Open to anyone interested in evaluation• Focus on providing knowledge sharing &

networking

Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17 , 2014

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HistoriesOttawa Toronto Guelph

Start Date 2007 July 2011 Nov. 2013Present Members

~380 ~210 ~50

Day of week Typically Tues.

Typically Wed. then Thurs.

Thurs.

Frequency Monthly Semi-monthly Semi-monthlyTypically Attendance

15-25 15-25 10-15

Affiliation Independent Independent from, but sponsored by CES-ON

Considering CES-ON sponsorship

Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17 , 2014

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Event Format

Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17 , 2014

Ottawa Toronto GuelphVenues Downtown

BoardroomsTypically Pubs, on subway line

Pubs

Timing Noon to 1:15 6:30 – 8:30pm 6:30 – 8:30pmStructure 45 min: intros

& presentation30 min: Q & A

Try to vary as much as possible

So far 1 hr facilitated/ interactive discussions & 1 hr networking

Topic Generation

Partly solicited; Partly members volunteer

Partly organizers; partly solicited

Survey to identify topics and presenters

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Organization/CoordinationOttawa Toronto Guelph

4 Coordinators: •Maintain website•Gmail account •Organize sessions•Promote/ Communicate through L&L website, email list, & word of mouth.•No outreach being done currently

Previously shared coordination.Presently 1 Organizer: •Maintains Meetup•Finds one-off Coordinators,•Promote/Communicate through Meetup emails, LinkedIn, CES-ON & CES

2-3 Coordinators:•Maintain website and Gmail account•Organize sessions•Promote/Communicate by word of mouth and email.•Enhanced with website, LinkedIn & CES-ON

Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17 , 2014

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FeedbackOttawa Toronto Guelph

Tools Use feedback forms at each session & collected 2 surveys

One members survey

Initial planning sessions, informal feedback and one member survey

What Members Want

• Free PD•Connecting with other evaluators•Networking•Exploratory topics. new techniques, trends •Apply events to CES credentialing•Webinars, video

•Losing interest in just networking sessions•Big name/org presenters/ facilitators •Session on new issues•Specific topics, but not too niche

•Blend of structure and informal•Interactive / brainstorming sessions•Interesting topics•Some want to apply events to CE PD hours

Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17 , 2014

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Evolving Our Communities of Practice

Issues we face include:• Retention of coordinators• Waitlists & growing demand• Space to accommodate demand• Making materials/recordings available

online• Increased costs/sponsorship• Credit towards CES credentialing

Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17 , 2014

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Q & A• What do you want to know about

starting up or maintaining a local evaluation community of practice?

• What are you looking for from an evaluation community of practice?

• What do you think would help our communities of practice improve and/or grow?

• Are you planning to start up a new COP?

• Would you like to join the coordination of one of our COPs?

• Other questions?

Let's Get Together! CES Conference June 17 , 2014

lunchandlearnottawa.lotic.ca

meetup.com/Evaluation-Café-Toronto

Guelphevaluation.ca