Panyappi Indigenous Youth Mentoring Program Evaluation

Panyappi Indigenous Youth Mentoring Program Evaluation
understood that participation in the evaluation would be voluntary and something that
participants felt good about doing because they were clear about the purpose. It was
also acknowledged that people may decline because they had other priority issues or the
evaluation may be experienced as intrusive.
In order for the evaluation to be respectful of cultural protocols and practices, and to
address the cultural accountability of the non-Indigenous evaluation consultant, an
Indigenous cultural advisor was engaged to guide all stages of the evaluation. Through
this arrangement many issues were addressed, such as how to introduce the evaluation
to young people and families working with Panyappi, and who was appropriate to conduct
interviews based on Indigenous or non-Indigenous identity and then cultural connections
of the cultural advisor and evaluation participants.
The evaluation introduction occurred in three layers. Due to connections and existing
relationships with families as the Coordinator, Lisa Kambouris was instrumental in
facilitating this process. In the initial stages of the evaluation she spoke to all young
people and families currently engaged with Panyappi to explain why they were evaluating
the program and the possibility of being involved. She also ensured that mentors were
thoroughly briefed on the evaluation. Through this she identified who was interested in
knowing more and potentially being an evaluation participant.
Following ethics approval for the evaluation plan, a social gathering was held at Panyappi
for interested families and young people. They met the evaluation consultant and
Indigenous cultural advisor, gained information on the evaluation plan and process, and
also received a written version of this. They had the opportunity to ask questions or just
talk with the evaluators during the gathering, either during the meeting or over lunch.
Some families and young people decided to participate at that point, while others agreed
or withdrew interest later in conversation with Lisa. Other families who were unable to
make the gathering were offered the opportunity to meet or speak separately with the
evaluators, and several agreed to be part of the evaluation.
Evaluation participants and methods
The people or groups outlined in the Table 1 were included in the evaluation using the
methods (program funders were included through the Advisory Group and the Senior
Project Officer, Crime Prevention Unit, AGD).
The evaluation methods were designed to gain in-depth qualitative data to build a picture
of the experiences and outcomes of the participants’ involvement in Panyappi (in
whatever capacity) and their opinions of the cultural appropriateness of the project’s
model of mentoring. These methods use narrative or story as the primary mode,
particularly for the interviews with young people, family members and Mentors, as
narrative has a cultural fit for Indigenous people. Interviews and focus groups were
audiotaped with the consent of participants.
- 31 -