Publications

This December edition of EvalByte spotlights the ongoing work of the Decolonial Evaluation Learning (DEL) team within the Evaluation Capacity Network. Grounded in principles of respect, reciprocity, responsibility, and relevance, this edition reflects the team’s commitment to evolving decolonial practices and strengthening community-responsive evaluation across Canada.

This EvalByte spotlights All In for Youth (AIFY), a community-driven initiative breaking the cycle of poverty through wrap-around support for students and families in Edmonton’s inner city. Now in its ninth year, AIFY continues to show strong outcomes in graduation, attendance, and well-being, while new Social Return on Investment (SROI) research explores its broader community impact.

This EvalByte shares the stories of two University of Alberta students from the School of Public Health, Marcus Hammond and Elliott Young, who participated in EC³ 2025 in Montreal.

The ECN Fall 2025 Partner Report highlights key achievements and projects from the partnership over the last year and shares insight into where the ECN is heading next as it approaches the final years of its SSHRC Partnership Grant.

This EvalByte shares two powerful projects in collaboration with the New Canadians Health Centre, one exploring access to maternal health for refugee women, and the other evaluating a principles-based model of care. Together, these initiatives uncover barriers, highlight potential solutions, and point to new directions for building more equitable health systems across Canada.

This report reflects on the Decolonial Evaluation Learning (DEL) work over the past year (2024-2025), the team's learnings, and shares an insight into the goals for the upcoming year.

This EvalByte spotlights two graduate students whose research advances our understanding of refugee health care and early learning access for newcomer families. Their work offers timely, community-informed insights that support more equitable systems.

The Settlement EvalHub is a sector-driven platform designed to build evaluation capacity within Canada’s settlement sector. It offers tailored tools, training, and resources to support Service Provider Organizations, Local Immigration Partnerships, and others in fostering a culture of outcome-based, equity-centered evaluation. ECN collaborated with the Centre for Community-Based Research to develop the EvalHub website.

The Edmonton Youth Economic Ecosystem Collaborative (EYEEC) is a collaborative initiative designed to enhance economic opportunities for Edmonton youth aged 15-30, particularly those facing barriers such as systemic inequities and financial challenges. The purpose of this document is to share the EYEEC’s learning journey with their funders, colleagues, partners, and anyone interested in advancing youth economic development. The EYEEC hopes their story offers insights that can inform youth economic development and support policy makers' decision-making.

A reflection from the Decolonial Evaluation Learning Team on the 5th session of their webinar series "Widening Our Worldview".

A reflection from the Decolonial Evaluation Learning Team on the 4th session of their webinar series "Widening Our Worldview".

A reflection from the Decolonial Evaluation Learning Team on the 3th session of their webinar series "Widening Our Worldview".

A reflection from the Decolonial Evaluation Learning Team on the 2th session of their webinar series "Widening Our Worldview".

Week-long course leads to better impact for community groups and work-integrated skill-building for students.

A new call to action addressing the issue of "data burden" faced by community organizations

Mark Cabaj, President of Here to There, shares his thoughts on evaluating complex issues - a "wicked challenge"

“Evaluation is key to unpacking what works, why it works and what is needed to establish long-lasting change”

Five key takeaways from our experience transitioning UEval online this year.

The ECN, Terra Centre, and Brentwood Housing Society partner to address a complex social issue

A blog post from our trainees, sharing unique perspectives around what evaluation means to them

An interview with Dr. Bethan Kingsley, an Eval Lab facilitator and former ECN postdoctoral fellow

An Interview with ECN co-investigator Dr. Javier Mignone

What actions can organizations take towards building evaluation capacity? Btissam El Hassar, ECN trainee, share her thoughts.

Teresa Mejia, Project Manager for the All in for Youth evaluation, reflects on the principles-focused approach

Susan Hopkins, Executive Director of The MEHRIT Centre and ECN collaborator, talks about the value of the network

Mischa Taylor, ECN graduate trainee, reflects on her experiences with evaluation

A sneak peek to Eval Lab 3.0 and five key attributes of strategic thinking.

What is developmental evaluation and why would I use it? Julia Roy, ECN trainee, shares her thoughts.

Ryan Lacanilao from Alberta Health shares his reflections on principles-based evaluation

An interview with ECN co-investigator Dr. Leslie Fierro