Stakeholder engagement, data analysis and collation of outcome indicators into a Framework to support monitoring and evaluation of wellbeing outcomes in an urban regeneration programme.
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The Challenge
To develop a framework for monitoring and evaluating wellbeing outcomes throughout the eastern Porirua Regeneration Programme - the first urban development project to be mandated under the Wellbeing Budget. The framework would be for Kāinga Ora, as well as Te Pae, the regeneration board, and the three Regeneration Partners, to monitor and evaluate Programme outcomes.
To build a suite of outcome indicators that represent the breadth of wellbeing outcomes that would be delivered by the programme. The suite was to use existing outcome indicators where relevant, to minimise the ‘double up’ in monitoring and evaluation. It was to support Kāinga Ora to build capacity for monitoring and evaluating outcomes at a Programme and organisational level.
The Journey
The Treasury’s Living Standards Framework was the starting point for grouping Programme outcomes across the domains of wellbeing relevant to regeneration. Workshops with the Kāinga Ora project team helped to define 12 wellbeing domains and the specific wellbeing outcomes for the eastern Porirua programme based on the intent of the business case.
Extensive stakeholder engagement with government agencies to understand any interventions they would be involved in, in the Programme area. This included any outcome indicators or measures these agencies are collecting that could be relevant to the Framework. This engagement involved navigating the shift from outputs-focused evaluation to an outcomes focus.
In addition, TUA completed a desktop review of existing data sets to identify a range of relevant outcome indicators, and outputs. These processes enabled a ‘gaps analysis’ to identify key outcomes where an existing measure was not available and therefore a new evaluation approach is required (e.g. community survey).
To refine the framework, a process of prioritisation of outcomes followed, including workshops with the project team, engagement with key internal stakeholders (e.g Te Aranga the Alliance, Sustainability team, Benefits Management team) and applying prioritisation criteria.
A key focus of this work was to outline how Kāinga Ora will monitor and evaluate outcomes of the Programme related to their activities, while also providing a framework for all partner organisations and Te Pae to evaluate outcomes over time.
The Outcome
A baseline Framework report demonstrated the pre-development state of the community which can be used to compare change in wellbeing over time. To guide the next steps for monitoring and evaluation in eastern Porirua, the report recommended the establishment of an engagement and evaluation plan to integrate ongoing engagement activities with monitoring and evaluation. The eastern Porirua Outcomes Monitoring and Evaluation Framework offers a shared picture of ‘what success looks like’ for the Regeneration Programme, and for Regeneration partners, through monitoring and evaluation over time. From the baseline, this framework can be used by Kāinga Ora, Porirua City Council and Ngāti Toa to evaluate how their activities and interventions are contributing to wellbeing outcomes in eastern Porirua.. The framework consists of primary outcomes (those related to Kāinga Ora interventions) and secondary outcomes (related to other interventions, by other organisations). It has also been used to inform Alliance KPIs and Te Pae outcomes monitoring. Within Kāinga Ora, this work also informed the development of internal frameworks and processes for monitoring and evaluation across the organisation.