| Session Title: Supportive Pathways for Emerging Indigenous Evaluators: From Corporate, Business and Community Lives to Evaluation |
| Multipaper Session 706 to be held in Panzacola Section G1 on Saturday, Nov 14, 9:15 AM to 10:45 AM |
| Sponsored by the Graduate Student and New Evaluator TIG |
| Chair(s): |
| Kataraina Pipi, FEM (2006) Limited, kpipi@xtra.co.nz |
| Abstract: Three evaluators with varying levels of expertise describe aspects of their journeys into evaluation as indigenous women from Aotearoa, New Zealand. They entered the evaluation field from varying cultural contexts - one woman entered from the corporate world, and the other two women came with business, social services and community backgrounds. All three women however, practice from a cultural context with a firm view to utilization of Kaupapa Maori (indigenous worldview) approaches. Each person describes her evolution into evaluation, highlighting the factors contributing to her progress. Each presentation concludes with key evaluative learnings, together with affirmations of supportive strategies for the growth of student and emerging indigenous evaluators by indigenous and non-indigenous practitioners. |
| From Flying High in the Travel Industry to Tentative Steps in Program Evaluation |
| Vivienne Kennedy, VK Associates Limited, vppk@snap.net.nz |
| This presentation tells the story of how a student evaluator came from a management position in the airline industry to conducting community-based research and program evaluation with her people. Her journey describes starting from scratch by transcribing interviews, note taking at meetings, and developing skills for analysis and synthesis of information, through to report writing. The value of mentors and a supportive network to guide and assist her in her new vocation is described, as are some of the skills and evaluative knowledge gained on the journey of working with the indigenous people of New Zealand. This story aims to give tips to emergent evaluators - applicable to indigenous and non-indigenous practitioners, to help them to realise their aspirations, as well as to provide a message to professional practitioners as to the value, merit and worth of their contributions to the development of upcoming evaluators. |
| Language Activist = Professional Evaluator |
| Kirimatao Paipa, Kia Maia Limited, kiripaipa@ihug.co.nz |
| Kiri will present her journey from being a rurally-based Maori language activist to a city-based emergent evaluator. Her journey highlights how cultural knowledge continues to affect the development of professional evaluation knowledge and practices. Kiri will talk about how language and culture is a lens through which evaluation is understood and practiced. This story would be applicable to emergent evaluators worldwide, and particularly for indigenous people who ask themselves, "Do I want to be an evaluator? How does being an evaluator add value and support the emancipatory goals of indigenous peoples?" |
| Facilitating Evaluative Melodic Moments |
| Kataraina Pipi, FEM (2006) Limited, kpipi@xtra.co.nz |
| This presenter is a facilitator, an evaluator and a composer of music who has over ten years practical experience in many aspects of evaluation. Her story relates to how she has been able to weave her collective strengths together, utilising Kaupapa Maori practice in evaluation to affirm and validate the work of her people. She is currently undertaking academic studies to add to her basket of knowledge and to provide the theory that gives credence to the approaches and methods she uses. Those new to evaluation as well as emerging and indigenous evaluators can learn much about how to bring together various strands of personal experience and skills to this discipline, whilst being true to oneself in order to support nationhood building. |