The evaluation team
In any evaluation, there will always be subjective judgement exercised by evaluators and it is best not to solely rely on one individual. An evaluation team of two or more people facilitates sector development, sharing of good practice, and the process of evaluation is likely to be more rigorous and fairer.
In the Queensland accreditation system, each evaluation team comprises at least two evaluators: an experienced evaluator who will coordinate the evaluation and a Peer Evaluator who has practical knowledge of the community housing sector. The core team may be expanded to three members depending on the size and structure of the organisation seeking accreditation, or if a Trainee Evaluator is observing the evaluation as part of the training processes.
The Coordinating Evaluator
The Coordinating Evaluator is responsible for coordinating the evaluation team and all communication with the community housing provider seeking accreditation. They are also responsible for coordinating and finalising the draft Accreditation Evaluation Report and for providing feedback to the organisation. The Coordinating Evaluator will ensure the accreditation process is monitored and evaluated.
Following an evaluation, the Coordinating Evaluator will debrief and offer feedback to a Peer Evaluator and/or Trainee Evaluator regarding their performance. The Coordinating Evaluator will be either an Accreditation Officer from the Standards and Accreditation Unit or someone else that has been trained and specifically contracted to undertake this role.
Peer Evaluators
Peer Evaluators contribute their skills, knowledge and experience of the community housing sector to an external evaluation. They assist in the preparation of the draft Accreditation Evaluation Report and provide feedback to the Coordinating Evaluator on their experience throughout the evaluation process. Peer Evaluators can be tenant managers, employees or committee members of a community housing provider who have satisfactorily completed competency-based training provided by the Queensland Community Housing Standards and Accreditation Unit.
Why use Peer Evaluators?
The inclusion of Peer Evaluators in the process recognises that:
- they offer detailed knowledge of community housing and the context within which organisations provide housing
- their participation helps to build a culture that values continuous quality improvement through increasing knowledge of the National Community Housing Standards and quality improvement processes in action
- their participation contributes to sector development by improving understanding of the way other organisations operate, and
- their participation allows for sharing knowledge about good practice, gained through an evaluation, with members of the peer's own organisation to assist with its quality improvement process.
For more information, view the Peer Evaluators section.
Last updated 23 October 2008
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