Delivering an independent evaluation for the NSW Advocate for Children and Young People
The NSW Advocate for Children and Young People (ACYP) is tasked with representing and advocating for the needs, interests and rights of the children and young people of New South Wales (NSW).
ACYP developed the whole of government NSW Strategic Plan for Children and Young People 2022-2024 (‘Strategic Plan’) with the goal of creating a future where all children and young people have the support they need to thrive. It was informed by the voices of over 41,000 children and young people, with multiple agencies working together to deliver it.
ACYP sought an independent evaluator to assess the impact of this Strategic Plan. They needed expertise in the youth sector, combined with evaluation rigour, strategy expertise and objectivity. Baringa was selected to lead the evaluation based on our proven capabilities in these areas.
Evaluating progress with a whole-of-government lens
We designed an evaluation to fit the unique complexities of evaluating a whole-of-government plan, in order to capture the breadth of activities across agencies while providing nuanced analysis of the Strategic Plan’s influence.
To build a comprehensive evidence base, we conducted more than 40 interviews across government departments, not-for-profit organisations, the judiciary, businesses and the Youth Advisory Council. These conversations provided rich qualitative insights into where the work of ACYP is making a difference.
Additionally, we conducted extensive desktop research, analysed quantitative indicators and synthesised wide-ranging findings to evaluate the impact of the Strategic Plan, while also identifying areas for improvement to inform the next plan.
Providing insights to guide future advocacy
The final report not only demonstrated clear progress against the commitments made in ACYP’s 2022–2024 Strategic Plan, but also equipped stakeholders with practical insights to shape advocacy and decision-making moving forward. Published publicly, the report reinforced ACYP’s dedication to transparency, shared learning, and driving improvements for children and young people across the state.
"Working with Baringa was easy… they are a thoughtful team. They also approached it in a way that is reflective of our ethos, and respected how we liked to work, and how we wanted the work to be transparent and led by our stakeholders"
Zoë Robinson – NSW Advocate for Children and Young People
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