Participant Feedback & Testimonials

Complete feedback from June 2022 Developing & Communicating Sound Organisational Policy & Procedures workshop in Sydney

Complete feedback from June 2022 Evaluation Skills for Robust Policy Design and Program Development workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from May 2022 Developing & Communicating Sound Organisational Policy & Procedures workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from November 2021 Writing for Policy Results workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from November 2021 Developing & Communicating Sound Organisational Policy & Procedures workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from June 2021 Evaluation Skills for Robust Policy Design and Program Development workshop in Brisbane

 Complete feedback from June 2021 Writing for Policy Results workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from May 2021 Developing & Communicating Sound Organisational Policy & Procedures workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from March 2021 Tools and Skills workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from December 2020 Evaluation Skills for Robust Policy Design and Program Development in Brisbane

Complete feedback from November 2020 Developing & Communicating Sound Organisational Policy & Procedures workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from March 2020 Writing for Policy Results workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from February 2020 Tools and Skills workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from September 2019 Tools and Skills workshop in Canberra

Complete feedback from October 2019 Developing & Communicating Sound Organisational Policy & Procedures workshop in Sydney

Complete feedback from April 2019 Developing & Communicating Sound Organisational Policy & Procedures workshop in Sydney

Complete feedback from April 2019 Tools and Skills workshop in Sydney

Complete feedback from  March 2019 Writing for Policy Results workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from December 2018 Developing & Communicating Sound Organisational Policy & Procedures workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from October 2018 Tools and Skills workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from  October 2018 Writing for Policy Results workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from June 2018 Tools and Skills workshop in Brisbane

Complete feedback from September 2018 Tools and Skills workshop in Canberra

Complete feedback from September 2018 Tools and Skills workshop in Sydney


Testimonial following Evaluation Tools and Skills workshop in Brisbane:

Why did I choose this course?

  • A year earlier I attended Policy Skills’ Tools and Skills for Policy Practitioners which was a really good refresher, having studied public policy at university.  I was impressed with the depth and breadth of policy experience of the facilitators – and the insights they brought to the course content. 
  • I decided to do the policy evaluation course because, as a policy practitioner, I wanted to develop a better understanding of evaluation and its place in the policy cycle.
  • Evaluation is increasingly important with the increased focus on outcomes in government policy and programs. I wanted to learn more about incorporating evaluation questions and considerations at the front end of the policy process by incorporating them at the formulation and policy development stage.  
  • Being analytically minded, the rigour of evaluation appealed to me and I’m interested in steering my career in this direction of examining the effectiveness of public policy.

What did I get out of it?

  • Having travelled to Brisbane from Perth to do the Policy Evaluation for Policy Practitioners short course and paid for it out of my own personal professional development budget, I was keen to get value for money.
  • The course delivered. It definitely increased my understanding of policy evaluation and key evaluation tools– such as program logic -  and its place in the policy cycle.  What I learnt was readily applicable to, and enhanced, my work as a policy practitioner. [Unfortunately, too much for the agency that I was working for at the time!]  

Delivery

  • Provided a good mix of theory and practice with key concepts applied through discussion and exercise on actual policy or evaluation reports.
  • Facilitators clearly had significant professional experience in policy and evaluation and were eager to shape the course around the interests and learning objectives of attendees.
  • During the training they were keen to critically discuss questions and apply course content to real work examples.     

Critical feedback – what could be done better?  

  • I struggle to fault the course.  It was delivered well, and for a short course, it was comprehensive.  There was plenty to take away for ongoing learning.   
  • Yes, the course was more expensive than other policy evaluation courses offered by other training providers.  Having done some of these courses, I consider the Policy Skills’ course to be at a much higher standard in terms of range, content and delivery, and on weight, far better value for money.

Would I recommend the course?

  • Yes - I have recommended it to colleagues who are interested in policy and evaluation.