Read on for CEI's latest insights, news and events: a webinar with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, evaluations of street-based youth work in England and a novel social housing initiative in Australia, and we discuss how governments can better enable scaling of effective programs and practices.
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Article: "Scaling what works: If only it were that simple"
Why is it so difficult to bring effective new practices and programs to greater numbers and diversity of people? And what might governments do to create the conditions to enable solutions that work to be scaled – so more people can benefit more quickly?
CEI's experts tackle the thorny issues in scaling effective social service interventions, in an article published in global leadership magazine Governance Matters.
READ more (7 min)
EIS Virtual webinar: From evidence to strategy with the Gates Foundation
In the lead up to the Evidence and Implementation Summit 2025, we're offering a series of free EIS Virtual expert webinars.
Dr Suneeta Krishnan (Deputy Director India Country Office, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) offered many insights in her recent webinar conversation with CEI's Dr Robyn Mildon.
"What I've learned... is to stay really humble and stay really curious," Suneeta said.
"Earlier on, I came in as the evaluator and passed judgment... [but in complex systems work] the devil is in the details, the answer is almost always 'it depends', recognising that I as the evaluator only have about 20% of the insight that my colleagues [working on programs will have]. That is what animates me."
You can hear Suneeta's many insights in this 45-minute webinar.
Evaluating the impact of detached youth work practice
In “detached” youth work, youth workers interact with young people where they are – in public spaces like shopping centres, streets, or fast food outlets. This presents unique challenges for evaluating this dynamic form of practice.
The Youth Endowment Fund commissioned CEI and our partners YMCA George Williams College and Bryson Purdon Social Research to investigate whether, and how, it is feasible to evaluate the impact of detached youth work. Then, this team developed an evaluation design that seeks to respect and preserve the authentic and trusting relationships youth workers build, which are core to this practice.
READ more (2 min)
Strengthening communities to improve outcomes for children in Norway
Recommendations and results from CEI Nordic’s Kids First! project, funded by Kavli Trust, are forging a path for local communities to positively impact thousands of young lives across Norway. Projects are now being implemented across municipalities, with activities ranging from engaging parents in kindergartens, through to multicultural inclusion efforts shaped by young people.
“Helping one child or one family is of course important, supporting a few is even better. But if we can influence a whole community... that makes it possible to impact entire cohorts of children,” says Professor Arild Bjørndal, Director of CEI Nordic.
“Our aim is to create optimal conditions for all children.”
READ more about the Kids First initiatives (3 min)
Evaluating a novel approach to social and affordable housing in Australia
Stable and affordable housing is a key ingredient in breaking cycles of social disadvantage. CEI has helped evaluate an innovative way of providing new social and affordable housing in New South Wales that contracts non-profit agencies to provide housing for the most disadvantaged tenants, alongside tailored social service coordination.
Evaluation of the Social and Affordable Housing Fund found that new social housing targets had been met, and there was greater housing stability (for example, in 50% fewer lease terminations) and high satisfaction among tenants.
The two-year evaluation was undertaken by a research consortium comprised of the Melbourne Institute, the Cultural and Indigenous Research Centre Australia, CEI, RMIT University and Monash University.
READ more (3 min)
CEI op ed in Straits Times: "Charity’s main currency is trust. Better data is needed to restore it"
CEI Director in Singapore Dr Jean Liu and Global Managing Director Maryanna Abdo draw attention to how evidence can better inform philanthropic impact and improve donor trust in this article, recently published in The Straits Times.
In response to waning public confidence in charities, the authors suggest: "The answer lies in building trust by obtaining better data that can allow targeted giving to the most effective solutions – and also, critically, de-fund activities that aren’t as effective or efficient."
READ more (5 min)
Upcoming events
18 October
Launch: Understanding the take up of early education entitlements
This new study offers a comprehensive picture of why some children in the UK are missing out on early education, and what can be done to change this situation. Funded by the Nuffield Foundation, the research was undertaken by CEI, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunity, and Coram Family and Childcare, with consultant Ivana La Valle. Register to attend in-person or online
22 October
CHILD hybrid seminar: Methodological and contextual approaches to understanding language and behavioural development and disorders in classroom settings
Associate Professor Jason C Chow (Dept of Special Education, Vanderbilt University, and Visiting Associate Professor, National University of Singapore) will explore the essential connection between language and behavioural development, focusing on the co-occurrence of disorders. Discover current approaches and uncover solutions for equitable research and practice that can better support educators, children and families. Register to attend in-person or online
23 October
BISI webinar: Co-design with and for older adults
Innovations in behavioural and implementation science for healthcare
A panel discussion featuring Professor Theng Yin Leng, Executive Director of the Ageing Research Institute for Society and Education (ARISE) and President’s Chair in Information Studies, Nanyang Technological University, and Dr Zhang Yichi from the SingHealth Centre for Population Health Research and Implementation (CPHRI), in conversation with host and moderator Adjunct Assistant Professor Serene Koh from BISI at National University of Singapore. More info and register
5-6 November
BISI course: Design and evaluation of interventions to improve mental health
Led by Professor Claire Henderson, Clinical Professor of Public Mental Health at King’s College London, this in-person course focuses on evaluation design and methodologies, techniques to develop and deliver effective and scalable programs, and essential tools and skills to meet growing demand. More info and register (closing 25 October)
8 November
BISI symposium: Hospital-at-home scientific symposium, Singapore
Building a community of practice, research and innovation
Bringing together a community of multidisciplinary practitioners to connect, share research and deepen knowledge is this event co-organised by National University Hospital Singapore, Singhealth, National Healthcare Group and BISI at National University of Singapore. More info and register
26-28 February 2025
CHILD Conference: "Translating evidence for impact"
This Singapore-based international conference underscores the pivotal role of evidence-based approaches in shaping the lives of young children. It is the second biennial conference hosted by the Centre for Holistic Initiatives for Learning and Development (CHILD), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. Early-bird registration until 22 November
CEI publications and knowledge sharing
- UNICEF Implementation research compendium
A world-first implementation research case compendium, highlighting the role this dynamic science can play in delivering better outcomes for children. CEI developed this comprehensive, free access resource with UNICEF and Norway’s Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research. - Youth participatory research: A review of reviews and practice guidance
A set of evidence-based recommendations developed by CEI for the independent, not-for-profit Youth Futures Foundation, drawing on 18 systematic reviews and 15 practice guidance documents and toolkits. The focus is on promoting the voices of young people marginalised through systemic inequalities. - Evidence review: Place-based approaches to youth violence
Youth Endowment Fund, the UK What Works Centre focused on preventing children becoming involved in violence, funded researchers from CEI, Monash University and the University of Cambridge Violence Research Centre to conduct a large-scale review of existing evidence. - Evaluation of a therapeutic program for young asylum seekers
Foundations, the UK What Works Centre for Children and Families, commissioned CEI and partners to undertake a two-year evaluation of My View, a specialist mental health program for 12- to 17-year-old unaccompanied asylum seekers in England. - Implementation-minded policy making
How can policy work can be more mindful of what is required for effective implementation? Wales Centre for Public Policy commissioned CEI to undertake a synthesis of the latest evidence on how to bridge the policy-implementation gap.
Find out more about our current work HERE
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