Remarkably, we’ve been living with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for over six months now. Changes to education and employment have increased pressure on mental health and well-being across the community, and vulnerable populations continue to grow. The appetite among policymakers and practitioners for good evidence is increasing as these complex social challenges and tighter budgets put a premium on knowing that what you’re doing works.
Because of this, CEI has renewed purpose and dedication in our work: we’ve been assisting with the implementation of some of the reforms recommended by the Royal Commission into family violence and working with organisations that focus on women’s and children’s needs. CEI staff have spoken on homelessness and inclusive education at events held in the UK and Singapore, hosted a monthly webinar with hard-hitting implementation science experts and social impact innovators for the Evidence and Implementation Summit Virtual Series, and taken up residence at the Evidence Quarter in London. We share details about these and other activities in our newsletter this month.
Fewer than 40 days to go: submit your abstracts for EIS2021!
We are currently receiving abstracts for the Evidence and Implementation Summit 2021. There are now fewer than 40 days to go until abstracts close. We welcome abstracts for online presentations, panels, and posters that address our five Summit themes. Abstract submission details are available here.
Bringing the 2021 Evidence and Implementation Summit to you
In 2021 the Evidence and Implementation Summit will be a hybrid event, with full online and in-person programs bringing together a wide network of global contributors regardless of location. Because an interactive online Summit may be a new experience for some, we have illustrated (see the graphic below or click here) what you can expect and have created a registration process that is simple and intuitive, and that allows for last minute changes.
We're consistently told that the Summit provides the ‘how’ in how to deliver lasting social change. Don't miss out on one of the leading evidence and implementation events on the global calendar! Learn more about the fabulous opportunities your registration entitles you to here and sign up today.
We're hiring!
Seeking an Operations and Human Resources Coordinator for our rapidly expanding organisation.
- Located in Melbourne, Australia
- Newly created role
- 2 year contract
As a key member of the operations team, you will be responsible for the day to day coordination of HR activities and general operational support to our project teams. You’ll also support initiatives to improve CEI’s existing systems and processes. Reporting to the COO, this is a critical role for our expanding business and offers room for growth and development in the coming years.
For further details please visit our website.
Co-designing a practice framework that guides practitioners and therapists in responding to the needs of women and children
CEI is collaborating with Emerge Women and Children’s Support Network to co-design a practice framework that draws on evidence-informed practice elements, bringing this together with the knowledge and expertise of the Emerge team, in order to develop a practice framework that is fit for purpose and able to respond to the needs of women and children.
Using implementation science to monitor family violence reforms
CEI is working with the Office of the Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor to support the efforts of those tasked with independently monitoring the progress of reforms made by the 2015 Victorian Royal Commission into family violence. CEI’s work will enable the Monitor to deliver rigorous, actionable insights to Parliament and government agencies.
The Evidence and Implementation Summit Virtual Series
As part of the EIS2021 pre-Summit events, CEI and Monash University are hosting a series of webinars enabling leaders in the implementation science field to reach a global audience.
The next webinar, What's behavioural economics got to do with it? Applying insights from behavioural economics to implementation science will be held Wednesday 16 September at 10.00 AEST. We welcome you to join Dr Rinad Beidas, Founder and Director of the Penn Implementation Science Center at the Leonard Davis Institute and Associate Professor of Psychiatry, and Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, in conversation with Dr Robyn Mildon, CEI’s Executive Director. Rinad and Robyn will discuss the application of tools and insights from behavioural economics to the implementation of evidence-based practices.
FURTHER DETAILS AND REGISTRATION
The August webinar Is Evidence-Informed Innovation an Oxymoron? featured guests Ravi Gurumuthy, CEO at Nesta and Jo Taylor, CCO at the Paul Ramsay Foundation, in conversation with CEI Executive Director Dr. Robyn Mildon. Listen to the webinar here.
The July webinar, Perspectives on robust evidence and effective implementation from the global South featured members of The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) leadership team, including Shobini Mukerji, Executive Director of J-PAL South Asia, and Anna Kilpatrick, Deputy Executive Director at J-PAL Africa. A recording is available here.
CEI presents at UK Impact Festival on using implementation science to reduce homelessness
Homelessness has been front and centre during the pandemic because of the necessity of housing large numbers of those without shelter to prevent the spread of the virus among vulnerable populations. CEI’s Executive Director Dr Robyn Mildon and University of New South Wales academic Dr Hal Pawson took part in a discussion chaired by Centre for Homelessness Impact (CHI) Chief Executive Ligia Teixeira at CHI’s Impact Festival on how implementation science can support work to reduce homelessness as the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. CHI is one of the UK’s What Works Centres.
CEI’s Singapore team featured speakers at two recent events
CEI’s Executive Director Dr Robyn Mildon and Managing Director Mary Abdo presented in July to more than 100 Singaporean public officers in an online sharing session hosted by the Singapore Civil Service College. The sharing session, “Reshaping Behaviour and Systems in a post-COVID19 Policy Landscape”, was attended by civil servants involved in behavioural insights and design thinking and drew from CEI’s recent article on the same topic in Ethos, the journal of the Civil Service College. The article can be accessed here.
CEI Senior Advisor Mian Yee Choy presented at a webinar hosted by LittleLives, titled Caring for Children with Developmental Needs at Home and in School. The online session was attended by more than 200 parents, early childhood practitioners and early intervention practitioners from Singapore and Malaysia with an interest in ensuring children with developmental needs have access to continuous learning. More details on the webinar can be accessed here.
CEI’s new London home – the Evidence Quarter
A year after the Alliance for Useful Evidence first floated plans for the establishment of an ‘Evidence Quarter’ in London, the idea has come to fruition. CEI have set up in the new Evidence Quarter, located on Petty France, in Westminster, along with seven other like-minded organisations that share a vision and evidence-based policy and practice focus. The Evidence Quarter is launching an affiliates programme open to organisations across the UK and overseas, allowing organisations based elsewhere to call the EQ home and to enjoy the benefits of being a member of the Evidence Quarter community. You can read more about the EQ here.
Spotlight on CEI’s multidisciplinary team
Problem-solving at CEI is facilitated by a team that brings strength in a range of disciplines, from health economics to physiology to psychology, design, and strategy consulting. Our people have a shared commitment to seeing policy and practice reflect best evidence and ensuring effective implementation of what works. In this update, we highlight the diverse experiences of three of our newest team members in Australia and Singapore:
Evelyn Tan PhD, Advisor in Singapore: Evelyn is a psychologist and researcher with over 10 years’ experience working across public and private sectors in child development and parenting. At CEI, Evelyn employs her skills in evidence synthesis, quantitative data analysis and project management to apply evidence in intervention design and improvement and provide implementation support to service agencies to improve outcomes for young children and their families.
Matthew Burn, Advisor in Sydney: Matthew has a practice background in family preservation and restoration, particularly working with fathers and their families. At CEI, Matthew uses his practice and research skills to engage in a range of projects involving design, implementation and evaluation
Joel Koh, Advisor in Singapore: Joel is a qualitative researcher with a background in Geography and Social Policy and had previous experience conducting research within the public health and non-profit sectors. At CEI, he project manages the KidSTART outcome evaluation and works on a range of projects to help organisations be more intentional in driving impact.