Kate Averill (Evalstars Limited), Dr Joe Te Rito (Ako Aotearoa)

I speak te reo Māori, therefore I am Māori.

The He Kāinga Kōrerorero programme (the Programme) is a government-funded te reo Māori (Māori language) revitalisation programme delivered by Te Ataarangi Trust (national Māori language service provider). The Programme's purpose is to facilitate and encourage the use of te reo Maori in the home and wider community. An evaluation was commissioned to determine the Programme's effectiveness, efficiency, and relevancy of delivering and sustaining the spoken language in the home and wider community.

The evaluation approach was collaborative, strengths-based and values-focused. Stakeholders across different levels were brought together to openly and collaboratively discuss the Programme's values, goals and objectives. Through initial hui (workshops), stakeholders identified six kaupapa Māori values that were to underpin current and future evaluation processes: Rangatiratanga (empowerment), Whanaungatanga (network and support systems), Manaakitanga (everyone has value), Māramatanga (knowledge, awareness and planning), Mahi pono (safety, trust and integrity), Te Ao Māori (maintaining Māori identity). This participatory approach fed into the development of a results model to scaffold ongoing iterative evaluation activities, reporting, and adaptive management. 

This evaluative process identified previously unrecognised benefits such as increased cultural awareness and engagement, greater sense of community and identity, and growing use of language hubs, to be integrated into the results model and theory of change. The evaluation found that the Programme outputs were being under-reported with the Programme's reach actually around 2.35 times the intended reach. This under-reporting contributed to a lack of long-term funding and limits to future growth opportunities. It also provided a previously untapped evidence-base to inform discussions on renewed priorities and resourcing within the community and funding bodies.A key lesson learned from this evaluative process was the value of stakeholders participating in, and contributing to, the evaluative journey and learning together through adaptive evaluation design