Hi TIS Teams! This month’s evidence update looks a little different. I wanted to share some best practice information about monitoring and evaluation. As you know, monitoring and evaluation is an important part of the TIS program and should be built into your activities from the start.

A recent review highlights best practice approaches to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander evaluation. While the review is not specifically about tobacco smoking or vaping, it offers valuable insights that you can use to strengthen your planning, monitoring, and evaluation of TIS activities. I’ve put together a short summary of the key principles highlighted by the review and a visual to help you apply these best practice principles.

Take home Message for TIS Teams
Evaluation works best when it’s ongoing and grounded in community priorities, rather than something done only at the end of a project. Meaningful evaluation centres community voices, builds local skills, and supports self-determination. When done well, evaluation can strengthen programs, build trust, and lead to better health outcomes. Respecting data ownership and sovereignty by involving community in how data is collected, used, and shared is also important. These approaches help keep the TIS program strong, relevant, and community driven.

Click on the thumbnail to the right to read Connie’s full update.

For more of Connie the Clever Cockie’s updates, visit the Tobacco Control News page.