Statement of purpose

Background

Overview
Principles and areas
Principles
>Respect
>Integrity
>Responsiveness
>Competency
>Reciprocity

Context
Conceptual framework
Project cycle
Background papers

Launch of Good Practice guidelines quality research workshop

Acknowledgements

Competency

All research and evaluation officials and contractors involved in the development and execution of social research and evaluation should possess the core competencies necessary for performing their duties to a high level.

Rationale

Social sector researchers and evaluators should possess the knowledge, skills and experience appropriate to carry out the tasks necessary for any project they are involved with. Officials should also possess, or have access to those people who possess, the skills and knowledge to enable them to engage with skilled contractors and the vastly different communities and cultures that sometimes participate in research and evaluation. Officials who work within their competencies or liaise with those who possess the necessary skills and knowledge are less likely to cause harm to participants, and more likely to carry out robust, technically efficient research.

Anticipated benefits of competency guidelines include:

" decrease in technically inefficient and culturally inappropriate R and E
" decrease in poorly designed and managed R and E projects
" enhanced technical and professional standards of social sector R and E
" enhanced ability of the sector to respond to a diverse range of contractors, individual participants, communities and cultures
" enhanced robustness and applicability of social sector R and E data.