CASE STUDY
Pathways to wellbeing for Indigenous business
What was the challenge?
Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) provide financial related services and support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
In 2020, IBA and Dr Kevin Dolman approached The Interplay Project to help them better understand the cultural and other deeper wellbeing impacts of services provided by IBA.
We applied the Interplay’s evaluation framework, which was developed from the ground up in Aboriginal communities nationally, drawing together methodology from neuroscience and traditional culture to create a unique, effective, culturally relevant approach.
How did we help solve the problem?
Applying our ‘shared space model’, we collaborated with lead evaluator, Dr Kevin Dolman of the Eastern Arrernte tribe, and IBA as partners, to design and conduct an evaluation in accordance with the IBA Impact Framework.
The report provides important insights into the drivers and pathways for change enabled by IBA, as told through the economic, social and cultural stories of their customers. Importantly, this process empowers the ‘voice’ of the customers to drive future program design.
First, we co-designed the Impact Framework and survey, then we developed the mobile survey technology and invited participation from IBA customers. More than 1,000 customers completed the survey over a 4-week period. Dr Dolman conducted subsequent interviews to collect further in-depth qualitative data. Interplay mapping was then applied to understand the interrelationships and pathways to impact.
Business Customer’s Interplay Map (Figure 5 - IBA Impact Report)
Explaining the Interplay Map
Data from surveys conducted by Interplay in collaboration with clients is analysed through statistical modelling, to understand motivations and causes of behaviours that impact wellbeing.
These insights are mapped on a chart which identifies pathways to achieving positive change, and the strength of each of those pathways. The higher the number on the pathway, the stronger it is.
This model identifies that IBA support helps to empower Indigenous organisations to grow stronger and build financial resilience. This process directly contributes to wellbeing.
What story does the data tell?
“This research shows that home ownership through IBA is improving people’s lives with strong impacts on culture, empowerment, financial resilience and wellbeing.
“The data show that IBA support is creating change for both customers and their broader communities with some powerful flow-on effects.
Our research showed that IBA support strengthens literacy, which improves culture and wellbeing. Stronger culture goes on to support growth empowerment and wellbeing.”
— Shez Cairney, Interplay CEO
“The IBA Impact Report is a strong foundation in which we can reflect on and also consider future pathways in creating skills development, employment and wealth creation”.
Hon. Ken Wyatt (Minister for Indigenous Australians, 2020)
Services
Interplay framework, domains and indicators
‘Shared space’ co-design of project, survey and tech tools
Developed and distributed survey
Holistic data analysis to identify pathways for change
Evaluation data displayed visually on an Interplay Map
Interplay mapping analysis informs program design to optimise wellbeing outcomes
Download the report to read.
Watch the launch of the IBA report.
Do you need a framework to evaluate the impact of a program or service which is targeted to achieve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people? Get in touch.