Practicum Experience

A high point of the graduate Diploma in Public Policy and Program Evaluation is a final practicum project. Students get the chance to apply what they have learned in a team project working directly with clients on a real-life evaluation. Two courses are dedicated to this critical part of the program. Students are supported through the full process of planning, executing and reporting on their evaluations, which includes a final presentation to the clients outlining the preliminary findings of the analysis.

Past practicum projects have engaged a wide range of topics and clients. Examples include:

Current projects concluding in 2024:

• Mennonite Economic Development Agency (MEDA). The evaluation will focus on how integrating gender, environmental, social and governance principles has impacted the early and medium-term outcomes of a program focused on developing the cocoa sector in the Philippines. 
• Mennonite Economic Development Agency (MEDA). This meta-evaluation will determine to what extent the different incentives provided across different economic development programs have produced similar or different results.
• Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). The evaluation team will assess the overall program coherence, with a focus on understanding to what extent the design of the Net Zero Housing Program has been effective at serving equity-seeking communities across Canada. 
• Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC). The evaluation will assess the efficiency of the processes for certifying institutions working with animals. The evaluation team will pay special attention to identifying potential ways to gain efficiencies throughout the certification process. 
• Connected North. The evaluation will determine the enabling environment and impact of the Indigenous Education Online Connections Program, focusing on selected communities. 
• Carleton University. The evaluation team will assess the relevance and sustainability of the Scholars at Risk Program, with a focus on its governance and future economic viability.
  

Concluding in 2023: 

• Mennonite Economic Development Association (MEDA), this process evaluation focused on understanding the relevance, coherence and effectiveness established by MEDA and local stakeholders working in the cacao sector in the Philippines.
• City of Kingston, this evaluation assessed the extent to which internal and external communication processes to respond to residents’ needs (CRM system) were integrated into and informed the programming cycle.
• Peel District School Board, the evaluation assessed the processes put in place for developing and reviewing policies related to integrity and honesty, with a special focus on the regulation of the use of artificial intelligence within the schools.
• Mangosuthu University of Technology, the evaluation team assessed the impact of a grant fund targeted at supporting academics completing their doctoral degrees.  The evaluation embedded and equity lens to determine the program’s impact across different groups. 

Current projects Concluding in 2022:

• Max Bell School of Public Policy. The evaluation provides a consolidated evaluation of the School’s teaching and external relationship activities.
• Crime Prevention Ottawa. The project evaluates the SHINE Microgrants Program for Youth Led Arts, which is an arts program to support mental health support services for nonprofit service organizations.
• Canada Wood Council. The evaluation assesses the Council’s Advocacy Program for wood products.
• Employment and Social Development Canada. The project involves two students working in the department as interns to evaluate the Opportunities Fund, which is a small business support program.
• Employment and Social Development Canada. The project assesses Skills for Success, which is a program offering small business training on site with customized training support for small and medium enterprises.
• Mangosuthu University of Technology. The project focuses on the Accelerating Women in Research Support Program, which is designed to support women scholars’ advance in research.
• Red Cross of Canada. The project assesses the Fort MacMurray Fire Emergency Response Program and particularly the business model for sustained programming in an emergency.

Concluding in 2021:

• Algonquin College. The project did an evaluation of the student mental health services provided by Project Lighthouse.
• Department of National Defence. The evaluation focused on the Road to Mental Readiness Program (R2MR).
• Max Bell School of Public Policy. The evaluation assessed the School’s External Relationships Pillar.
• Mangosuthu University of Technology. The evaluation focused on an Adult Literacy Program for Faculty and Students.
• Pinecrest Community Health Centre. The project evaluated the Centre’s Breastfeeding Support Program.
• Canada Wood Council. The project created a results framework and monitoring and evaluation plan for the WoodWORKS! Program.

Concluding in 2020:

• Algonquin College. The project evaluated the College’s Microcredentials Program.
• Public Safety Canada. The project developed an evaluation framework for the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence.
• SSHRC Funded Indigenous Youth Futures Partnership Grant. The project evaluated the Youth Engagement Strategy at Kasabonika First Nation.
• Max Bell School of Public Policy. The project focused on the Teaching and Learning Pillar of the School’s programing.
• Mangosuthu University of Technology (South Africa). The evaluation focused on the student and faculty support services of the Learning Centre Program.
• Department of National Defence. The project conducted an evaluation of the employee assistance program.

Concluding in 2019:

• Carleton University’s Aerospace Camp for Girls. The project evaluated the design considerations of the program to motivate high school and elementary-aged girls to become interested in the sciences.
• EvalPartners. This is an organization with the goal of creating evaluation communities of practice around the world. The project evaluated the design rationale of the program and efforts to involve international practitioners to support local efforts in smaller countries.
• Health Canada, the Office of the Departmental Ombudsman. The evaluation aimed at understanding the office’s capacity and readiness to carry out its mandate and responsibilities.
• Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation, the Housing Investment Fund. This project evaluated how effective the program was in getting developers to invest in rental housing.
• City of Ottawa, the Ottawa Youth Diversion Program. The program aims to divert youth at risk from the criminal justice system. The project evaluated the eligibility requirements of youth to program based on court decisions to interpret the eligibility guideline.
• City of Waterloo, the Zone Boundary Program. The evaluation aimed at understanding the effectiveness of changed police zones to improve response times in Waterloo.

Concluding in 2018:

• City of New Westminster, BC. The project evaluated the ongoing need and scope of the city’s rent bank programs that are designed to provide bridging options for tenants on their rent obligations in any given month.
• Yukon Association of Community Living, Whitehorse, YT. The project evaluated the rationale, design and implementation of a housing program (non-profit) for vulnerable populations in Whitehorse.
• Romero House, Toronto. The project evaluated the drop-in centre program for a non-profit shelter in downtown Toronto for new immigrants.
• Pathways to Education. In a follow on to previous work with this group, a third project evaluated the effectiveness of the program for employment results of individuals enrolled in the program.

Concluding in 2017:

• Ontario Mental Health Commission. The project involved a pilot project to test new technology for efficiency and outcomes to raise employment levels for people living with a mental illness
• Mishkeegogamang First Nation’s Natural Helper’s Program. The evaluation focused on the rationale and relevance of the program to assist ageing residents in the community.
• Pathways to Education Program Ottawa. Two evaluations were done with this client. One project evaluated the group’s advocacy activities, and the other project focused on the group’s mentorship activities. The program’s main goal is to reach those high school drop-outs in Ottawa’s west end and re-integrate them into high school.

Concluding in 2016:

• Carleton University’s Outreach Program. Evaluated a new initiative intended to reach the community and engage mainly undergraduates in experiential learning.
• EcoEquitable – a local non-profit group located in Vanier. The project evaluated the Immigrant Women’s Employment Program – trains new immigrant women on matters of textile use, business management, and entrepreneurship.
• NRCan. The project involved a formative evaluation of the GeoScience New Energy Supply (GNES) Program, which addresses the assessment of projects submitted involving fracking.
• Public Service Integrity Commission. The project involved a formative evaluation of the outreach program involving public servants that intended to create awareness of the mandate of the whistleblowing legislation (Public Service Disclosure Protection Act).
• Phillipine Migrants Society of Canada. This project involved a Community-Based Transformative Evaluation of Canada’s Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP) to determine the extent to which there was program take-up by the Filipino community and whether there is a continuing need for the program.