Since 2001, Johnston Research Inc. has been working closely with communities to provide indigenous evaluation and policy research services. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Johnston Research has done work across Canada, from coast to coast to coast. Johnston Research is run by Andrea Johnston, an expert in the evaluation field with over 25 years of experience. Through our workshop series, Honouring Reconciliation in Evaluation, we provide industry-leading Indigenous evaluation training. Learn more about us at our about page.
Evaluation is the practice of looking into a project to see what it has done, what it has accomplished, and what it can do in the future.
While this practice is often supported through funding arrangements, this should not limit a project in developing and directing its own evaluation practices.
Indigenous Evaluation
Indigenous evaluation meets the needs and priorities of Indigenous Peoples. Honouring Reconciliation in Evaluation takes advantage of Indigenous evaluation systems and makes the ideal way of doing evaluation. Indigenous evaluation frameworks can achieve great results as they allow for more input from the community than traditional Western evaluation. Indigenous evaluation frameworks involve evaluation with a decolonized lens.
At Johnston Research, we have developed over 200 Indigenous evaluation frameworks. Through this process, we have learned that evaluators should not lay claim to the development of Indigenous evaluation frameworks. The way Indigenous evaluation frameworks are undertaken needs to change.
Recent News
Indigenous Evaluation Textbook
JRI is writing an online textbook based upon the Honouring Reconciliation in Evaluation curriculum and other practitioners’ contributions as well. Please email us to connect on this important initiative and to discuss your contributions. The target publication date is February 2024.
Indigenous Evaluation Network
The Indigenous Evaluation Network is launching to allow Indigenous evaluators and program service providers to come together to expand the field of Indigenous evaluation. The network will launch on February 24, 2024, during the inaugural Indigenous Evaluation Summit.
CES Award
Andrea L. K. Johnston receives the 2021 Contribution to Evaluation in Canada Award from the Canadian Evaluation Society. This award recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to the theory and/or practice of evaluation in Canada. It is open to CES members and non-members.
Our Workshops
The Honouring Reconciliation in Evaluation (HRE) workshop series is designed to explore how to identify bias in the methods and approaches to make room for new notions of what is measurable and what provides valid evidence. Since no evaluation can be value-free, Honouring Reconciliation in Evaluation answers the question of whose values will frame the evaluation. HRE is done by working with clearly identified Indigenous evaluation collaborators who have the responsibility to apply findings and implement recommendations. Furthermore, HRE is a conduit for creating an open dialogue that includes mechanisms for follow-through and solid commitments from Indigenous and non-Indigenous Leadership. HRE tailors the evaluation to meet Indigenous Peoples’ needs and priorities. Our Honouring Reconciliation in Evaluation Workshops helps you gain the knowledge and tools to integrate Indigenous-led evaluation practice in your organization or program.
“I completed Andrea Johnston’s 5 part Indigenous evaluation workshop and would strongly recommend this live-guided program as a group training option to all federal evaluators. Whether you are new to Indigenous evaluation or have experience, this course is designed to refresh your skillset and force you to think differently about input, output and outcomes in terms of mind, body and soul. She generously shared a specially curated toolbox of Indigenous evaluation resources and protocols. Her in-depth series outlines the importance of process, relationships and spirit in Indigenous evaluation and the significance of past, present and future generations. Miigwetch for this learning opportunity, it was an honor to be part of this course.”
Marina Santilli
Employment and Social Development Canada / Emploi et Développement social Canada
Our Clients
Dispelling Myths
Challenges in Restoring Health in First Nations
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Andrea L.K. Johnston presented this slideshow at the Indigenous Health Conference on May 27th, 2016. Andrea Johnston spoke about the need for a national sharing of Indigenous-informed outcomes. For example, at the conference Chief Littlechild said, “We need to hold each other up”. This outcome can be phrased as “Lifting each other up”. This presentation provides a rationale for supporting more work in this area. One conclusion you can make from the facts presented is that, “as First Nations we need to divorce ourselves from the colonial relationship – reclaiming our rights, our pride, our strength and this must start with the “Lifting Up of Each Other’s Spirits” through a unification of communities at a regional and national level, view the Prezi.