We are pleased to announce that Legal Aid WA has been awarded the Enhancing the Social Good Award at the Australian Evaluation Society’s Awards for Excellence in Evaluation 2026. The award recognises excellence in the evaluation of our Disability Advocacy and Referral Diversion for Young People (DARDY) Project.
The DARDY Project evaluation demonstrates how culturally safe, practical, and deeply contextual evaluation can strengthen a service, while helping to secure better outcomes for young people experiencing disadvantage.
It was conducted by staff who have built trusted relationships with DARDY Project clients, and who have strong knowledge of the service environment. Using innovative and culturally appropriate tools, approaches and materials, the data collection and reporting was safe, meaningful and useful to those involved.
The findings have made an important contribution to improving the project and demonstrating its value. They have helped to support the case for permanent funding, documented the experiences and outcomes of participants, and have provided evidence to guide expansion of the service.
The evaluation report was described as “exceptionally comprehensive and readable for an internal evaluation” by the award assessment team, who particularly commended its strength and accessibility.
The Enhancing the Social Good Award is particularly focused on evaluation work which both recognises and helps to redress inequalities in society. It is concerned with promoting access and equity for communities or groups that experience disadvantage and marginalisation.
At Legal Aid WA we are committed to delivering services that are response, effective and client centred. Evaluating our services is key to ensuring they remain effective and meet the needs of our clients.