Implementing an evidence-informed innovation strategy with Bethany Community Services

Young group of students in an arts and crafts class

Bethany Community Services has a long history of delivering much needed community support and educational services to children, families, and individuals in the western regional area of Victoria, Australia. The organisation has developed an ambitious plan to embed evidence in practice across all areas of service delivery by using innovative methods, aiming to lead the way in building capacity and competency in the delivery of excellence in community services. 

To support this strategy, CEI has partnered with Bethany to design and develop an evidence-informed practice framework and will support staff to lead a staged roll-out using Implementation Science principles and techniques. The framework will be developed using the ‘Common Elements’ approach so that it is driven by common elements of practices that exist within the organisation and the evidence base as well as practitioner expertise and client values and preferences.

An implementation plan will drive a roll out of the framework across the organisation including training, coaching, and implementation support so that evidence-informed practice is embedded as ‘business as usual’. CEI is providing advice and coaching support to increase Bethany’s capacity for active monitoring and evaluation for impact through an internal evaluation of the strategy and an outcomes framework across the organisation. By supporting Bethany’s development of a learning culture and climate that supports ongoing learning and continuous quality improvement, CEI will assist Bethany to remain an innovative and evidence-informed organisation well into the future, and a leader in the sector.