The South Australian West Coast ACCHO Network (SAWCAN) research framework is a regional initiative designed to strengthen community-led, culturally appropriate research across Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) in South Australia.
Developed as a collaborative model across five ACCHOs, the framework centralises research governance, establishes clear principles grounded in Aboriginal ways of knowing, being, and doing, and ensures research is aligned with community priorities. It places strong emphasis on data sovereignty, ethical practice, and delivering tangible benefits to communities. The SAWCAN approach aims to improve the quality, relevance, and impact of research while reducing administrative burden on local services.
HealthQ Consulting was engaged to deliver a comprehensive evaluation of SAWCAN’s collaborative research framework, applying our structured evaluation methodology to assess appropriateness, effectiveness, and sustainability.
Our approach combined targeted analysis with stakeholder engagement to generate practical, evidence-based insights grounded in both data and operational experience.
We implemented a mixed-methods evaluation framework, including:
This methodology enabled HealthQ to develop a holistic understanding of both the design and performance of the SAWCAN approach. Stakeholder engagement was a key feature of the evaluation, ensuring insights reflected diverse perspectives across governance, research, and operational roles.
HealthQ applied a structured assessment framework focused on appropriateness, effectiveness and impact, and sustainability, supporting a clear understanding of current performance and future potential.
The evaluation demonstrated that the SAWCAN research framework is delivering meaningful improvements in the governance and quality of research across the region. A key achievement included that the framework had strong alignment with community control, data sovereignty, and culturally appropriate research principles.
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