Seedling Series: Evaluating Systemic Change

This workshop introduces systemic change as both an orientation for how we work and an aspiration for what we aim to shift.

We surface common myths, rationales, and phases to build a shared foundation. From there, we explore how to co‑design an evaluation framework and process that centers on five elements: purpose, questions, criteria, evidence, and sensemaking. For each, we explore options and examples.

Using a design matrix, participants will craft an evaluation fit for their practice context or by using a teaching case. Participants will leave with shared language, practical tools, and collaborative approaches they can apply to evaluate real systemic change efforts.

The session will draw from Emily and Pablo's recent book, Evaluative Inquiry for Systemic Change, especially Chapters 4 and 5. We encourage you to purchase the e-book as a handy reference. Additionally, Emily and Pablo have a free series on Medium with the book's main ideas (and comics!).

This short course is offered in collaboration between Emily Gates, Pablo Vidueira, and School of System Change as part of the Seedling Series: short courses supporting changemakers to embrace complexity through discovering the diversity of systemic approaches and practitioners.

Is this course for me?

Seedling Series courses are for changemakers who want to learn to embrace complexity through discovering the diversity of systemic approaches and practitioners that exist in the field.

This short course is for you if you want to learn to:

• Distinguish systemic change and its implications from conventional program and policy evaluation
• Examine your and others’ assumptions and experiences with evaluation as creative fuel to do better
• Codesign an evaluation framework and process fit for a specific context that is rigorous, ethical, and useful
• Practice ways to bring funders, practitioners, and evaluators together

To maximise your learning, spaces on this cohort are limited. We encourage you to enrol as soon as you can to secure your place.

This course will run on Wednesday 15 July 2026 for 2 hours starting at 09:00 ET / 14:00 BST / 15:00 CEST / 18:30 IST.

You can join from anywhere in the world, so long as you can attend the times listed above.

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The School of System Change is continually working to improve the financial accessibility of our courses. For this course we offer three rates, and ask that you select the one that fits your financial situation. It is our hope that those able to afford the higher fees help us cover costs and support others to access the discounted rates.

Contribution Ticket: Regenerative - £55 GBP

Contribution Ticket: Supporter - £40 GBP

Contribution Ticket: Supported - £25 GBP

VAT does not apply.

Refund policy: Tickets are non-refundable but can be transferred to another participant.

We seek to create safe and brave spaces for participants from different backgrounds and lived experience to engage in learning together. We acknowledge the power and responsibility we hold in our role as a convenor and learning provider, placing multiple ways of knowing and awareness of difference as fundamental design principles in our programmes.

Read more about our commitment and journey around equity and difference.

Accessibility

If you will need additional support for your wellbeing or access needs, then please let us know as soon as possible, so we can factor this into our session design. You can let us know when you enrol or email us at [email protected] - we are happy to arrange a call to discuss how we can support your learning.

Enrolment is first come, first served until we reach our maximum cohort size, so we encourage you to enrol as soon as you can. Enrolment closes on Monday 18 July 2026 at 13:00 BST.

If the short course is full before the enrolment deadline, we will start a waiting list of those interested.

Refund policy: Tickets are non-refundable but can be transferred to another participant.

Any questions? Please get in touch with the School team at [email protected].

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