IPAA WA Awards recognise Boorloo Bidee Mia evaluation project

The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC) is proud to have been recognised at the 2025 Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) WA Achievement Awards for its contribution to the Monitoring and Evaluation of Boorloo Bidee Mia project.

The project received the Gold Award in the Australian Evaluation Society Award for Best Practice in Public Sector Evaluation category.

Meaning ‘Perth pathways to housing’ in the Whadjuk Noongar language, the Boorloo Bidee Mia (BBM) project offers low-threshold accommodation to individuals experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping, alongside tailored and responsive support services.

Commissioned by the WA Department of Communities, the BBM evaluation was undertaken by BCEC in partnership with the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI).

The evaluation examined the initial years of BBM’s operation, with the evaluation framework developed in consultation with two Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs): Wungening Aboriginal Corporation and Noongar Mia Mia.

From 2021 to 2024, BCEC and AHURI led the delivery of a comprehensive evaluation incorporating both process and summative evaluation components. This work included the development of a theory of change, an associated evaluation framework, implementation of the evaluation, and completion of a cost–benefit analysis.

The evaluation found the BBM program to be effective, appropriate and value for money, while also identifying key lessons and recommendations to support ongoing service improvement.