How to use

These CVE evaluation terms are drawn from the National Evaluation Guide for Countering Violent Extremism Project Planners.

Activities: The use of resources to meet CVE objectives

Countering Violent Extremism (CVE): Violent extremism refers to the willing use or support of unlawful violence to promote political, ideological or religious goals. Countering violent extremism (CVE) involves a broad range of initiatives that seek to prevent individuals becoming or remaining violent extremists, and addresses the social impacts of violent extremism. CVE is only one aspect of Australia’s approach to addressing the risk of terrorism.

CVE Intervention: Activities and associated processes that seek to divert individuals at risk of becoming violent extremists and activities that rehabilitate and/or reintegrate violent extremists.

Evaluation: Any structured evidence-based analysis that draws together data (quantitative and/or qualitative) to answer questions about CVE programs. This is a broad definition that covers a range of evaluative activity. At one end of the scale are internal program/project reviews. At the other end of the scale are detailed whole-of-government program outcome evaluations. In between the extremes sit a variety of evaluative activities that may focus on a subset of outcome domains, or focus on implementation processes or outputs rather than outcomes.

Indicator: Identifies and measures, quantitatively or qualitatively, the state of an outcome.

Monitoring: The reporting at regular intervals of how CVE programs are achieving and delivering the required activities and outputs and outcomes of a program.

Objectives: Overarching goals that provide strategic direction to the broad range of programs and activities that constitute the CVE strategy.

Outputs: Direct products of CVE activities; evidence that a program or initiative was actually implemented.

Outcomes: The actual or expected consequences of a program, policy or initiative e.g. changes in participants’ knowledge, behaviour, skills, status, and level of functioning, as a result of the program policy and initiative. Outcomes should indicate who the subject of the activity is and how they are affected by the program.

Program: A set of activities, above and beyond usual services, that uses resources to counter violent extremism. The National Evaluation Guide uses the term Program to refer to any program, policy, project, strategy or initiative.

Program logic: A diagrammatic ‘map’ of the key elements that constitute the program, other key factors, and how they are expected to contribute to the intended outcomes.

Theory of change: The understanding of the key causal relationships that bring about desired outcomes.