ABSTRACT
The term 'Indigenous evaluation' is so new to the Alaskan program evaluation landscape that most people have never heard of it. James Johnson III currently hold a certification for Rural Human Services (RHS) from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) obtained in spring 2009. RHS is a two-year certification program created to educate rural counselors with skills to approach substance abuse and mental health issues in Alaska Native communities. The program uniquely blends Alaska Native values, principles, and learning styles with Western knowledge in its curriculum and delivery. One logistical challenge for evaluation in Alaska is that most rural communities are not connected to the road system and it is costly to visit them. Alaska's context is unique and shows the need for Indigenous evaluation as a model for tailoring evaluation standards to Alaska Native programs. To further develop Indigenous evaluation capacity, Sandy Kerr just completed a Fulbright award in Alaska for the 2011/2012 academic year.
