Research & Evaluation
We partner with communities, organizations, and institutions on research grounded in local priorities and shaped by lived experience: literature reviews, interviews and focus groups, evaluation frameworks, and findings written so people can act on them.
OUR APPROACHResearch That Serves Communities
Mentee's research practice is built on the belief that the best research is done with communities, not about them. We bring together rigorous methodology with culturally grounded approaches, ensuring that every project respects local knowledge, supports self-determination, and produces results that are useful and accessible.
Whether it's program evaluation, needs assessments, literature reviews, interviews and focus groups, or community-based participatory research, our team works alongside partners from design through to dissemination, turning data into stories and findings into research papers, strategic recommendations, and learning resources that drive meaningful change.
WHAT WE DOHow We Support Research
Community-Based Research
We support community-led research that centres local knowledge, lived experience, and self-determined priorities. Our approach ensures that research serves the people it's about, not the other way around.
Evaluation & Impact Assessment
We design evaluation frameworks and measures of impact, and translate complex findings into clear, visual reports that help organizations communicate results and make evidence-informed decisions.
Knowledge Mobilization
We help communities and organizations turn research into action by developing toolkits, infographics, training materials, and accessible resources that move knowledge from reports into practice.
Grant & Proposal Writing
We support organizations in writing research proposals, grant applications, and funding submissions, grounding each one in strong methodology, community context, and measurable outcomes.
FEATURED PROJECTThe SALMON Tool
Seabird Assessment for Learning, Mentorship & Ongoing Nurturing
The SALMON Tool is a culturally grounded teacher evaluation framework that Seabird Island Community School built with the Stó:lō Education Committee, its educators, families, and Elders.
Unlike conventional evaluation models, SALMON integrates cultural responsiveness as an essential component of effective teaching. It balances administrative oversight with teacher self-reflection and collaborative goal-setting. The tool uses the salmon life cycle as a metaphor for educator growth, reflecting the community's deep connection to the land and water systems that sustain them.
How the Community Built It
The community set the direction and checked the result at every step.
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Committee educators
Guided by the committee
Four Stó:lō educators on the Stó:lō Education Committee guided the work and held it to community values.
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Educators and staff
Gathering voices
Ten teachers, seven educational assistants, the Halq'eméylem curriculum developer, and the vice-principal were interviewed one to one. Families and Elders were part of the conversation too.
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Sub-themes, 4 themes
Making sense of it
What people said was coded and grouped into fourteen sub-themes and four themes. Committee members reviewed the drafts before anything was final.
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Pages
The SALMON Tool
The result is a 24-page tool for reflection, feedback, and goals set together, with Stó:lō culture and Halq'eméylem inside the criteria.
READ THE FULL DOCUMENTInside the SALMON Tool
Flip through all 24 pages right here, or download the PDF above.
Page 1 of 24
The research site tells the whole story, with films from the school and the research materials behind the tool.
Visit salmontool.com (opens in a new tab)Frequently asked questions
Still wondering about something specific? We're happy to talk it through.
Get in touchWhat is community-led research?
Research that a community shapes, not just sits inside of. The people involved help decide what's worth asking, how to ask it, and what happens with the answers. It takes more care at the start, and it produces findings people actually trust.
Who owns the data you collect?
You do. We put data ownership in writing before we collect anything, which matters especially in work with First Nations and Indigenous partners. It's your information, and your decision how it's used.
Do you do program evaluation?
Yes. We help organizations show funders what's actually changing, not just how many people showed up. Plain language, real outcomes, nothing padded.
Can you help with a community survey?
Yes. Interviews, talking circles, focus groups, and surveys, designed in language that fits the people you serve, with a flexible written option for people who prefer not to join a live session. We make a point of sharing results back with the people who contributed.