The Scarcest Resource...It is our willingness to listen to each other and to seek the truth rather than seek to be right.
Donella H Meadows, Author of Thinking in Systems
Some examples of changing the system, together...
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So often community run initiatives are so busy and stretched ‘doing the doing’ that they fail to pause and notice the impact and change that has resulted. For this reason, pleased to share this report ‘Locally led, centrally enabled’ on Porirua’s Te Roopu Tiaki Rangatahi initiative. This initiative has quietly built and maintained a collaboration between, local and central government agencies, funders and diverse community groups to support a rangatahi-led development across the Porirua community. No easy task.
As central and local governments agencies seek to increase local leadership and community engagement, with permission, I share this koha, to enable us all to learn collectively and help turn new slogans into practical impactful change.
I am most thankful to the partners and in particular David Hanna, Director Wesley Community Action for the opportunity to bring together their story and Te Hiko – Centre for Community Innovation for publishing the report.
Read the full report here.
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Whakawhanaungatanga
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“Whakawhanaungatanga” is literally translated as the process of “establishing relationships, relating to others” or metaphorically it is about connecting at both a physical and spiritual level. Whakawhanaungatanga was a multi-layered evolving project across approximately eighteen months (2017-2018), designed to explore what collaboration means and looks like at Te Taiwhenua O Heretaunga, TToH’s expression of collaboration. The Taiwhenua is the largest iwi provider of health, social, education, housing and Māori development services in the country holding over 100 contracts with 25 funding agencies.
We knew some amazing examples of collaboration happen organically, because relationships are good – we wanted to build on this and move to an environment of continuous conscious and intentional collaboration, with a view to delivering services for whānau optimally. Across a series of workshops we developed understanding of collaboration and collaborative working and begun the kōrero around a range of opportunities. As a result, we developed a collaborative governance and leadership approach across service lines. Moving into an implementation phase, using an interactive collaborative co-design approach within a collective impact framework, we worked with identified cluster groups of services to develop collective impact action plans for whānau populations.
We knew some amazing examples of collaboration happen organically, because relationships are good – we wanted to build on this and move to an environment of continuous conscious and intentional collaboration, with a view to delivering services for whānau optimally. Across a series of workshops we developed understanding of collaboration and collaborative working and begun the kōrero around a range of opportunities. As a result, we developed a collaborative governance and leadership approach across service lines. Moving into an implementation phase, using an interactive collaborative co-design approach within a collective impact framework, we worked with identified cluster groups of services to develop collective impact action plans for whānau populations.
Key elements of our design approach
Using a fit for purpose team collaboration survey that looked at a variety of identified parameters necessary for successful collaboration, we identified the current perceived state. We considered twelve parameters in total and these included: readiness to share information across teams, use of power and position for decision making, opportunities to share new ideas and perceived ability of teams to “actively listen”. We built capability and collective understanding of collaboration over a number of workshops. Finally, utilising a collective impact framework teams co-designed a “collective impact action plan” across clusters of services for a number of whānau populations. This provided a framework and pathway to consciously collaborate and has been well received at all levels across the organisation. We utilised a range of interactive exercises for each stage, including: articulating our why”, knowledge hunt inquiry and story-telling.
Culturally anchored in Te Ao Māori
Throughout, we have tested our ideas and approach with the Tikanga Māori Kaiārahi (Māori Cultural Advisor) and have never presumed ourselves as experts in the field. Our approach has been to humbly support and serve, and our focus has been for the fundamental aspects of engagement with whānau and practitioners:
1. To be culturally anchored practice in Te Ao Māori.
2. With the use of whanaungatanga as a tool to connect and build whānau capability.
This is underpinned with five effective practices: relationships, whānau rangatiratanga, capable workforce, whānau-led, and supportive environment.
We know that the paradigm and culture is a complex interaction of a wide range of parameters. Often the smallest of nudges can have major positive impact on the whole system. Sometimes this happens unconsciously, but we wanted to move to an environment where collaboration is conscious, deliberate and intentional, with a view to maximising the potential for whānau to deliver optimal outcomes.
This project responds to growing understanding that a collaborative, collective impact approach to service delivery is the way forward. In the concluding reflections of "Social Investment: A New Zealand Policy Experiment" (2018), Graham Scott notes, “The conclusion the committee reached was that a new model of service delivery is needed, based on the principles of collective impact” (page 10768). Collective Impact for whānau has been a key focus for Te Pou Matakana (the Whānau Ora commissioning agency for Te Ika a Māui (North Island)), who recognise that “in order to support whānau to achieve their goals, solutions must go beyond just one programme”.
1. To be culturally anchored practice in Te Ao Māori.
2. With the use of whanaungatanga as a tool to connect and build whānau capability.
This is underpinned with five effective practices: relationships, whānau rangatiratanga, capable workforce, whānau-led, and supportive environment.
We know that the paradigm and culture is a complex interaction of a wide range of parameters. Often the smallest of nudges can have major positive impact on the whole system. Sometimes this happens unconsciously, but we wanted to move to an environment where collaboration is conscious, deliberate and intentional, with a view to maximising the potential for whānau to deliver optimal outcomes.
This project responds to growing understanding that a collaborative, collective impact approach to service delivery is the way forward. In the concluding reflections of "Social Investment: A New Zealand Policy Experiment" (2018), Graham Scott notes, “The conclusion the committee reached was that a new model of service delivery is needed, based on the principles of collective impact” (page 10768). Collective Impact for whānau has been a key focus for Te Pou Matakana (the Whānau Ora commissioning agency for Te Ika a Māui (North Island)), who recognise that “in order to support whānau to achieve their goals, solutions must go beyond just one programme”.
The wider New Zealand context
The New Zealand Living Standards Framework and the inaugural “Wellbeing Budget”, as well as the legislative requirements of the “four well-beings” for New Zealand local authorities, provide an explicit collaboration agenda and call to work towards service integration. However, delivery has been slower and harder than anticipated, success stories intermittent and the contribution of not-for-profits to system-wide improvement often under valued. This work serves as a successful case study that demonstrates opportunities through collaboration across services within a well-established not-for-profit serving whānau in the Heretaunga region.
External facilitator: Nazanin Jenkin
TToH Client: Lewis Ratapu, General Manager, Business Growth & Design
TToH Client: Lewis Ratapu, General Manager, Business Growth & Design
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Te Ao Auahatanga Māori Health Innovations: Te Whare Pora
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Introduction
It has been my honour and privilege to work with some of the best of the best, facilitating an interactive and iterative process to collaboratively explore opportunities for delivery of health services taking a unique kaupapa Māori approach. I simply designed the framework and facilitated the process, and then the magic happened as the wealth of knowledge and experience in the room unfolded and came together. After two blocks across five intense contact days, the team have an early prototype that incorporates a variety of Māori whānau perspectives and can be taken to detailed design and implementation. Can’t wait to see this project come to its full fruition and demonstrate opportunities for new service delivery pathways, utilising Māori Tikanga, rhythms and approaches. In this particular project rāranga/weaving will be central. The idea is to bring whānau together around weaving and use weaving as a metaphor for life, to precipitate healing (implementation projected for late 2019).
This project is a three year pilot, funded through Te Ao Auahatanga Hauora Māori: the Māori Health Innovation Fund 2018-2022, Ministry of Health.
This project is a three year pilot, funded through Te Ao Auahatanga Hauora Māori: the Māori Health Innovation Fund 2018-2022, Ministry of Health.
Our Approach: Design Sprints
Working with the Stanford d.school Design Thinking process, we focused on inquiry and listening to find new insights.
Essential Aspects of Design Thinking
In this project we also included two refinement days, which provided opportunity to take time to reflect and return with new insights. We also took time to test our ideas with wider whānau groups taking a slower and deeper story-telling approach. We considered: "desirability, feasibility and viability",, and "impact for whānau vs.ease of implementation". We developed a whānau journey map of the “moments that matter” and populated opportunities to “respond” to these moments keeping the core ideas presented through the prototypes central.
Moving forward, the project will be supported with a steering group, project team and research/evaluator. Detailed design of processes, systems and delivery options to be considered – with input from service delivery leads, an established local weaver, and whānau. Implementation is targeted for later in 2019, but subject to a range of variables. It is anticipated that this three year pilot programme will be a phased implementation process, with iterations to approach and service options evolving over time, utilising “the moments that matter” as an anchoring point for decision making and services to be delivered. We anticipate that “the moments that matter” will remain, but through a new and unique Te Ao Māori delivery approach, the journeys and stories of whānau will change over time.
Essential Aspects of Design Thinking
- Empathy (human-centered: reframing the business need as a human need, moving from desk-top solutions to whānau driven solutions)
- Ideation (generating a lot of ideas, then coming to a point of view)
- Experimentation (testing and prototyping)
- The principles align to Te Ao Māori values (though the approach is different)
- Identifying the “moments that matter” in this context: Focusing on collating whānau voices and stories, in brief
- Blue Sky Thinking: Identifying future opportunities and prototypes and not being constrained by the past or present systems and processes
- Prototyping and testing our ideas in real time
In this project we also included two refinement days, which provided opportunity to take time to reflect and return with new insights. We also took time to test our ideas with wider whānau groups taking a slower and deeper story-telling approach. We considered: "desirability, feasibility and viability",, and "impact for whānau vs.ease of implementation". We developed a whānau journey map of the “moments that matter” and populated opportunities to “respond” to these moments keeping the core ideas presented through the prototypes central.
Moving forward, the project will be supported with a steering group, project team and research/evaluator. Detailed design of processes, systems and delivery options to be considered – with input from service delivery leads, an established local weaver, and whānau. Implementation is targeted for later in 2019, but subject to a range of variables. It is anticipated that this three year pilot programme will be a phased implementation process, with iterations to approach and service options evolving over time, utilising “the moments that matter” as an anchoring point for decision making and services to be delivered. We anticipate that “the moments that matter” will remain, but through a new and unique Te Ao Māori delivery approach, the journeys and stories of whānau will change over time.
External facilitator: Nazanin Jenkin
TToH Client: Lewis Ratapu, General Manager, Business Growth & Design
TToH Client: Lewis Ratapu, General Manager, Business Growth & Design
Te Whare Pora Open Day was 14 January 2020 (pictures below) see here
Also see:
Te Whare Pora Blessing
Weaving - a means to unite whānau", Hawkes Bay Today Article (29 July 2019)
Also see:
Te Whare Pora Blessing
Weaving - a means to unite whānau", Hawkes Bay Today Article (29 July 2019)
Te Whare Pora Open Day, 14 Jan 2020
Some members of of the Design Team
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Weaving whānau wellness - Raranga samples on display
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Tāne and Whānau are integrated into the journey and story
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Karakia o Hine te iwaiwa (Prayer to Hine te iwaiwa)
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Complexity is the science of uncertainty (Stacey, 2010). It is a multidisciplinary science that argues that the reality of the living world is complex, uncertain, and changing (Boulton et al. 2015;28).
...Let us start with a few principles:
-Change is the norm
-Things are entangled
-Effects may escalate
-Radical change may happen accidently
-Large change may have little effect
-The future is unknowable
Summarised from Leadership in Complexity and Change : For a world in Constant Motion by Sharon Varney (ref pages19-20)
Collaboration and Partnerships Systems Change Strategist