Systems Changers - Lankelly Chase Programme by The Point People

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER Starters

2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Letters from the editors The contributors Insights Why Systems Changers? What is systems change? About severe & multiple disadvantage The programme

In person

15 16 18

Five tips on how to be a systems changer Don’t be discouraged by ‘no’ Systems change insights The advice column

Features

20 22

THE POWER OF STORIES Why frames matter Frames and labels: personal experiences

24 26

PROTOTYPING CHANGE Prototyping 101 Protoyping: personal experiences

28 30

SYSTEMS MAPPING To map or not to map Systems mapping: personal experiences

Endnotes

32 33 33 34

Scaling outcomes The suprises The one conversation The road ahead

WHY THE PROGRAMME?

CASSIE ROBINSON Programme Lead for Systems Changers &Co-Founder of the Point People.

“The role of a creative designer

ALICE EVANS Director of Systems Change, Lankelly Chase

didn’t want the emphasis to sit too

people materials to create a physical

will change from one that provides

heavily on their individual journeys

space back in their work places and

a solution to a question to one that

and growth. Similarly whilst we didn’t

encouraged them to include colleagues

understands the systems and creates a

want to design something like a social

in what they were doing and visibly

creative place for them to evolve their

innovator incubator programme we did

show and document it.

own solutions.”

need to do some prototyping and use

With such a focus on insights

some design-lead methods so that we

the whole programme was scaffolded

Kevin Slavin, Feb

could create friction to generate fresh

by a learning framework. We had

2016, MIT

insights.

Learning Partners for each participant

When we began the work of

space and tension for insights to

support the frontline workers to turn

It was a challenge to hold the

who had regular calls and visits to

There are two voices that are

are included in these discussions, but

in the North East and North West of

designing the Systems Changers

surface with a group of people who like

their observations into insights. We

consistently the most insightful about

frontline workers are rarely part of

England, areas shown in the Hard

programme it really felt like a dream

to problem solve and get things done.

designed an approach using three

the change needed within systems. One

them. Instead we pay thousands, if not

Edges Research, to have significant

brief. It meant that we could start

It was a challenge to know what this

lenses, so that people’s reflections

voice that is, rightly, widely recognised

millions, to research and consultancy

levels of people with severe and

to think about how to design for

first version of the programme wasn’t,

centred around three sets of questions:

as needing to be heard; the voice of

firms to tell us what frontline workers

multiple disadvantage.

collective intelligence across a system.

rather than know exactly what it was.

what the insights meant for them as

people with lived experience. The

already know. The voice of the

Two years earlier we had launched

We were very lucky that the cohort

an individual in their work, what they

second is much less recognised, the

frontline worker is usually absent.

one of the most interesting and exciting

www.systemschangers.com and

embraced the ambiguity and emergent

meant for their organisations and what

pieces of work that we’ve funded.

recognised that the voices of these

nature of the programme as it evolved.

they meant for the wider systems in

have views? Or because they aren’t

Each participant has brought their own

Systems Changers were that of systems

implementers of government policy, the

interested in being involved in such

experience, their own personal career

architects. They only represented one

arose as to whether the label System

meant that the frontline workers

guardians of services, the collectors of

debates? Or maybe they feel powerless

history and their passion onto the

type of actor in systems change. This

Changer meant that they were the

developed as reflexive practitioners

data and the supporters of people with

and voiceless within the system

programme. We’ve been challenged,

programme with Lankelly Chase gave

people responsible for “doing” the

able to look at different parts of the

lived experience. They’re an invaluable

alongside people with lived experience?

amazed and inspired in equal measure

us the opportunity to give voice to

system change or not. Our view was

system and see their insights having

part of the system of welfare in the UK.

Maybe they don’t have the skills to

by all of them. Their combination of

another, equally important actor, the

that it should be possible for frontline

potential impact in different contexts.

We all rely and benefit every day and in

engage in the debate? Or perhaps they

energy, knowledge and an unrelenting

Frontline Worker.

workers to contribute to the process of

different ways from the work they do.

aren’t asked?

commitment to the individuals they

voice of the frontline practitioner. Frontline workers are the

Their experience in delivering services

Why? Is it because they don’t

It certainly isn’t because they

For me, this programme has been

The question that we set out to

For some people the question

which they work or are a part. This

systems change through providing their

All of the documentation,

support, is powerful and their voices

answer was: Can, and how can, the

insights irrespective of whether they

observations and insights that were

are ones that should listened to.

insights of frontline workers influence

were also involved in the “doing”. We

generated during the sessions, in

systems change?

wanted the programme to be designed

the learning calls and on the visits

for both. Those that wanted to “do” the

were fed into the Learning Lab. This

is invaluable. Yet their voice is rarely

aren’t interested in being involved in

heard. Instead, managers and chief

these debates; that they don’t care about

executives speak for them, representing

the future of services. Every frontline

their views without the immediacy of

worker I have met is passionate and

systems changing and those that wanted

was a physical space, with materials

day-to-day experience.

committed – you have to be to work in

and capture the insights of the frontline

to share their insight but not act upon it

all over the walls that were built up

sectors where pay is low and conditions

workers as an important and vital

directly.

over time. The materials were the

can sometimes be challenging.

component of bringing about systems

In designing the programme we

change. In designing for this we knew

wanted to ensure that the participants

looking at the themes and patterns of

Discussions happen every day about the future of the welfare state, public sector transformation,

We really wanted to articulate

Coming into Lankelly Chase with

result of regular synthesis sessions

service design and where efficiencies

a remit to focus on our role in creating

that the programme shouldn’t be a

experienced a variety of different work

the insights across the whole cohort,

could be made. The people having

the conditions for systems to change, I

traditional leadership or personal

situations, perspectives and types of

and understanding the potential of

these discussions are usually

wanted to find a way to give voice and

development programme but that it also

expert input. Accordingly, we included

how and where the insights could

commissioners, chief executives,

opportunity to frontline workers to

couldn’t jump straight into solutionism

field trips to other organisations, we

influence systems change. You will find

think thanks, politicians and civil

share their insights. Supported by the

and action. We needed to design for

had themed sessions for people to

a summary of those insights on the

servants. Increasingly (though not

trustees, we commissioned The Point

surfacing insights and seeing what the

learn about practical methods and

following pages and we know that these

always), people with lived experience

People to deliver Systems Changers

insights meant collectively.

tools (for mapping, ethnography,

are just the first of many that frontline

designing andmore) and we had talks

workers can, and should be, continually

programme were about personal

from experts. It was really important

feeding into how services and systems

development - we had coaching and

the cohorts organisations were also a

are shaped.

peer coaching set up throughout, we

part of their journey and so we gave

Whilst elements of the

STARTERS : LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

INSIGHTS

But changing the system requires more than

THE ORGANISATION

those skills alone. It also needs: networking with powerful people and knowing how to influence them (being politically savvy); analysis (and knowing what to do with it); the capacity and knowledge to implement largescale change effectively; leadership skills, especially for complex teams; empathy and insight, including about those people who resist change; knowing how to challenge effectively; judgement, and the confidence

Over the course of 6 months the Systems

to use it; continuous learning and reflection

Changers worked with Learning Partners from

and the humility to apply it; knowing how to

the Point People team between sessions to

building a compelling vision - and how to sell

surface their observations and insights. The

it; and mapping impact (or being honest about

Learning Lab, a physical space in Manchester

the lack of it).

became the home for grouping and analysing

There is also an opportunity to skill up

those insights into themes, some of which are

FWs in understanding technology and data

documented below.

which would enable them to build system capacity for the future and have a more open access route to questioning existing

THE INDIVIDUAL

paradigms. It would also help to overcome the traditional literacy divide and shift power down and across the system. Lastly, Myron

THE NEED FOR BUILDING LEGITIMACY. Frontline Workers (“FWs”) need to establish their legitimacy as valid agents of system change and for others to value this. This requires them to develop their identity and to build trust with their colleagues. It also requires them to be confident in their own ability to develop an evolving identity within the system: “It’s about changing roles not leaving the system” and “can you be a Systems Changer from inside the system?” However, language and labels in the system can make FWs feel excluded from power. They often bring to their role a fixed set of beliefs about who they are and what they are capable of. Examples include: “I left school at 16…” and thinking of everyone else around them as “the experts….”. The Systems Changers looked for ways to gain validity and to build trust through things like attending other people’s meetings and seeking to understand commissioners.In doing so, they encountered some obstacles, including a fear of loss of control from middle and senior line managers and confusion about how a Systems Changer’s role intersects with that of a line manager. A further challenge is the need to work with middle managers at the same time to create the permission and space to operate.

Rogers, the Systems Thinker who has been engaged in the leadership, design and delivery of large-scale strategic change efforts in the private and public sectors throughout the world, talks about “keep connecting the system to more of itself” and technology offers tools to be able to do this more frequently, more efficiently and more democratically.

THIS IS AN EMERGENT WAY OF WORKING THAT HAS, AS YET, NO SHARED LANGUAGE, METAPHORS OR CONCEPTS. The Systems Changers talked in similar ways about the service delivery models that they want to move towards but they currently lack any shared metaphors for describing how these new models will look and feel. For example, one metaphor used for a specialist/acute/emergency model was “We need a High Octane team...”; but the System Changers need to have the time and space to work differently with people and actually work out what this type of team might do and how it might do it in practice. They felt that staying in the experimental prototyping mindset is hard: - it’s easy to slip back into “delivery-mode”and let their own biases and preferences take charge. Overall, the need is for a reflective, generative space in which difficult questions can be explored and helpful answers might emerge.

BUILDING CAPACITY - THE SKILLS THAT FRONTLINE WORKERS NEED (AND OTHERS WORKING IN THE SYSTEM). FWs are skilled at listening, advocacy, problem solving, and making things work.

STARTERS : INSIGHTS

THE SYSTEM CAN BENEFIT FROM USING THE FRONTLINE WORKERS’ KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF HOW TO MANAGE RISK. FWs bring a set of unique skills to the way that services are delivered, which need to inform how the whole system operates at scale. This includes how frontline workers handle and think about risk, how they deal with power authentically, how they use responsibility in a healthy way, how they stay aware of organisational needs versus their client needs and how they act in an asset-focused not problem focused way. For example, at a senior level in an organisation relationship to risk is about containing it, and providing services so as to manage it. Middle management is all about how to avoid risk and monitor it. FWs are actually holding all the risk and know how to do that. They have an inherent understanding about where that lies and how to work with it.

Individual

Organisation

ESTABLISHING CLEAR ROLES (AND ROLE MODELS) FOR FRONTLINE WORKERS AS AGENTS OF SYSTEM CHANGE WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. FWs are a key lever for both bottom-up and top-down change. A challenge is to reposition them - from not only being deliverers and implementers to being “suppliers of policy intelligence, holders of risk and movement builders.” These different roles and ways of acting need to be made visible. Currently ‘mavericks’ are the only example given when people talk about change. However, being in it for the long-term leads to a different quality of decision making and action for those they are working with (who need consistency and trust baked into their interactions and participation in services) - with more vulnerability, personal investment and grit. Additionally, FWs don’t want to step out of their services - being part of it seems essential to doing system change right. They feel they would lose validity or a sense of what needed to change if they weren’t still linked in to clients. They also have a greater sense of their own power to directly change lives. Making these approaches tangible would demonstrate the difference between evolution and revolution and where Systems Changers need to put the emphasis in their everyday work.

Wider System

THE SPACE TO ACT ON SYSTEMS CHANGE IS INHERENTLY CONSTRAINED. The commissioning and funding structures force frontline work and service delivery into a reactive space where it is difficult to run experiments that can highlight where and how to keep creating change in the system. Other current constraints include having the time and space to do anything different, navigating how to step back whilst managing the day-to-day crisis, a lack of money for strategic problem solving tools and mentorship and restrictive targets and aims - criteria and thresholds means that there is a lack of steps to measure before outcomes.

SERVICES SQUARE PEG SERVICES Access is not the issue. The highest risk clients access the lowest threshold services. Those are not necessarily what they need. Is the problem that clients cannot access services or that services cannot access clients – ie meet them where they are and with their often multiple needs? When those needs are complex and acute some clients can seem too ‘risky’ for services. Individual services are accountable for a specific user need. Housing only looks at housing, drug and alcohol services only look at that and so on. And often access to one service is dependent on completing with another e.g. no mental health assessment till someone is off drink. The result is that nobody can take responsibility for tough clients. Whatever the ‘service’ offering, humans in distress require relationships. There are few incentives in existing systems to encourage the emergence of long-standing supportive relationships. If anything the opposite is true as cuts drive a ‘light touch’ approach with individuals who need much more than that. THE FRAME IS OUTDATED AND DEFINED THROUGH THE WRONG LENS “What’s statutory isn’t what’s needed.” Services – particularly statutory services – are defined around problems. That is already a choice that makes it more difficult to consider assets and favours a ‘fix or maintain’ frame rather than a ‘change or transform’ frame. It is also a choice that privileges those who get to define the problem. Is it the service provider (or statutory funder) or the service user? When the service provider then goes on to elaborate on the problem definition with

detailed criteria and thresholds to qualify for

the needs and desires of the other actors in the

the service the power in the framing is all the

system go?

more evident – to the extent that the provider effectively ‘owns’ the client. That makes the client’s own resources for recovery all the more difficult to access and mobilise. “There is a key difference between services that maintain people’s lives and those that change people’s lives.”

THE NEED TO TRANSCEND FRAGMENTATION “ Inherent ambiguity in words like coordination,collaboration, partnership. There is agreement about centrality of relationships in creating change but knowing this is not the same as knowing how to structure them so they yield transformative results.” The drivers and incentives for fragmentation are pervasive. There is competition between large and small service providers and between statutory and voluntary services. Different professions have different targets and indicators to achieve – eg clinicians and frontline service providers. Austerity has highlighted some of the incentives in the system. Saving money has started to trump other values and is heightening competition for funds. Economic incentives are assumed to be the most efficient way to coordinate diverse systems, including people’s own lives – eg sanctions as a way to force people back to work. What is the deeper purpose in the system that might be articulated and around which the services could configure and to which the other incentives in the system might then be subordinate?

THE SYSTEM IT’S NOT ONLY ABOUT THE USERS NEEDS, IT’S ABOUT THE SYSTEMS’ NEEDS TOO. WE ARE ALL PART OF THE SYSTEM. Frontline Workers are experts in why user insight matters; a challenge is that because absolute priority is given to the voice of those with lived experience it can distort the discernment about which insights could be best used, and how and where. Whilst the need to privilege and rebalance the system to hear user insights is essential, the conversation needs to be more nuanced than that. It needs to think about all the different users in the system and how those needs, pressures, obligations and demands become orchestrated. If we centre too much around one set of needs, where do

FINDING FLEX IN THE SYSTEM Part of being able to change a system means not only being able to see the system (perceive it and make sense of it) but also to know about its rules and constraints. Frontline Workers need greater awareness and understanding of the ‘absolute immovable rules’ versus the ‘discretionary rules’ within their roles and organisations. For some of the FW the Systems Changers programme helped them find where flex was by giving them understanding of where rules and regulation come from. Knowing the background to these rules gave them better judgement of whether there was flex to change them or not. Alongside the rules and regulation if FW had a greater conceptualisation of what data is collected across systems on their clients then that would also give them more literacy about how and where to flex the system. Additionally, because there is not enough clear information across services about what’s working, and what isn’t - and where there is any information, it can take too long to filter through, the intelligence on where to flex, pivot or adapt the system is weak and as a result there is poor awareness of unintended consequences. NEW AREAS IN WHICH FRONTLINE WORKERS HAVE A DISTINCT OFFER FOR SYSTEMS CHANGE “ I’m motivated like they are [government people] - but I’m doing it from a different angle.” Systems change can’t be done with a projectbased approach - what’s required is to build R&D capacity and mobilise movements of civil servants, practitioners and ordinary people. Within that, FW have an important role because they bring a different type of power. If FW link up across organisations at the frontline, they bring a lateral networked power. The frontline also has access to the stories behind the data and can generate a very different way of tying the micro to the macro and bringing data alive. They are also points within the system that can act as feedback loops at a more granular level. As Myron Rogers said “people who do the work do the change.” And being at the frontline means that these workers have an intelligence and insight into the day to day functioning of the system that is invaluable in shaping how the system changes.

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

THE

CONTRIBUTORS STEPHANIE ADAMS Water Street Accommodation Scheme for Females and Families, Carlisle City Council. Carlisle Water Street works to support women and families.

STEPHANIE ADAMS Carlisle IAIN DONNELLY, GEMMA WALDRON CHARLOTTE HUNTER Newcastle JOE KEMETMULLER Sunderland TRACY WRIGHT Darlington CHRIS WOODWARD Rochdale CHRISTA MACIVER & MATTHEW KIDD Manchester JOANNE HURST Liverpool

IAIN DONNELLY Project Worker, Changing Lives, Newcastle Changing Lives works with people who are or have been experiencing homelessness, are recovering from addiction or are moving on from offending. They also deliver specialist women’s and family services. CHARLOTTE HUNTER Senior Family Support Worker, Ridley Villas. Changing Lives, Newcastle Ridley Villas is an abstinence based residential unit based in Newcastle for women who are in recovery from addiction who are working towards, or are living with their children and when ready, are supported to move on to independent accommodation. JOANNE HURST Supported Housing and Resettlement Worker, The Whitechapel Centre, Liverpool The Whitechapel Centre exists to prevent and resolve homelessness, social exclusion and housing poverty by providing practical, realistic, tailored support. JOE KEMETMULLER Adult Multiple Needs Coordinator for Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) Sunderland The MEAM initiative aims to coordinate support for service users with multiple and complex need in order to produce better outcomes, reduce costs locally and develop and improve multi-agency practice.

STARTERS : THE CONTRIBUTORS

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

MATTHEW KIDD Director, Community Led Initiatives. Manchester Community Led Initiatives aims to transform the lives of those who face social exclusion by creating opportunities to change. CHRISTA MACIVER Advocacy Worker & Researcher. Justlife, Manchester Justlife works with people who are ‘Close to the Streets’ in order to make people’s experience of housing vulnerability as short, safe and healthy as possible. GEMMA WALDRON Temporary Accommodation Manager. Newcastle City Council. Newcastle The Temporary Accommodation Service (TAS), provides temporary accommodation to meet the Council’s duties under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996. The TAS helps to provide the foundations for long term stability by offering support and working collaboratively with other partners to jointly plan and deliver support packages. CHRIS WOODWARD Service User Involvement Worker, Petrus. Rochdale Petrus exists to support a wide range of people in housing need and develop their skills, independence and choice. TRACY WRIGHT Operations Manager, First stop Darlington. Darlington First Stop provides information, advice, support and onward referral to those who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless, or who are socially excluded.

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

WHY SYSTEMS CHANGERS? CHRISTA MACIVER There is a disconnect between frontline work and policy-makers. I first came across the reality of this problem when doing research for a MA dissertation, during which I realised that often decisions made by policy-makers are not necessarily formed as a result of input from the frontline, nor because of what is best both short-term and longterm for service users. It often seemed that policy-makers did not even have experience of the frontline or of what reality was like for the individuals who would be affected by their policies. This is a serious problem, especially with the reality of true poverty existing all across the UK. This programme appealed to me because it recognised this disconnect and challenged it. How do the insights of frontline workers affect systems change? If true and holistic change is to happen, this question needs to be asked, and frontline workers need to be included in answering it. I felt this programme would help to bridge the gap by both highlighting the voices of frontline workers, and also equipping us to have the most effective conversations in order to have our voices heard. This is essential for changing systems, not only for individuals facing multiple and complex needs, but across the board. These are the reasons I felt that this was a brilliant opportunity not to pass up. MATTHEW KIDD I applied to the programme because I’d already spent many hours reflecting on the ways in which the system fails to respond to the needs of individuals facing multiple disadvantage. I’d encountered negative and toxic cultures and ineffective practices within workplaces, which were never

STARTERS : WHY SYSTEMS CHANGERS

questioned or challenged. I saw many

didn’t want to apply. I have been

services that continued to receive large

underwhelmed by training previously

amounts of public money despite poor

and was maybe a bit lazy and

experiences and poor outcomes for the

judgemental because of that. An

majority of their end users. I saw many

overdose of cynicism had stopped

frontline workers become demoralised

me in the past. I realised that if I was

and disempowered by the system,

going to be a sulky teenager about any

because they felt unable to work in

opportunities, things would pass me by.

a way that was conducive to lasting

So I applied.

change and responsive to need. I think that as a frontline worker

However, any application that asks me to draw a picture as its opening

it can be hard to remain positive when

request piques my interest, and this one

you feel like the odd one out; when it

did when I actually pulled my cynical

seems all the big decisions are made

finger out to apply. I was intrigued by

by a nameless, faceless and heartless

how different the application process

person in an ivory tower; when attempts

was. It had colour.

to work with service users in an innovative or creative way are met with distrust. As people who’d experienced these frustrations, but still felt change was possible, the programme gave us a safe space to talk about our experiences and our passion. It felt mysterious and different, although none of us knew exactly what we were signing up for, we left the first residential with a real sense of the possible.

IAIN DONNELLY In the public sector, I have seen the impact of strategies being implemented, which were designed by people with no involvement in the system itself, either as practitioners or as service users. The results can often be at best useless & at worst damaging. At first glance, it seems blindingly obvious that these groups (the practitioners and the users) will have the most insight into what works and what doesn’t. There is a bit of a caveat to all this, as a frontline worker, my view is as subjective as anyone else’s, but this is why the System Changer’s programme is so vital. The System Changers programme saw me make quite a sea change in my assessment of what was happening within a system. Without that reassessment, our evaluation of a system can be as biased and ill informed as anyone else’s. Without the experience of the training, my observations and theories about what was happening would have remained fairly blinkered and limited. The programme gave me the opportunity to change that way of thinking, and to share those changes with others. To be honest, the main reason I initially applied was because I

Individual

Organisation

GEMMA WALDRON I have worked in the public sector for over 10 years and always in frontline services, supporting vulnerable adults and families. This has provided me with a unique insight into how systems interplay with the people they are designed for. However, there hasn’t always been the opportunity to routinely share ‘practice wisdom’. This is the same for many of my frontline peers. It’s not that there is unwillingness from either frontline workers or policy makers and commissioners to collaborate, it is more that we don’t always create the ‘space’ to reflect, learn and evaluate together. The System Changers programme seemed like an opportunity for frontline workers to have space to think and reflect. When I was offered the opportunity to apply for Systems Changers there was no doubt that I wanted to take part. It was perfect timing! I work for an organisation that I consider to be a champion of system change and that has a lead role in promoting public sector reform, but I also see how dysfunctional systems and the players involved in them, can at times compound and reinforce negative experiences resulting in lots of potential being wasted. The programme has been a chance to meet other like -minded people who often consider themselves to be the ‘lone nut’. It has helped to give legitimacy and agency to a group of frontline workers who needed to have an opportunity to channel their ideas and develop skills that could help to influence change.

Wider System

CHRIS WOODWARD I have worked as a frontline worker for 15 years and I have witnessed a great deal of change over this period. We are all working in rapidly changing worlds with the pace of change gathering momentum, due largely to external forces on the very systems we work in. My experience tells me that systems have become increasingly complex and difficult to manoeuvre your way around. I feel that many of the current systems we work in fail to address the needs of those service users they were intended to meet when they were first designed. We need to re-evaluate how systems are meeting service users’ needs, looking at systems through different perspectives. Being part of the System Changers programme has given me the opportunity to learn new skills and tools that I can apply in my role as a frontline worker to have a greater impact with my work with service users who have experienced homelessness and multiple disadvantages. JOE KEMETMULLER I had been discussing development opportunities with colleagues and had been looking at the obvious area of management type courses, which would help me with my personal progression and career development. However, my primary focus was and continues to be on systemic issues that hinder progression and compromise safety for multiple and complex needs service users. For a number of years up until around June 2014 I had worked as an outreach/project worker in addictions and homelessness. Since then I have been employed as the multiple & complex-needs (MCN) coordinator for the Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) initiative in Sunderland. Within this role I continue to some degree to be ‘on the frontline’ and to work with many of the service users I came to know well from my previous employment. Now my work focuses to a far greater extent on the systemic problems affecting these cases and collaborating with project workers, service managers and commissioners to seek solutions. An email regarding System Changers was sent to me via Homeless Link and it was perfect timing. I gathered from the info available and the style

of the application process, that the

from different areas of work could

system changers initiative would be an

come together and listen and learn from

innovative approach to systems design

each other.

focused on the perspectives of frontline workers in contrast to the more traditional ‘top-down’ approaches.

CHARLOTTE HUNTER I applied to System Changers because I felt there was a gap in the system for support around women and their recovery including keeping families together. I felt this programme needed to happen in order to ensure women and families are fully supported. JOANNE HURST I felt the programme needed to happen because changes to the welfare system like the bedroom tax and benefit sanctions have been making things worse for the vulnerable people I work with. Also, funding cuts for councils mean that in addition to adding to the suffering of the most vulnerable, smaller charities feel the impact with increasing workload and stress. I also saw that there needed to be more effective and appropriate communication between practitioners. I experienced places like probation & mental health services operating like a closed shop when it came to sharing information -- putting other agencies at risk and also denying us a better understanding of the client. Given all this, I wanted to make changes on a higher level than I was doing. That’s why I applied. To gain the insight, knowledge and network that would hopefully give me the ability to make change myself and give insight into how change is actually made. STEPHANIE ADAMS I felt the programme needed to happen because it is important for frontline workers to give their point of view on how things are being run. A frontline worker experiences first hand what it is like to work with decisions often made by people higher up in the system who will never see the consequences of what they decide. It is important for frontline workers, who have to implement these decisions, to have their say on how the system can be improved and to give feedback on the effects these important decisions have on their clients. The programme also needed to happen so a group of frontline workers

TRACY WRIGHT To be completely honest I applied for the programme a couple of days before the deadline. It was sent to me by someone who helps our charity put funding bids together and he had come across it on a Lankelly Chase site. I put something together with my CEO and sent it off, not really thinking it would go anywhere and that I would probably not get any further than the first stage. To give you some insight, at that time in my working life, I was very disillusioned with my job. I was probably burnt out. I constantly felt as though I was swimming upstream and not making much progress within the workplace, or with our clients. Our team as a whole felt disjointed and morale was pretty low, so when I received an e-mail to attend an interview in Newcastle, again I went with no pre-conceived ideas. After the interview I still had little understanding of what the course entailed but thought why not? I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Again to be honest I also thought it’d be a welcome few days out of work every month. However I can say that it has turned out to be best piece of training I have completed for a long time. At first it didn’t always make sense. There were lots of things to take in and some of the words used seemed like a foreign language. I think at one point there was a discussion among the participants about it being a cult! But, it became clear very quickly that at everyone on the course had one thing in common – our belief that our complex clients were very much failed by the services they were in and although we had no idea how, we were all willing to go with the process and hopefully make some changes within the systems we worked in.

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

WHAT IS SYSTEMS CHANGE? UNDERSTANDING INTERCONNECTION

intervention or organisation. We are all

users. In the day-to-day maelstrom

players in the system.

of triage and needs assessments, risk

As an independent funder we want to see how we can use

performance measures, quarterly

our resources to support the right

reports, disgruntled team members,

conditions to emerge so that people

services and organisations, it can

There are a number of seemingly

who face severe and multiple

become easy to lose sight of what is

intractable or “wicked” problems

disadvantage can be part of the support

important and the reasons why we

facing society, be that severe and

networks on which we all rely. For

are in the jobs we do – our people and

multiple disadvantage, climate

this to happen we all need to work

communities.

change, poverty or gender inequality.

together, to think about our role and

Traditionally the response has been

the relationships we hold, as well as the

a simple question – is this the best

to identify “what works”, leading us

drivers behind our actions. This is why

way to do things? From this comes a

to think that we can create ever more

we have a focus on systems change.

quest for a deeper understanding of

ALICE EVANS

Lankelly Chase

System change should start with

elaborate and evidenced interventions

What do we mean by system? We

both the problems that prevent people

to support people to lead socially and

believe that a system is a set of people,

from living independent and fulfilling

economically functional lives.

organisations, cultures, processes,

lives, and those that result in frontline

relationships and actions, which

workers becoming burnt out by the

discrete elements of the system, layers

combine to make things happen. The

pressures that they experience.

yet more complexity onto an already

things that happen are the result of the

complicated and confused system. The

interaction of all the elements of the

controversial and profound

interventions only last as long as there

system: of interactions between the

implications across policy, legislation,

is the political will to support and fund

individual elements themselves, and

funding and frontline delivery. The

them. These interventions are all based

of the interactions between individual

difficulties that prevail when trying

on project delivery and service design

elements and the system as a whole.

to improve the lives of the most

Yet this focus on interventions by

System change can have

and have as an assumption that they

vulnerable people in our society are

can own the outcomes that come from

not due solely to the individual or

them. They mostly treat the symptoms

their family circumstances but are also

rather than the cause. We can no longer afford this response. We need to find different

A SHARED COMMITMENT

ways to tackle the challenges we face as a society. We also know that these responses had limited impact, even in times of plenty. This isn’t to say that project and service delivery aren’t valuable, they are, but we also have to find new ways of thinking about social problems. In an increasingly connected world, we have to recognise that we are all interconnected, that our actions have implications on others. Things that happen are not as a result of one

management, crisis management,

a result of more complex structural socioeconomic factors such as poverty, disadvantage and exclusion. This is the reason why systems change is needed

GEMMA WALDRON What is ‘systems change’? Although there doesn’t seem to be a single answer and certainly not one that is universally agreed, there is a growing amount of research that is helping to generate a consensus about what is involved in system change. For me, systems change should be about a shared commitment across all stakeholders to improve how systems work for people – the end

STARTERS : WHAT IS SYSTEMS CHANGE?

Individual

Organisation

– to tackle unfairness and inequality in our society.

Wider System

BUILDING RELATIONAL UNDERSTANDING CHRISTA MACIVER Systems change is a radically different way of approaching changing the causes of social inequality within our society. It is based on an holistic understanding that all aspects of society are interrelated and that, as a result, change is not linear but is often multifactorial and can have unforeseen outcomes. This reality begs us to understand the systems in which we work, in a more relational way, in order to bring about more effective change for individuals experiencing severe and multiple disadvantage. Individuals suffering from social inequality quite often also experience some aspects of severe and multiple disadvantage. As a result, solutions that only address one part of their complex needs do not solve issues of social inequality, or even acknowledge the interconnectedness of their needs. There are encouraging examples of systems change in cities across the UK. In Manchester there is a homeless GP surgery that runs weekly drop-in sessions where individuals experiencing homelessness can access a doctor, but do not have to adhere to strict appointment times. This benefits individuals with complex needs because often their chaotic lifestyles means sticking to exact appointment times is nearly impossible. Or take the example of Job Seekers Allowance (JSA). If someone is receiving JSA but is homeless, it does not make sense to require that individual to be looking for work because they will not be able to find and keep work without having the permanency of a home. Within the past year, the Department for Work and Pensions changed their policy towards homeless individuals in receipt of JSA. If an individual can prove to their Job Centre advisor that they are homeless, their advisor will then accept

the steps that individual is taking to

systems we have created have been so

find themselves a home as sufficiently

poorly suited to this task that they have

fulfilling of the requirements to

actually made people’s lives worse. At

continue receiving benefit. This is a

Lankelly Chase, we recognise that this

step towards systems change because

has been caused by a set of failures;

it recognises the barriers an individual

failure to acknowledge the interlocking

faces beyond simply the requirements

nature of disadvantages; failure to gain

to receive benefit. However, there is

the trust of those needing support;

still a long way to go when it comes to

failure to recognise the structural

systems change and JSA, particularly

causes of problems and failure to see

in regards to service users who are not

the contribution of public services

digitally literate.

themselves to the disadvantage.

Systems change needs to happen

These failures are not born in a

on a larger scale. This will benefit

vacuum but are themselves a result of

those who suffer from social inequality.

structural and cultural factors such as

It may also benefit the budgets of

the:

• Limitations of our target-driven

local authorities and the national government.

model of policy making

• Rigidity of systems that lock poor practice in place

• Mindsets of scarcity that causes

MOVING BEYOND BLAME

public systems to gatekeep their resources and seal out abundant contribution from people, families and communities

HABIBA NABATU Lankelly Chase Our desire to help and support people often leaves us unable to break free from the continued influence of those things that created the problem in the first place. Over the last hundred years, charities have campaigned for greater state intervention in the lives of our most disadvantaged citizens. There have been many successes, which have led to a significant expansion in state-funded support and greater legal protections for those considered vulnerable. These changes have helped improve the lives of many, but they have also led to unforeseen consequences and limitations, which have become challenges in their own right. A particularly grave consequence has been the failure to improve the lives of people on the extreme margins of society. There is now broad political consensus that attempts to tackle social disadvantage have repeatedly fallen short of reaching those who need help the most. In some cases, the

• Paternalistic view that services know best and need to do things to people

• Lack of accountability to people using services

• System leaders overwhelmed by complexity and now austerity

• Aversion to risk • Stigmatising attitudes

All these points highlight the interdependency of all the different people within systems. It isn’t about blaming one set of people; it is about recognising that we are all part of a system whose combined actions make things happen. Therefore, when people are viewed with considerable sympathy as abused children, but are condemned when they become troubled adults, we need to understand that the effect of this stigma on people can be as damaging as the original harm. It can act as a barrier to others offering help, reducing sympathies and the willingness of decision makers to take risks. This dehumanisation of people is a system-wide issue.

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

SEVERE AND MULTIPLE

DISADVANTAGE

At Lankelly Chase we are focused on changing the lives of those at the extreme margins of society who are most exposed to social harm. Most often these people face multiple forms of disadvantage simultaneously. Here are five of our key learnings:

Severe and multiple disadvantage is often defined as people who use drugs, alcohol, have persistent contact with the criminal justice system, are homeless and have a mental health problem. Using this definition, it is most prevalent in Northern postindustrial towns.

Multiple disadvantage seems to emerge from the interplay of structural factors such as poverty, personal experiences (in particular abuse and other kinds of deep trauma) and the ways systems respond (with punitive or coercive interventions rather than supportive or helpful ones).

The problem with creating a defined cohort as above is that you instantly begin to exclude people. For example, women and people from black and minority ethnic groups are largely absent from data based on the definition above. We

In the Hard Edges research we conducted with Heriot-Watt University on mapping severe and multiple disadvantage in England, we found that 60% of people facing severe and multiple disadvantage lived with, or had on-going contact with children.

don’t think there are proportionately fewer women and BAME people

experiencing life on the margins in the UK, but we do think their lives might be different. If experiences of abuse and violence were included instead of experiences of the criminal justice system for example, many more women would come into view.

STARTERS : SEVERE AND MULTIPLE DISADVANTAGE

Individual

Organisation

The Hard Edges research also revealed that only 16% of people facing severe and multiple disadvantage considered their quality of life to be good or very good, compared to over 70% of the general population.

Wider System

JOE KEMETMULLER Working with multi layered problems Imagine what it must be like for a person whose body, mind and social world has developed a deeply harmful dependence. These dependencies come in all forms - alcohol, opiates, abusive partners and peers. Additional problems can exist prior to these dependencies - abuse, mental ill health, isolation and family breakdown, physical ill health, poverty, disability, homelessness – in most cases it’s impossible to untangle it all. You can pick any two of these issues and be confident that one was likely the catalyst for the other, or is at least intrinsically linked. These types of problems just seem to metastasize in this way. Some of the service users I work with face all of these issues, all at once, all of the time. Services tend to respond by focusing on what appears to be the main issue on any given day, but inevitably as one issue is managed, another surfaces, and what is a ‘priority need’ in the morning, can seem less relevant in the afternoon. There are a multiplicity of factors and ongoing dynamics affecting the lives of MCN service users. For each of the issues mentioned, there is a service aiming to help find a resolution. Most of those services will have a team, a time limit, and very specific targets. Any small change of policy or approach in central government, passed down through local authorities to interpret, essentially dictates the shape of those teams, their time limits and targets. This means

that individuals not only face their own

is being put on workers to achieve

violently fluctuating circumstances, but

outcomes with less flexibility and more

also the disorientating circumstances of

clients.

fluctuating support services. Despite the popular view that

Clients are our customers and without them we wouldn’t have a job,

MCN service users live ‘on the outside’

but I have seen them treated badly by

of society, in fact the opposite is

services. If these services were a shop,

true – their lives are constantly and

restaurant or garage, they would have

inextricably related to our justice

closed a long time ago (and only had

system, our benefits system and

only themselves to blame).

our NHS. In this sense, we are not

Multi complex clients are

attempting to pull people in to society

difficult to work with and can be very

or ‘the system’; we are actually trying

difficult to sustain and retain in any

to pull them out. The problem as I’ve

type of service. Services call them

tried to explain here, is that we are

‘multi complex chaotic people’ and then

trying to pull them out onto a fast

sign them off service when they display

moving and unpredictable platform.

the behaviour that we have labeled

This is where the value of front-

them with. Most of our complex clients

line workers becomes plain. They

have suffered some type of trauma

are the bridge between these two

within their lives, even if they don’t

complex and turbulent worlds. They

recognise this themselves. The abused

are responsible for navigating people

children we see in adverts tug on our

through, out, and away from that chaos

heartstrings, but when they grow up, we

and dependence to self-efficacy, self-

blame them for becoming the damaged

reliance, independence and eventually,

adults that society failed to protect as

freedom.Their insights are key. They

children.

can tell you, first hand what is working and what isn’t. If you ask…

Services need to be given the time, space and funding to work with these complex clients in a way that will

TRACY WRIGHT Challenging square peg services Challenging the idea of square peg service has been something that I was interested in before I had even heard of System Changers. Some commissioners, services and agencies think that one services fits all and at times our clients become nothing more than a tick box exercise. Great work is still being done by frontline staff. But, in these times of cutbacks and savings, more pressure

work for them. This may mean more backward steps before they start to inch forward. Only after a lot of hard work is done by the service, and most importantly the client, will these people fit into whatever shaped box they want to. They will need time and space to figure out what shape they actually are, as they are currently trying very hard to fit into a society that has already dismissed them and pushed them to one side already.

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

THE

JUNE Opening residential

JULY

SEPTEMBER ROBIN PHAROAH The Future Agenda Power & Authority

SHILPA SHAH The Finance Innovation Lab Labels, Power & Identity

AUGUST

Visit:

JENNIE MCSHANNON Tavistock Consulting Articulating Systems (including mapping)

Manchester City Council

JOSIE CLUER Moorhouse The Political landscape & devolution Visit: Policy Lab, Cabinet Office Government Digital Service

Visit:

Future Gov

Trafford Housing Trust

Citizens Advice Forum For The Future

OCTOBER KATHARINE SEGAL Campaign Bootcamp LOUISE DOWNE Government Digital Service SARAH GOLD IF JENNIE WINHALL The Innovation Unit Tactics for influencing change Visit: The People’s History Museum

NOVEMBER

PROGRAMME

SARAH DRUMMOND Snook Prototyping

DECEMBER Closing residential

STARTERS : THE PROGRAMME

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

FIVE TIPS ON HOW TO BE A SYSTEMS CHANGER

DON’T BE DISCOURAGED BY ‘NO’

CHRIS WOODWARD

MATTHEW KIDD

Be willing to explore new ideas and be flexible

A lot of people will tell you that you

based, offering activities and social

in your approach to managing change in

can’t be a systems changer. There are

experiences that create aspirations,

organisations and services. You need to be

lots of procedures and structures that

healthier lifestyles and more positive

able to adapt to new situations and new ways

help maintain the status quo. People

perceptions of “self”. This would

of thinking about how you can change the

may also mistrust you at first and make

include education, peer support and

systems you work within. An ability to change

things personal. You can feel under a

social and recreational activities.

perspective is an important tool for system

lot of pressure to fit in.

changers to have in their toolbox.

2 3 “ The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” - Marcel Proust 16

Be resilient. Keep trying new ways of working and don’t give up! Don’t underestimate the

FIVE TIPS ON HOW TO BE A SYSTEMS CHANGER

wouldn’t work:

their minds to something and find a

“ You can’t just do it yourself, you’ve got

way to make change happen. During my own process of change I reflected a lot about what was missing

display resilience in their thoughts and actions.

from the services that support people

to do it for an existing provider.” “What about clinical governance?” “ Do you really think your social skills are good enough for that role?”

with complex needs. There was little

“People won’t refer.”

recognition of the huge void people

“ We can’t do that because of our lone

Collaborate! Collaboration is a key component

are left with when they change their

of an effective system changer. Working

lifestyle following problems with

together across all sectors and different parts of

substance abuse and offending.

organisations and services is vital in managing

reasons I was given as to why my idea

discouraged by the word no, they set

power of resilience and those individuals who

change successfully.

System changers aren’t

Here are just a small number of

working policy.” “ There isn’t the money in the budget for it.”

After getting my own life back on track following a difficult period

Despite all of these negative assertions,

in which I experienced addiction

I did manage to create this service.

and mental health problems, I

There was a huge learning curve

Be fully committed. You need to be prepared to

wanted to start a service that would

along the way, but we got there. Now

go the extra mile to achieve your aims.

support people in filling this void. I

mentoring support is recognised

“ Most people who fail in their dreams fail

recognised that this void is hard to

as an important part of people’s

not from lack of ability but from lack of

fill through 10-minute office based

reintegration. In Tameside back in

commitment.”

appointments. What I had in mind

2009 this wasn’t the case.

- Zig Zagler

was something that was more asset

Ask difficult questions. In order to make progress and influence change in positive ways, awkward questions may need to be raised. The ability to ask those questions in a positive way allows open and transparent conversations to take place and ultimately provides an environment where change can flourish.

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

THE ADVICE COLUMN

Dear Cohort of 2015

What are some of the common barriers to systems change and how can I overcome them?

How can I be a systems changer and stay on the frontline? IAIN DONNELLY Don’t be afraid to ask difficult questions of people around you. If you feel discomfort, you are probably heading in the right direction.

share your opinions. Instead listen

talk to those above you about how to

more to what they say and find ways

change them. And don’t be afraid to

to have a constructive and rational

take your concerns to people outside

discussion about why your views differ

your organisation who are feeding into

and to consider the ‘what ifs’?

the issue.

Yes, there are challenges with

MATTHEW KIDD The trick is to get your voice heard so you are not a lone wolf frustrated at the fact you seem to be the only one who cares. To change the system from the frontline you need to influence decision makers. They may be managers, commissioners, councillors or funders. Find out what is important to them and what they want to change. Make a connection with them; stroke their ego if you have to, but make sure you get your point across.

funding and austerity and it’s not

STEPHANIE ADAMS Be receptive to the people around you and take on ideas and advice. You also need to be able to be confident in expressing your ideas. It is also important to make connections and see where power lies in your system, as this will allow you to look at where you can influence change.

CHARLOTTE HUNTER Be mindful of other people’s views and opinions, but at the same time be confident to influence and challenge other people’s ideas and opinions.

GEMMA WALDRON It is essential that as a frontline worker you don’t underestimate the importance of what you do and what you see -- both good and bad. Finding people who share similar views can help, but don’t alienate yourself from those who don’t always

getting any easier, but surely this is all the more reason to start to talk about how things could improve and be done differently. This is thankfully what I see happening around me all of the time and there is a strong culture of using aggregated evidence and promoting scrutiny and feedback loops at all levels, which is helping to cement the foundations for change. Nobody should feel powerless because we all have our role to play.

CHRISTA MACIVER Sometimes thinking of systems change can seem so big that it’s easy to get overwhelmed and give up. The best way to stay on the frontline and be a systems changer is to find a focus – one thing you are passionate about that you really feel that needs to change. This will help to keep you invested in systems change without being overwhelmed by the scale of it all. Once you do this, record things that are happening that are wrong and

THE ADVICE COLUMN

CHRIS WOODWARD Reposition yourself in the organisation as a front line worker. It is important to think about hierarchies and how to work in a collaborative way with colleagues across the organisation, keeping everyone in the loop. Evidencing the work you do helps to create legitimacy of your role as a front line worker. Sharing the successes with a wider audience helps to create this legitimacy as it enables service users, staff, managers and commissioners to see for themselves the difference service user involvement can make. JOANNE HURST Remember that small steps lead to big strides, and stock up on post-it notes! Identify what needs changing and the outcome needed, and then work your way backwards to work out what you can do now to start changing things. This is where the post-it notes come in useful. Use them on a wall to plot the change – you can always move them around. And don’t do this on your own – get your colleagues and other people involved.

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

MATTHEW KIDD Negativity is a big barrier to systems change. Cultures exist in which people strive to find reasons not to do something. You can only challenge negativity by proving that it achieves nothing. Systems Changers don’t get discouraged by the negativity of others, they believe in focusing on potential and possibilities. Prove to people this isn’t naïve and get them to take notice of the outcomes you achieve. IAIN DONNELLY Fear can be a barrier: mine, yours, everyone else’s. It dominates decisions and hampers progress. But it can also highlight important stuff too. To steal a well-worn motivational cliché, “face the fear and do it anyway.” A huge barrier to systems change is not having the right people who can effect change involved in the conversation. As a frontline worker you may have a lot of ideas and insight as to where the problems are, but not as many ideas of where to begin and who to talk to about how to make change. The people who know these things are more often managers, CEOs, leaders and local authorities, commissioners. It can be disheartening if frontline workers try to change systems on their own, without these players at the table, CHRISTA MACIVER Don’t be afraid to keep asking people to be involved. Keep trying to set up meetings with the individuals who have the power to make change happen in different spheres. Change is possible and within reach, we just need to keep asking people to be involved in the conversation.

CHRIS WOODWARD Resistance from staff teams when it comes to looking at doing things in a different way can be a barrier. Target a team or group who are willing to run with new ideas. Once you have done this and seen how successful it is others are more willing to give it a go. Leading by example and showing it can be done, can inspire others to try something new. On the first residential, we talked about the concept of ‘first followers’, watching a video clip that showed a lone dancer who managed to get a whole crowd of people dancing. The first people who got up to join him were vital. With this in mind, I identified a staff team as first followers. The staff team was already motivated and open to discussing change and I spoke to the manager about delivering a session on mapping with the team. The session went well and the team mapped out their own ideas about the systems they worked in. Running the session with the motivated team gave me confidence and because it had been successful it then gathered its own momentum and I felt other teams were more willing to give it a try as a result. CHARLOTTE HUNTER Some policies and procedures can act as barriers, because they can mean you are expected to run your service in a certain way, even if it’s not working, and can be difficult to challenge. A way to combat this is to find loopholes within the policies and try and be as flexible as you possibly can, to ensure that you are supporting each and every family you work with.

STEPHANIE ADAMS Other peoples’ attitudes can be big barriers. There will always be differences in opinion on how things should work -- you need to be confident in your ideas and persevere. It may take a while to change something but small changes can happen and even if a change seems small to you, it could make a big impact on someone else. Your own lack of confidence to take your systems change work to a wider audience can be a barrier. Just go for it! Every small change you make and every time you look at things a different way, is a step closer to where we want to be. TRACY WRIGHT Other people’s attitudes can be a barrier. This can be challenging but the most important thing is to try to not get defensive, or take something personally. Instead, it’s essential to listen to people who have a different point of view and to try to understand their position. It is not possible to control what other people think, feel and say, but it is possible to control and manage your own response through self-awareness. Understanding your own values and judgements will help to give a more objective view of the problem and solution. GEMMA WALDRON Don’t be disheartened by those who don’t always listen and instead find ways to open up the channels of communication. As Maya Angelou said, “if you don’t like something change it, if you can’t change it, change your attitude.”

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

THE POWER OF STORIES 1

Start by looking for who in your

Once you know who’s in charge of

The best way to break down frames

organisation gets to decide how things

the “facts,” listen closely to what they

is to point out their existence. Just as

“really” are. (These aren’t always senior

have to say. One of the easiest ways to

Canon’s photographers wanted to shoot

leaders, but often can be.)

spot framing is to listen for opinions

a true portrait, most organisations

dressed up as facts. For example this is

want to really understand their clients.

organisation -- whether because of their

an opinion:

Call out faulty frames when you see

experience, their education, or perhaps

“ I think young mums have too much to

them, but remember, it’s not about

Look for the people with power.

ABBEY KOS Abbey ran a workshop on the power of stories and frames as part of the programme. She is marketing & PR lead at FutureGov.

The voices of authority in your

Listen to what’s said.

Speak out.

just the force of their personalities

focus on. That could be one reason

challenging individual people -- it’s

-- tend to be the ones who set the

why they’re not attending our meet

about challenging the status quo,

frames. They’re the ones “behind the

up.”

shaping the system into something

A businessman. An alcoholic. A

these portraits, the person behind the

convict. A hero. Who is the man in

lens was the one in control. They took

the most fundamental ways of creating

lens,” deciding what your organisation

these photos? And what does his story

a whole human being and condensed

systems change. It can break down

focuses on and why, and they may

Whereas the following is opinion

have to do with yours?

him into a single image -- someone

assumptions about what’s really

have a lot more influence than you (or

dressed up as fact.

Canon’s photos was neither a hero nor

brave, someone ashamed, someone

happening on the frontline. It can make

possibly even they) realise.

“ Young mums have too much to focus

a villain, neither a millionaire nor a

six photographers to shoot one man’s

frightening, someone kind. What the

sure clients’ voices are heard. And most

on. That’s why they’re not attending

criminal. He was an actor, an average

portrait. Each was told something

man wanted, or who he really was,

importantly, it can help organisations

our meetup.”

guy. Just as he was boiled down into

different about his or her subject: for

never entered the discussion.

provide better care.

Camera maker Canon asked

one, the man was a fisherman. For

Challenging frames is one of

WHY FRAMES MATTER

This is framing: the ways by

better. As it turns out, the man from

a single image, so too are the people

So how do you break down

Once statements like this are accepted

facing complex issues who frontline

another, he was a psychic. Armed

which people in positions of power

frames and create newer, truer stories?

by a group, they become truth -- even

workers see every day. But by looking

with those stories, the photographers

(think politicians, the media, or an

Fortunately, you already have all the

if they’re not backed up by any real

closely, listening carefully, and

created six very different images of the

organisation’s senior leaders) get to

tools you need to get started: your eyes,

evidence.

elevating your clients’ voices, you can

exact same man.

decide how we think about things

your ears, and your voice.

There’s nothing malicious about

Keep an ear out for “facts”

and even what we think about in the

like these, and match them up with

the photographers’ work. None of them

first place. And it’s not just limited to

what you know to be true about your

set out to make the man look bad (or

images; framing shows up everywhere,

clients. What doesn’t match up? What’s

good, for that matter). But in each of

even in organisations.

missing?

FEATURE : THE POWER OF STORIES

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

help reshape the way your organisation thinks about the communities it serves.

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

THE POWER OF STORIES :

PERSONAL

CHRIS WOODWARD

CHRISTA MACIVER

One of the most powerful sessions

users. I began to understand that labels

Whether we recognise it or not,

reoffending, homelessness, addiction

wants into consideration, because they

for me was the session on identity,

are widely used in society and that I had

labels colour the way we approach

and mental health issues and therefore

feel the individual with mental health

power, relationships and labeling.

some power to think about my identity

other human beings. How we label

have multiple labels with which they

needs does not know or understand

We considered how structural aspects

and relationships and challenge the

each other leads to judgements, both

need to contend when seeking support.

what is best for them.

of identity could affect people’s

negative aspects of the labeling process

subconsciously and consciously, and

If an individual is a ‘reoffender’ the

perceptions of each other. I learned to

that I had allowed to hold me back.

these judgements are often hard to

public may not look at their plight of

everywhere, and because humanity

counterbalance in society. A homeless

poor accommodation or addiction with

naturally forms groups and defines

recognise the role that culture can play

We all need to consider how labels can affect us. I feel more

addict is ‘difficult to deal with’ to a GP,

the same sympathy as an individual

themselves according to their

working in.

confident as a result of understanding

a nuisance to the person speeding past

who has never had a criminal

groupings, we will always have labels.

the relationship between power and

on their way to work, and ‘deserving’

conviction and is experiencing the same

The challenge is to constantly be aware

recognise that the labels I had put on

identity. Understanding how hierarchies

of their lot in life because they should

difficulties. Or conversely, sympathy

of the labels we have both placed on

myself, as well as the labels that others

work and repositioning yourself to have

have made better choices, to many

often skyrockets when a homeless

others and ourselves so as to not let

had imposed on me, had affected my

greater influence on behalf of service

others.

addict is also found to be a ‘veteran.’

the accompanying judgments cloud our

own way of thinking and were having a

users is a valuable lesson.

negative impact.

The impact of labels and the

Labels will also change how

practice to the point where vulnerable

judgements attached to them, colours

individuals are treated when they are

individuals do not get the support they

every corner of society – but it is a

looking for support. An individual

need.

theory of change and I began to see

constant barrier to overcome when

with severe mental health needs may

how I needed to reposition myself as a

working with individuals suffering

be concerned about a certain aspect

frontline worker in order to influence

from severe and multiple disadvantage.

of their care – however, because of the

change and to have a greater impact to

These individuals often suffer from

label of their diagnosis, the mental

improve things for myself and service

more than one combination of

health professional may not take their

I started to develop my own

FEATURE : THE POWER OF STORIES

The problem of labels is

and where I fitted into the system I was On a personal level I could

EXPERIENCES

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

PROTO TYPING PROTOTYPING

101

SARAH DRUMMOND Sarah ran a session on prototyping as part of the programme. She is the co-founder and managing director of Snook, a global design consultancy focused on civic, public sector and democratic innovation.

“ To be honest, it didn’t work at all, but

their London trip - their process for

idea, but what we pushed for with

I realise through trying it out what is

developing Government services is

Systems Changers was to prototype

actually needed”

fundamentally based on testing out

at all stages - because we all imagine

- Tracy Wright, One Stop Darlington

their new services before scaling them

different forms when we use words to

from ‘alpha’ to ‘beta’.

describe our actions and ideas.

When we talk about prototyping we’re

changers, to cultivate the mindset of

left with a sense of the importance of

‘What do you mean prototyping a

trialling and testing out ideas before

prototyping, using visual language and

service?’

implementation. We encouraged them

giving form to ideas. The next step is

to create experience-based prototypes

to craft out the space to do so in their

part of the design process and

of ideas. This is where you mock up the

roles, organisations and systems.

discipline. From the industrial design

entire experience like a real thing, but

movement spanning back to the 1920s,

you set a testing framework to figure

prototyping was the job of the designer,

out what works and what doesn’t across

creating countless iterations of a new

the experience. Sometimes services

product in order to test how it works

fail because they are poorly designed

and how people would use ‘a thing’. If

or don’t meet the user needs at the right

you look around you at the built

time, it’s about understanding your

environment, the things on your desk,

design and looking for fail points.

the services you use everyday, all have been prototyped to some degree. Design is about questioning what

FEATURE : PROTOTYPING CHANGE

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

I fundamentally hope the cohort

often met with a, ‘What is that?’ or

The methodology is a core

CHANGE

We worked with the systems

A favourite example, in terms of learning why this is an important process, was Tracy’s prototype of a

something actually looks like, how it

new woman’s service. It ultimately

works, what the form of it is, how it

failed and left Tracy feeling frustrated

works for people. Prototyping is the

after the first trial. When she put on

methodology and skills for testing the

activities for woman, no one showed

idea in reality. We can have great ideas

up. What was important was through

but it is often the form you deliver them

this process she found out the kind of

in that matters and how people respond

principles a service would need, for the

to these.

woman she was supporting. Without

Prototyping is rapidly becoming

trying it, even though the group she

not only a testing process, but also a

worked with said they had wanted

fundamental mindset for organisations

the service, she would never have

to test ideas out safely and with agility.

known. The prototype ultimately

This mindset is baked into the likes of Government Digital Service who the cohort visited during

informed her larger thinking moving forward. It’s easy for us to say here’s an

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

PROTOTYPING CHANGE : PERSONAL

TRACY WRIGHT

EXPERIENCES

CHRIS WOODWARD

I prototyped a week of distraction

prioritise the appointments that are

with structured activities and gave them

Prototyping was a new concept to me

activities for four of our women with

most important to them at this stage in

time to reflect and readjust to normal

and at first I had some difficulties

complex needs. They were all very

their lives.

life instead of just slipping back into

grasping how I was going to be able

up a meeting of service users to discuss

feedback sheets from all the sessions

the chaos that was their lives before.

to test it on my theory of change.

how they could get involved in the

and it was clear from the comments it had been a great success.

excited and were even thinking of

The failure of the prototype

The biggest gain from this could

ran over a five-week period. The first session involved setting

most of the group commented on how empowered they felt as a result. We had

names to call the group. They discussed

reinforced my conviction of the

I decided I was going to prototype

process. At this meeting we agreed to

what activities they wanted to do

need for a supported hostel type of

be life itself. For homeless women with

service user involvement in the

run mock interviews, with staff being

including a “ladies who lunch” at Costa

environment for women with complex

complex needs the average age of death

recruitment process at Petrus.

interviewed by service users. The

prototyping as a tool was very useful.

Coffee. The group was to meet at 10am

needs, once they are released from

is 43. Last year at our service we lost

second session consisted of discussing

Planning out the process and putting it

every day for a week. 10am the next day

prison.

three of our women with an average age

and selection policy that encourages

what recruitment entails, and we came

down on paper in an actual plan helped

At Petrus we have a recruitment

On a personal level using

came and went, along with 10am every

These women often appear

of 39. I understand that this would be a

service users to participate in the

up with a list of questions that service

me to visualise what I was trying to

day that week. Not one lady turned up

to thrive in prison with rules and

costly service to set up and run, but we

recruitment process in the organisation.

users would ask at the mock interviews

test. It helped me to plan it properly

for one session.

regulations in place (obviously it helps

are already paying thousands in heath,

I see my new role as service user

with staff members. The last session

and to think about what and how we

that drugs and alcohol are in limited

offending, and prison services not to

involvement worker as an opportunity

was the actual interviews -- a service

were going to try to achieve.

than answers after the prototype. Did

supply). On release, they very quickly

mention outside services that do not

to really promote how service users

user panel was set up and everyone

the women not come because their

slip back into the complex chaotic lives

work for them. Will it work? Only time

can get involved, exploring the whole

was given a role to play. This included

to test out new ideas without fear of

lives were so chaotic that they were not

they were living before prison. I’ve

will tell, but with an average age of

process including checking job

the interviewers and observers. After

failure and without committing to big

able to pre plan anything in advance?

been wondering how we can recreate

death 43, time is running out for these

descriptions, shortlisting, interviewing

the mock interviews we had a lively

ideas that they may not be able to carry

Yet I know that they manage to attend

the structure and safe environment of

ladies already.

and decision making. Recruitment is a

discussion about the process and how

out down the line. It has given me the

appointments when they really need

prison on the outside. Could a small

crucial part of ensuring organisations

service users could get involved.

confidence to test other ideas out and

to; like probation sessions, so their

accommodation unit, mixed in with

have the right workforce in place to

There were some interesting

terms are not breached; signing on so

a trauma-informed physiologically

meet the needs of those who access

observations from the prototyping

they have money; treatment so they

informed approach, work? It would be

their services.

and it helped generate a real level of

have scripts. Clearly they are able to

an environment that had a homely feel

I was left with more questions

FEATURE : PROTOTYPING CHANGE

I set out my prototype plan and

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

Prototyping allows workers

as a group we are now looking at the next prototype to test.

interest in the new service user group

worked out how I was going to test it. I

that we had set up. Everyone in the

split the plan into three sessions that I

group enjoyed the experience and

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

SYSTEMS MAPPING TO MAP CHRISTA MACIVER

Systems mapping is an effective tool

Identifying this at the start ensures that

as the aim of the system is to benefit

that visualises and identifies the

the system you are mapping is not too

them. However, when the arrows

wider complex system within which

broad and does not include unnecessary

representing power and authority

an individual or organisation’s work

players.

within the system are drawn onto the

sits. Mapping out a system highlights

NOT TO MAP

that tenants have little or no power and

the power relationships between these

left shows that the aims of the system

that everyone else in the system has

players and where, as a result, the

are that tenants’ stays in unsupported

power over them. This becomes highly

potential for change lies.

temporary accommodation (UTA)

problematic, if the aim is not only to

should be as short, safe and healthy as

support tenants by making their stay

as limited to the tasks, obstacles and

possible. As a result of these aims, the

short, safe and healthy, but also to

issues for which we are individually

various players included in the map are:

empower them and giving them more

responsible. We can be so busy that there is no time to think beyond these daily responsibilities to how our work sits within the wider system. Although we may only see our work within the lines of our own contained tasks, it sits within a wider complex system. The richness of mapping is multiplied when individuals with varying responsibilities participate in the exercise as may hold very different perspectives on the system. It is useful for frontline workers

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

• Health • Housing • Tenants of UTA • Landlords of UTA (B&Bs) • Criminal Justice System (CJS) • Inward referral agencies • Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

• Local Authorities • And a few others…

control. What control can they take if they have little or no power within the system? What can the organisation do to help change this fact, now that it has been highlighted? Mapping helps us explore questions of power that are vital to systems change. Questions like, who is involved in the system? Who has the power? What needs to be challenged to change the balance of power?

The aim is hugely powerful in affecting the look and outcome of a system. For

to see how their work fits into a

example, if the aim of the system was

wider system, and for the CEO to be

to make tenants’ stay in UTA only safe

reminded of the numerous players on

and healthy, but not short, you would

the frontline that need to be involved

not include any of the players related to

in order to achieve the goal or aim. It

re-housing. Those who have the power

helps us be more aware of one another

to set the aims of the system, hold a lot

and see that we need to work together,

of power over the focus of a system,

to really understand the complexity of

determining who is included in this

what we do and where the barriers may

system and what kind of change can

be, so we can begin to make change

happen within that system.

happen.

FEATURE : SYSTEMS MAPPING

system map, it becomes very apparent

map I developed. The image to the

Often we think of our daily work

Take the example of a systems

the variety of players within a system,

Systems mapping can highlight

The best starting point for

problems or barriers within systems. In

systems mapping is with the aim of the

the image to the left, the tenants of UTA

system you are trying to understand.

are placed in the centre of the system,

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

SYSTEMS MAPPING :

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

TRACY WRIGHT

CHRIS WOODWARD

System mapping has been used to great

that instead of blaming other agencies;

I introduced systems mapping

effect in our project. It started with

it was time to change and look at

with a number of the teams in the

a discussion about mapping. Everyone

each member of staff drawing rich

ourselves.

organisation. The last session I did

in the group felt it had been useful and

was with a team who were looking

it had helped to identify some areas

pictures about where they see their role

This has had a massive effect on

At the end of the session we had

within the project and then explaining

the team and we now complete a system

at introducing a new way of working

of work that they had previously not

their pictures to the other staff

mapping session at least once a month

within a housing project.

thought of. It enabled the group to

members. At the start I made it very

to look at what has worked, what new

clear that this was not a blame session

activities we can try and new ways of

quick bit of background information

the end of the session team members

and that we were doing this to look at

working.

on mapping and how it can be a

nominated themselves for an action

useful tool to identify negative and

that they would work on.

what was working and where we needed to improve or enhance our service.

Staff members have also used

I introduced the session with a

see each other’s perspectives and at

mapping with some of their clients, it

positive feedback loops. I then asked

can help clients look at their journey

the team members to map where they

another session in 3 months’ time and

everyone was working within their

and how far they have come. It can

saw themselves in the system they

bring the maps back and see if there

own area and some members of staff

also help identify where they have

worked in. Everyone participated in

have been any changes.

felt very much on the outside of the

struggled. It has also highlighted

the exercise and we then fed back to

team. We discussed how we all work

that what we think the client wants to

each other. They had some very useful

see things differently and to generate

for the same team and if we all worked

change and improve, is not always the

conversations about the systems they

conversations to help people navigate

together and supported each other it

same as what the client wants. Without

work in and about how different people

through the sometimes complex

would only make us stronger. We also

asking the question, or even worse

had different perspectives on the

systems we all work in.

mapped and discussed our overall

not listening to the answer, services

systems.

approach to the clients and identified

can quickly go in totally the wrong

that our customer service in general

direction without even knowing it.

It quickly became evident that

We then agreed as a team to have

Mapping is a good tool to help

could be better. The team admitted that we had fallen into a few bad habits and

FEATURE : SYSTEMS MAPPING

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

ENDNOTES SCALING OUTCOMES SARAH DRUMMOND Snook

We focused on using the system

run. Some of the System Changers used

maps that the cohort had researched

the mapping tools we had introduced to

and created, to identify what needs to

build support within their organisations

change at an individual, organisational

to identify ‘dark matter’, where power

and systemic level.

existed and service models were

We then mapped a series of

broken.

actions at each stage and looked to

campaigns, government digital services

- how would we achieve the larger

being hacked and new holistic centres

can we really be Systems Changers?

systemic shifts by working back to the

being designed.

This just feels so huge!”

individual? Working from a set of redefined

Christa from Just Life developed a concept around digital literacy to

As we came to the last of our

problems or opportunities across the

support people to ensure they could

bi-monthly sessions at Madlab,

system, we introduced the concept

independently and respectfully manage

in Manchester, we began to meet

of bringing form to actions whilst

the benefits system. Looking at Gov.

resistance amongst the group. When

linking them towards larger systemic

uk she devised a prototype to support

asked to develop actions that could

change. We wanted to consider the

people to learn how to fill in forms by

scale and create systems change, they

what, who, why, where and when of

leading them through it first.

pushed back. Everything just felt too

actions that need to be implemented,

big to change.

the ‘meat’ on the bones. What did a

prototyped an activity group to provide

Tracy from First Stop Darlington

From the outset of the

campaign look like at a government

activities to learn new skills and ensure

programme we intended to support

level? If we were going to change the

rituals were developed for women

each System Changer to identify micro

way we assess people for services so as

leaving prison and integrating back

and macro actions for influencing the

to break down silos, what should that

into the community. By prototyping

kind of system they want to see. There

assessment process look like?

the service, she was able to understand

is no silver bullet for innovation, and

With form to actions we had a

there’s definitely no single thing that

start, we then moved to linking up the

can change a system.

micro and the macro to identify the

As previously discussed, we believe that a system is a set of people, organisations, cultures, processes,

what did and didn’t work for the woman she supports. Tracy then began to map

larger systemic change and knock-on

larger interventions related to this

effects of each intervention.

model to consider how new forms of

At an individual level, the action

support could be developed to support

relationships and actions, which

was mostly internal. Having identified

people facing multiple and severe

combine to make things happen

the limitations they put on themselves

disadvantage, particularly across the

through the interactions of all the

in the labeling session, some of the

field of women leaving prison.

elements of a system. We wanted to

cohort focused on implementing

consider how each of these elements

revised mental models for themselves

at how their interventions both small

could be mapped with new or re-

concerning how they identified their

and large could purposefully fit

designed interventions to consciously

place in the system, so they could move

together over a plurality map. How

affect change in the system.

left or right, more up or down. Chris

could individual, organisational shifts

began showing up uninvited at meetings

and interventions lead to systemic

first, there wasn’t a previous cohort

in his organisation, to find out how

change?

to contrast or compare the change

it was being run. It may seem like a

the Systems Changers’ work to. Our

simple implementation but provided

the micro and macro actions we

sessions moved from the Systems

an insight into larger decisions being

purposefully created longer-term

Changers gaining new vantage points

made around the centre.

visions of where changes in the

Given this programme was a

on the systems they work in by learning

At an organisational level

and rethinking their own mental

the outcomes varied from service

models, to considering the changes that

re-designs to considering the way

they wanted to see.

evaluation works or meetings are

ENDNOTES

All the systems changers looked

By spending time mapping

system could lead. We moved from the impossible to possible.

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

I was about incorporating digital technology in the work we do. I have come away with a desire to really make sure technology is incorporated into work on the frontline in a useful way. If we can do this, we can ensure

At a systemic level we had change

bridge the connection between them “ I couldn’t possibly make that happen,

WHAT SURPRISED YOU? JOE KEMETMULLER It was a great leveler to realize that usually there isn’t some scientific formula, or complex algorithm, or secret alchemy used to determine how a problem should be solved. It was also a surprise to realize that the foundations of social change often looks suspiciously like a group of people having a discussion and doodling their ideas out on post-it notes. Who would have thought? MATTHEW KIDD I’ve learned to stop looking for the bad guy at the top. Abuses of power are everywhere. I was surprised by this insight because I’d always felt so comfortable having people to blame for the way the system works. I’ve learned things are much more complex than I originally believed. CHARLOTTE HUNTER There are a lot of likeminded people who have similar beliefs to myself. CHRIS WOODWARD I was surprised by how ready I was for the challenge and how I embraced the whole programme from day one. I felt re-energised from the very start and this included the conversation / interview at the beginning of the process. I was surprised by how motivated it made me feel. CHRISTA MACIVER As someone who is quite happy to stay away from social networks and technology outside of work, I was surprised to discover how passionate

that service users are less scared of technology since there is a growing requirement for them to use technology to access their benefits – which is their

JOE KEMETMULLER For too long I had sat in meetings, working on exacting that facial expression that people in meetings often have, which expresses fatigue from carrying all the answers around all the time. I no longer do this, but instead try to focus meetings on the question “If we were rebuilding this system, what would be different?”

livelihood.

JOANNE HURST I was surprised that the techniques for systems change can be easy and simple and effective. I was also surprised by the trip to the Peoples Museum. Although I knew about movements like the suffragettes, it really brought home to me that change is possible. It made me realise why we were doing the programme. It made me realise this is how people start movements. STEPHANIE ADAMS I discovered that small changes can make big impacts. GEMMA WALDRON I developed a newfound confidence through meeting new people and challenging myself to be open minded about people’s experiences, background and views.

WHAT CONVERSATION HAS THE PROGRAMME ENABLED YOU TO HAVE?

MATTHEW KIDD To present my reflections on the values needed to work effectively people with complex needs, to a group of managers and practitioners from across Greater Manchester. There was a positive discussion afterwards on the potential challenges of this and it was good to see the ripple effect as other people challenged their assumptions. GEMMA WALDRON What is systems change? Why is it important? How good are we at it? How committed to it are we? CHRIS WOODWARD The programme has enabled me to have many conversations with a whole range of people around systems change. The one conversation that stands out for me is the conversation with service users around their involvement within the organisation and how we can work together to ensure they have a voice. Being part of the programme has enabled me to build the legitimacy of my role and conversations around service user involvement are now more meaningful across the organisation. CHRISTA MACIVER I was able to meet with Sir Richard Leese, the leader of Manchester City Council. I was determined to try to Continued on page 34

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

meet with him, as a part of Systems

have the potential to lead to system

After the Systems Changers programme

achievable and I share that confidence

Improvement process that is happening

change within our organisation that we

finished, I pitched an idea I’ve been

with others.

in a series of sessions at the start of

many people working to make

can model to other organisations and

developing called Ladies First to our

probably trying to reach someone

the system better, even if it is

encourage others to replicate. We are

board of directors. It is based on the

of people I’ve met. I know I will

different without the System Changers

too high up. However, I managed to

not always visible. We met so

motivated to think big, but are trying to

observation that our complex ladies

always be able to turn to them and get

programme. Meaning they would

make it happen and this meeting did a

many people, who are trying

begin by modelling small.

seem to do well in prison but after

their advice. And I know I’m going

have been dull, relatively useless and

few things for me. Firstly, it made an

to make real and positive

release, very quickly slip back into the

to keep using the simple but effective

unengaging. As it is, they have been

individual who I perceived untouchable

change for people across the

complex chaotic lives they were living

techniques we learnt.

fun, challenging and colourful.

and too important, seem human. He

country, even within the current

was just another guy who had become

government. This has challenged

the leader of the council. He was

me to think more positively.

GEMMA WALDRON One of the most important outcomes from the programme for me was to recognise my ‘self’ in the context of system change. The first residential was an exploration into self-awareness and reflection and it helped set the tone for the following 6 months. One of the most powerful sessions we had was on ‘labels’ and how they can shape our thoughts, feelings and behaviour. From this session I then started to take more of an interest in the labels that are used by my colleagues and peers and I could see how individual perceptions and judgements influenced decision-making. I’ve come away with a revived passion for what I do and a commitment to keep improving at an individual, organisational and systemic level. I’m currently developing a proposal to implement a Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) at the service I manage. In addition, I am continuing to work with colleagues in Social Finance and Commissioning to finalise a proposal for an integrated service response and economic case for change to improve what we do for adults experiencing severe and multiple disadvantage. Plus, I have just started a Master’s programme in Social Work and already I can feel my System Changers antenna picking up potential opportunities for change and improvement...

CHRIS WOODWARD What have I taken from the programme? Nothing apart from the cards from the treasury office, ha ha. Honestly, I can say I have taken so much from the programme and it is really difficult to be specific. I have learned new skills and tools like mapping and prototyping to use in my everyday role at work. I feel I have a greater understanding of the systems I work in and how to navigate myself around in a more productive way. I have a deeper understanding of concepts such as power, identity and labeling and how they can affect the systems we work in. I have grown in confidence and it has helped me maintain my motivational levels for working with service users. I have a greater sense of believing that things will change for the better for those individuals with multiple and complex needs. The process has reenergised me and my organization.

Changers. I was told by some that this might not be possible and that I was

much like any other person, but he just had more authority. Humanising

systems change is possible.

• Hope because there are so

• Tools. I have learned how to

use tools such as mapping, user

an authority figure makes them seem

journeys, and different types

less untouchable. Secondly, it gave me

of diagrams in thinking about

confidence to reach as far as I could,

programme evaluation and

even if some people thought I was being

design. This has been so useful

ridiculous. But hey, if you don’t ask –

because it has not only changed

you will never know. And if you do ask,

the way I work but also the way I

your chances of being told yes improve

approach my work.

by 100% This humanizing effect and new confidence has changed the way I think. The other day, I was having a

On an organisational level

• Conversations around systems

change now happen almost daily.

conversation about Sir Richard Branson

My co-workers are interested in

and found myself thinking, ‘I’d like to

making system change happen

ask him that.’ Then I thought to myself,

and asking questions about

‘why not? I’ll just try to contact him and

how we can all be involved in

set up a meeting.’

affecting these changes

JOANNE HURST The programme enabled me to have many new kinds of conversations. It changed the kinds of things we felt able to talk about in my organisation. Being on the programme meant I could talk about difficult issues without feeling like I was being cheeky or causing trouble. My colleagues have started doing more of this too, which has allowed things to surface. It has also meant we’ve started having broader conversations and looking at things from a different perspective.

• We have become more open to

new ideas and to self-reflection, recognising that some of the ways in which we conduct our service may need to be changed and that we need to incorporate new ideas. For example, in thinking about the future, we have had more conversations around incorporating digital technology into what we do in order to be better placed to support our service users moving forward. This conversation would not have happened to the same extent and level, had it not been for Systems Changers.

WHAT DID YOU GAIN FROM SYSTEMS CHANGERS?

• New projects are being formed with service design tools and

systems thinking at their core – which is exciting and challenging.

• We have integrated mapping tools into some of our existing work – for example, we are conducting a research project on what life is

like for tenants of unsupported

CHRISTA MACIVER On a personal level the programme has given me confidence, hope and tools. Confidence because I now feel I can meet anyone, that no one is too far out of my reach and that

temporary accommodation that

•

ENDNOTES

will incorporate user journeys as a part of the work.

CHARLOTTE HUNTER The programme gave me a network of people and resources and better knowledge of tools like mapping. It has also helped me think about alternative ways to work using resources we already have. Finally it has given me the confidence to challenge.

Ultimately, although these may seem like little changes and small starts, they

TRACY WRIGHT

Individual

Organisation

Wider System

this year. They would have looked very

before prison. My idea is to recreate the structure and safe environment of prison on the outside via a small accommodation mixed in with a trauma informed physiologically informed approach work. It would give the women time to readjust to normal life instead of just slipping back into the

MATTHEW KIDD Systems Changers gave me a space in which I could share my reflections on effective support for people with complex needs.I gained confidence in the value of these ideas. It gave me a stronger belief in myself and a sense of the possible. I also understood things on a deeper level, challenged my own presumptions, asked more questions and stopped looking for an easy answer. I’ve enjoyed sharing my reflections and spending time with a group of people who truly believe in each other and in our potential to change systems. On an organisational level, we have developed a more reflective culture a result of the programme. We now also have a commitment to involving frontline workers in strategic planning and a culture that encourages frontline workers and volunteers to ask questions & challenge assumptions. Involvement in System Changers has also allowed us to influence the wider system by identifying relationships we need to nurture in order to increase our influence and strengthen our voice. Whilst these relationships are often with people in strategic, political or managerial positions, we have also increased our involvement in creating, developing and maintaining practitioner forums – building a network of people who really believe in creating a fairer and more responsive system for those facing severe and multiple disadvantage. Through this network there is an increased recognition from partner agencies of the value of frontline workers insights.

I’ve also taken away the network

chaos that was their lives before. In these times of cutbacks, I didn’t expect it to go down too well, but actually the board of directors were very interested in the idea. They have asked me to look at existing similar projects and to complete some further research. After the meeting, my CEO put Ladies First in our five-year plan to look at in the future. There are still more questions than answers here, but it feels good to start asking the questions more widely.

JOE KEMETMULLER Systems Changers for me was an odd mix of catharsis, empowerment and frustration. It was asking the question and it was also supporting us to articulate our responses, introducing us to tools and methods to work with in detailing our thoughts and illustrating them. This was cathartic. Very. I also personally gained a level of empowerment simply by meeting many fascinating people working in some fairly lofty positions. A lot of the mystery behind what it is exactly that makes social change happen seemed to lift. STEPHANIE ADAMS What I have taken from the programme is knowledge of other organisations and more confidence to express my ideas. JOANNE HURST One of the biggest things is that I now have the confidence to know change is possible. Before I started the programme, I was thinking, “I hope you don’t expect anything big from me. I’m not going to be able to change anything.” Now I believe that change is

IAIN DONNELLY The main outcomes have been around insight and also techniques. Insight, insomuch as I have a completely changed perspective on what was actually happening in the system I wanted to look at, and technique, because I was given the skills and process that helped me to get to this unforeseen place. I am currently using (stealing, borrowing?) the techniques taught during the course with staff and with clients as part of a Service

THE SYSTEMS CHANGERS NEWSPAPER

Wider System

Organisation

Individual

Organisation

Wider System