March 2018

tacsi.org.au

FINSI 21

Workbook

March 2018

tacsi.org.au

Module 1

What’s the course?

What’s are three Practices you want to get better at in Social innovation?

Any areas of deep experience that you’d be happy to teach / write about?

Leanne

Broaden understanding about participatory processes, particularly in different project stages (e.g. evaluation)

Systems thinking - mental models and ecosystems that enable innovation

Implementation and scaling - how can we do it well

Design research

Policy/strategy creation with and for people (via examples of)

What’s are three Practices you want to get better at in Social innovation?

Any areas of deep experience that you’d be happy to teach / write about?

Bebe

SYSTEM DESIGN AND THINKING

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE AND KNOW WHEN REAL CHANGE AND SYSTEM CHANGE HAS OCCURRED

HOW WE CAN TAP INTO EXPERIENCE OF ‘OTHER’ (IE: THE DESIGN MIND)

DISABILITY & End of Life

UNPACKING WHAT MATTERS TO AN AUDIENCE THAT MAY NOT NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND SI/TAKING SI INTO THE REAL WORLD

HEALTH AND SYSTEMS: BEING IN IT WITH NO POWER

What’s are three Practices you want to get better at in Social innovation?

Any areas of deep experience that you’d be happy to teach / write about?

Lucy

Coaching others in social innovation, including collaborative practices. Uncertain how to step away from ‘doing the work’

Setting up projects/relationships/collabs for sustainability, not just a report/design that isn’t used.

Advocating for mindset shifts in government decision makers (thinking of gambling, migrant policies at state and federal levels). Wondering if there is something here about finding, creating etc power that is stronger than casinos/political donations. OR changing how decisions are mad

Participatory design 101

Ally-ship 101 (still figuring this one out)

Practical design research, analysis and prototyping 101

Knowing how to do with and then do without - what’s the ramp up for people with lived experience where they have support but can then become leaders of the work

What’s are three Practices you want to get better at in Social innovation?

Any areas of deep experience that you’d be happy to teach / write about?

Megan

Participatory/ creative approaches to innovation and design

Systems thinking and process, its new to me! Scale !

design and innovation techniques to influence systemic change and wellbeing...

coaching, asking probing questions, being curious ..thinking outside the square….

Principles of wellbeing and empowerment, what this may look like for the ndividual and at a community level….

Leanne

What is this course?

Evaluating social innovation

Systematising innovation in teams, orgs and systems

self-determined innovation

Participatory innovation

Implementation and scale

Discovery and invention - the early stages of the innovation journey

Telling the story of complex systems

Processes and approaches for acting in systems

System archetypes and transitions(not entirely sure what this means)

Thinking in systems

Using Program Theory / theory of change

Defining wellbeing and outcomes

Coping with the emotional challenges of being a social innovator

Defining good social innovation

What is this course?

Bebe

What is this course?

Evaluating social innovation

Systematising innovation in teams, orgs and systems

self-determined innovation

Participatory innovation

Implementation and scale

Discovery and invention - the early stages of the innovation journey

Telling the story of complex systems

Processes and approaches for acting in systems

System archetypes and transitoins

Thinking in systems

Using Program Theory / theory of change

Defining wellbeing and outcomes

Coping with the emotional challenges of being a social innovator

Defining good social innovation

What is this course?

Lucy

Evaluating social innovation

Systematising innovation in teams, orgs and systems

self-determined innovation

Participatory innovation

Implementation and scale

Discovery and invention - the early stages of the innovation journey

Telling the story of complex systems

Processes and approaches for acting in systems

System archetypes and transitoins

Thinking in systems

Using Program Theory / theory of change

Defining wellbeing and outcomes

Coping with the emotional challenges of being a social innovator

Defining good social innovation

What is this course?

Megan

What is this course?

Evaluating social innovation

Systematising innovation in teams, orgs and systems

self-determined innovation

Participatory innovation

Implementation and scale

Discovery and invention - the early stages of the innovation journey

Telling the story of complex systems

Processes and approaches for acting in systems

System archetypes and transitoins

Thinking in systems

Using Program Theory / theory of change

Defining wellbeing and outcomes

Coping with the emotional challenges of being a social innovator

Defining good social innovation

What is this course?

What’s are three Practices you want to get better at in Social innovation?

Any areas of deep experience that you’d be happy to teach / write about?

Euan

Coping with emotional challenges of social inn.

Telling the story of complex systems

Implementation and scale (late stage innovation)

Networked orgs/ impact networks

Graphic design and visual methods for communicating complexity in accessible ways

What’s are three Practices you want to get better at in Social innovation?

Any areas of deep experience that you’d be happy to teach / write about?

Carolyn

Facilitation of participatory processes and approaches

Systemising Social Innovation for Institutions.

Telling the story of complex systems and peoples experience of the.

Taking care of yourself when working with tough content

Turning Social Innovation into a business and all the stuff and learning that comes with that.

Implementation, operationalising and running programs, services & teams (something like that)

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What’s are three Practices you want to get better at in Social innovation?

Any areas of deep experience that you’d be happy to teach / write about?

Marion

Participatory Innovation - meaningful preparation/development for individuals

Connecting innovation and outcomes and evaluation

Systemic intervention - ensuring all are at the table

Engaging community in MH/suicide prevention initatives/training - insights to date and evaluations

Experiences of a small social enterprise and staying viable

Social determinants and relationship with mental health and well being

What’s are three Practices you want to get better at in Social innovation?

Any areas of deep experience that you’d be happy to teach / write about?

Marion

What’s are three Practices you want to get better at in Social innovation?

Any areas of deep experience that you’d be happy to teach / write about?

Alazne

Connecting innovations to outcomes

Explore, learn and experiment with ways of thinking/doing/being that are more effective to create change towards better outcomes.

Thinking in systems

Broaden my training from industrial/service design to thinking in systems. Solidify/gain confidence and knowledge on ways to influencing systems change.

Stories of systems

Learn how to communicate effectively and emotionally/ meaningfully with everyone we are working with: people with lived experience, communities, professionals, stakeholders to create the change we want to see.

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Self determined innovation

Acknowledging I have lots to learn. I would like to offer being a host to create space/time to yarn and unpack what good and bad looks like in this space. I could offer conversation starter questions and would like to see Aunty Vickey and other partners/friends lead the yarn/direction, together with FINSI cohort.

I’d like to write about what we’ve learned by working in this space.

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What’s are three Practices you want to get better at in Social innovation?

Any areas of deep experience that you’d be happy to teach / write about?

Ash

Understand and communicating complex impact

Better storytelling - presenting through the tensions of human, compelling, effective, critical, hopeful

Designing compelling systemic actions/interventions with diverse disciplines, knowledge systems

Past, present and emerging role of (digital) tools - data, information, knowledge, ethics

Translation - insights to action, ideas to trials, concepts to process, etc..

What’s are three Practices you want to get better at in Social innovation?

Any areas of deep experience that you’d be happy to teach / write about?

lauren

Systematizing social innovation & defining best fit social innovation - how to know what process to use when and creating portfolios of innovation in systems

Scaling & implementation - what is it, what is the process, how does it happen, how to co-implement

Monitoring & evaluation - how to decide which process to use for what, how to do this in a participatory way

Generative systemic networks - coordination, facilitation, weaving, building, guardianship, funding

What is the course

Defining good social innovation

Defining wellbeing and outcomes

Using programme theory / theory of change

Thinking in systems

System patterns and archetypes

Taking action in systems

Telling the story of complex systems

Discovery and invention �(early stage innovation)

Implementation and scale �(late stage innovation)

Participatory processes

Self-determined processes

Chris, what’s your comfort level?

Don’t make no sense

Very Uncomfortable

Uncomfortable

OK

Comfortable

Very

comfortable

Systematising social innovation

Evaluation and innovation

Defining best fit approaches to social innovation

Being a social innovator

Tip: Hold down shift whilst dragging to slide in a straight line

What is the course

Defining good social innovation

Defining wellbeing and outcomes

Using programme theory / theory of change

Thinking in systems

System patterns and archetypes

Taking action in systems

Telling the story of complex systems

Discovery and invention �(early stage innovation)

Implementation and scale �(late stage innovation)

Participatory processes

Self-determined processes

Euan, what’s your comfort level?

Don’t make no sense

Very Uncomfortable

Uncomfortable

OK

Comfortable

Very

comfortable

Systematising social innovation

Evaluation and innovation

Defining best fit approaches to social innovation

Coping with emotional challenges of social inn.

Tip: Hold down shift whilst dragging to slide in a straight line

What is the course

Defining good social innovation

Defining wellbeing and outcomes

Using programme theory / theory of change

Thinking in systems

System patterns and archetypes

Taking action in systems

Telling the story of complex systems

Discovery and invention �(early stage innovation)

Implementation and scale �(late stage innovation)

Participatory processes

Self-determined processes

Carolyn, what’s your comfort level?

Don’t make no sense

Very Uncomfortable

Uncomfortable

OK

Comfortable

Very

comfortable

Systematising social innovation

Evaluation and innovation

Defining best fit approaches to social innovation

Coping with emotional challenges of social inn.

Tip: Hold down shift whilst dragging to slide in a straight line

What is the course

Defining good social innovation

Defining wellbeing and outcomes

Using programme theory / theory of change

Thinking in systems

System patterns and archetypes

Taking action in systems

Telling the story of complex systems

Discovery and invention �(early stage innovation)

Implementation and scale �(late stage innovation)

Participatory processes

Self-determined processes

Marion, what’s your comfort level?

Don’t make no sense

Very Uncomfortable

Uncomfortable

OK

Comfortable

Very

comfortable

Systematising social innovation

Evaluation and innovation

Defining best fit approaches to social innovation

Coping with emotional challenges of social inn.

Tip: Hold down shift whilst dragging to slide in a straight line

What is the course

Defining good social innovation

Defining wellbeing and outcomes

Using programme theory / theory of change

Thinking in systems

System patterns and archetypes

Taking action in systems

Telling the story of complex systems

Discovery and invention �(early stage innovation)

Implementation and scale �(late stage innovation)

Participatory processes

Self-determined processes

lauren, what’s your comfort level?

Don’t make no sense

Very Uncomfortable

Uncomfortable

OK

Comfortable

Very

comfortable

Systematising social innovation

Evaluation and innovation

Defining best fit approaches to social innovation

Coping with emotional challenges of social inn.

Tip: Hold down shift whilst dragging to slide in a straight line

What is the course

Defining good social innovation

Defining wellbeing and outcomes

Using programme theory / theory of change

Thinking in systems

System patterns and archetypes

Taking action in systems

Telling the story of complex systems

Discovery and invention �(early stage innovation)

Implementation and scale �(late stage innovation)

Participatory processes

Self-determined processes

Ash, what’s your comfort level?

Don’t make no sense

Very Uncomfortable

Uncomfortable

OK

Comfortable

Very

comfortable

Systematising social innovation

Evaluation and innovation

Defining best fit approaches to social innovation

Coping with emotional challenges of social inn.

Tip: Hold down shift whilst dragging to slide in a straight line

What is the course

Defining good social innovation

Defining wellbeing and outcomes

Using programme theory / theory of change

Thinking in systems

System patterns and archetypes

Taking action in systems

Telling the story of complex systems

Discovery and invention �(early stage innovation)

Implementation and scale �(late stage innovation)

Participatory processes

Self-determined processes

Alazne, what’s your comfort level?

Don’t make no sense

Very Uncomfortable

Uncomfortable

OK

Comfortable

Very

comfortable

Systematising social innovation

Evaluation and innovation

Defining best fit approaches to social innovation

Coping with emotional challenges of social inn.

Tip: Hold down shift whilst dragging to slide in a straight line

March 2018

tacsi.org.au

Module 2

Colleague interview...

• Time required (1-3hrs)

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• Complete by Module 3 session

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• Conduct a mini-research project to explore the extent to which TACSI projects embrace the principles for good social innovation (or not)by interviewing one or more TACSI practitioners about current or recent work. (Principle on next page)

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• You may want to reach out to someone you don’t know so well – or someone who’s work you don’t know so well

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• Document what you learn as bullet points in the workbook, or something even more fantastic.

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• Feel free to focus in on some of the principles in particular (9 is a lot for a short convo)

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• Prepare to share back in Module 3 session

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Assignment

Principles for good social innovation

• Summarise what you learnt in
• some dot points
• here
• Or do something even better than that….

x interviewed by Leanne

We talked about the peer to peer programs Barb has worked on and scaled.

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Strong principals in this work were numbers 1, 4, 5 and 9.

• Going local and being community led = lower footprint and lower cost
• Prioritising context and adapting for each new site. Also recognising when an adaptation isn’t appropriate if the context is too different and building a new model from foundational principles might work
• Talking about the investment (not the implementation cost). The idea that investment in relationships, training etc up front will mean after a few years the community can run the work with minimal investment. See delightful illustration to right --->
• Layers of support - people supported by peers supported by professionals supported by a network supported by an ecosystem
• Sharing skills - tag-teaming between Barb’s expertise and that of locals

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Principles that could be worked on were numbers 3 and 6.

• Acknowledging that Weavers is a fairly white process. But an Aboriginal inclusive community centre in Brisbane is currently looking at what Weavers could be/not be for their community. “Not how Weavers might fit, but rather how it might sit.”
• Finding it hard to find or create conditions for Weavers, hearing people say “It’s an add-on, and not direct service delivery.”
• Question emerged - what are the conditions that have enabled AOD and MH to have such progressive peer to peer mindsets?
• Identifying positive deviant organisations and professionals to work with - they might be marginalised in their sector/team.
• Question - how to target for systemic change - work on creating the conditions in the system and/or creating an innovation that will work within the system? See beautiful illustration to right --->
• Barb suggests at least 3 years of committed funding is needed to demonstrate impact. Discussing how things get stuck at the demonstration stage.

Barbara interviewed by Lucy

1 Focused on outcomes for people and the planet

definitely focused on people- understanding lived experience- although consultation style rather than co-design- collaboration of client(gov org) with stakeholders to inform/theory of change-not so much focused on planet-although an outcome may be less pokies and more people being active!! Outcomes are dependent on client adopting recommendations- from TOC

2 Builds capability and capacity throughout the knowledge and capacity for client- developed understanding and tools ie upskilling , developing relationships and “being” with lived experience. Client/consultant relationship- tough love at times- although enabled new context and thinking. tensions around traditional models of doing Vs lived experience- nature of being rather than nature of intentionally doing…(elastic band analogy)

3 is systemic- High up strategy through change in legislation- top down- although informed by lived experience-advocates for change through TOC report although adoption of TOC recommendations is through client and clients capacity to trust and adopt new concepts ---positive outcome conference to share finding and to give the lived experience a voice- NSW Office of gambling- work to influence nationally- ongoing- ripple effect...Willingness for client to be challenged around new models.

7 Acts in allyship with groups experiencing marginalisation-storytelling, mapping journeys- advocates for lived experience - (gambling) - TOC report - as an ally for client (gov) interesting dynamic of tensions -(balancing ) the traditional approach and challenging old ways of doing- with holding boundaries and “pushing” for capacity to think and respond differently- def positive was allying for lived experience - in an environment that is traditionally top heavy. “didn't win them over” however - Opportunity for further engagement with state and territories - and other professionals through conference.-was humane in practice- supportive- counselling - awareness of potential triggers- loved ones- family - acceptance of where individuals were at on their journey of addiction...mapping exercise- built capacity in those sharing their lived experience.

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Areas of potential improvement-

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Consultant - holds to much knowledge base- not enough vessels to contain- TOC - only one vessel-

Could have been more client led- lived experience- more ownership - project plans already developed - potential to have shift focus at beginning - to enable participatory led-?

More time for partnerships- including indigenous knowledge base- listening to stories- engaging with others- no learning loops -

Not so much as experimental in nature- more traditional model of consultation-although appropriate model for client- meeting them where they are at/ important in developing trust and furthering relationships. Consultant gave a 7 on the scale of 0 being not meeting social innovation principles- 10 being awesome social innovation-

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Lucy interviewed by Megan (have intentionally not included all 9 just chose a few key points)

• Problem gambling & AVP
• Volunteering for development/interesting because it’s not been done before with AVP/existed pre covid but gained momentum
• Different models for volunteering
• Traditional model was western going into different countries/DFAT position was that volunteering was largely around professional experience of aussies/soft diplomacy
• South South/differnt countries different countries
• Massive shift during covid/because the traditional method couldnt work
• Remote volunteering
• DFTA/positive stories/drive for innovation
• Vol for dev project is now (bottom up approach) in country teams for staff locally, been given the opportunity to create their own ideas around local model
• We are coaching and connector /design and coach.
• Pre Covid innovation fund was doing good stuff/since covid the fund has been elevated/as a result of Covid
• Possibly a slower burn without covid
• Backstory AVP/Different models/Vol for dev is now a prototype for a broader piece/Diff governments
• Change - on the frontline - lightbulb moments and mind set changes within teams
• Capability changing but
• VDev loops of learning - learning along the way
• Explaining value to externals - communicating to teams and communicating to wider stakeholders/not about broad journey and outcomes/difficult because people fund outcomes...MEL frameworks
• Learning journey / document how we apply and use that.
• Framework its an approach documented to something, what were going to do and how we apply…
• Listen to our chat here - Insert Zoom TBC

Lorrin interviewed by Bebe - Her journey to tacsi through ind des via her blog, merge social impact and ind design, NFP org, - love to eb involved in a project that illustrated significant change.

TACSI connect - an OD project that builds agency and supports the network to make informed choices in their own lives.

• Embraces the following Princples of Social Innovation well:
• Human centred design - it honours every individual in the organisation and allows people to show up as their whole, individual self. People react differently and need support in diverse ways and this project gives people agency in decisions that impact them.
• Outcomes for People - People Powered - distributing the responsibility through decentralising. This project fosters wellbeing and safety to co-create the culture we want (eg WTLB, etc).
• Builds capacity - Every aspect of TACSI connect has been designed and developed with staff.
• Systemic - Organisations and networks such as TACSI are social systems and we need to mirror the change we want to see. We can’t do social innovation work without modelling it from within.
• Experimental - constantly adapting and learning as we go. This can be uncomfortable for some.
• Fits context - have learnt we need people within TACSI to design and develop the process (rather than relying on external consultants who don’t understand our context). It helps having a good social innovation literacy level (eg FINSI, dual roles such as Euans).

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• There is still work to do in embedding the following Principles for Social Innovation:
• Indigenous wisdom - We have the respect and alignment but need to put indigenous wisdom into practice with more sensitivity and rigour (eg TACSI Connect calendar, integrating cultural elements into WTLB etc)
• Good ally - The new Progression/REM process will ensure more equity and a voice for marginalized staff (eg women, minority groups, etc)
• Contributes to knowledge - We promote what we do within the network and some external comms (eg Innovating Us blog) but could have wider reach and influence with more intention. Need to continue to document lessons learnt along the way.

Euan interviewed by Pippa

• Experimental side big in Anna’s practice. Influenced by her background in art & design: experimenting with materials, how to communicate complex topics e.g. identity, gender
• Guiding principle: treat me as a human first
• power of the arts to create human experiences
• accessing people’s emotions it’s the way to influence behaviour change “art helps us access subconscious mind”
• Story telling thread present in everything she does
• she aims to create experiences that help people STOP - LISTEN - THINK: this is different
• focus on how things are communicated e.g. communicating insights in a way that elicits empathy to people that could not participate in research.
• experimented with ways to immerse people in content - installation with posters, ipad, cards,...
• How might we hear old things in new ways? Hearing exact thing from somebody else - how to be the right person at the right time?
• Need to have both evidence and emotional/art/subconscious
• Driven by the idea of experimenting about the future
• initially explored fashion trends as a means to explore future scenarios
• now interested in socio economic forces that influence ecosystem we all live in
• Systemic side became more important as she becomes more politically aware
• Through her work always challenging the status quo or wondering why things are the way they are

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Anna Langdon interviewed by Alazne

• Summarise what you learnt in
• some dot points
• here
• Or do something even better than that….

x interviewed by Carolyn

• Summarise what you learnt in
• some dot points
• here
• Or do something even better than that….

x interviewed by Ash

• Summarise what you learnt in
• some dot points
• here
• Or do something even better than that….

x interviewed by Marion

Jess interviewed by lauren

< Listen to Jess approx 8.5min

Focused on outcomes for people and the planet

Is systemic

Is experimental

Is human-centred

Builds capability and capacity throughout the process

Respects Indigenous wisdom

Acts in allyship with groups experiencing marginalisation

Contributes to the knowledge base

Fits context

Pulling the high level together, highlighting patterns; what are the links between our work.

Thought leadership for the future that TACSI sees. Neutral v advocacy lens.

People’s authentic stories across the many projects we’ve done. Painting picture that people can really engage with.

We need to pull together our stories across projects to influence in self-determination area.

Who the audience is and the purpose and having outputs for different audiences eg funder, policy, community

Noticing that these processes and methods equal these outcomes across many projects.

Situates TACSI’s practice and experience among other world examples.

We don't always get that chance to reflect and make connections ourselves in the work.

paper about people powered innovations: Learnings across peer to peer models what works.

• Principles, are we talking about the same thing. What do you mean by principle. Are a set of principles scalable? Whats the difference between a pattern and a principle?
• The word principle os loaded
• A good set of principles is a pattern that can be repeated and will be different in every context
• Difference between values and principles and
• Principles – if you fuck these up you are no longer running FbyF
• If you examine or explore any aspect of the program you will find the principles at work
• Margate candy mateaphone
• If you are not doing these you are not doing FbyF
• A principle is something that can be operationalised
• Used a sliding scale on each principle to identify which we being used often and well and which were dropping out

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1. Focussed on outcomes for people
2. Building capability
3. Human centred
4. Systemic
5. Experimental
6. Respects indigenous wisdom
7. Acts in allyship
8. Fits context

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Because of quality role

• Articulating the program and the standards of the program (best practice)
• What do families feel when best practice is happening
• All feedback was witnessed by staff and families in open dialogue (experimental)
• That feedback has gone to the team who themselves will decide how to iterate and build the skills they need to develop
• Now thinking about how families can be unskilled to be the quality control mechanism
• Gaps we didn’t speak to kids or seeking families (informed by reflecting through our principles)
• Families got a set of standards in family friendly language and then talked with families about what was working and what was not working so well.
• Team build their own action plan on how to respond to the feedback themselves.
• Who better to assess the outcomes than people experiencing the service
• No extra time was asked for people. Everyone was involved together. It was easy to engage with and light touch
• No closed doors. Very transparent
• You having been on the ground and built that trust and those relationships provides safety in tough times. When the system snaps back around you the voice of the beneficiary needs to guide you.

Dani interviewed by Euan

June 2021

tacsi.org.au

Module 4

Connecting innovations to outcomes

add interviews

June 2021

tacsi.org.au

Module 7

Modelling Systems

1

Rich Picture

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2

The iceberg model

(Stroh, 2016)

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3

Six Conditions of Systems Change

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5

Systems dynamics

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4

Archetypes:

Success to the successful

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4

Archetypes:

Shifting the burden / the quick fix

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4

Homelessness Example

(Stroh)

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5

4D Modelling

(Social Presencing Theatre / Theory U)

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5

4D Modelling

(Social Presencing Theatre / Theory U)

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5

4D Modelling

(Social Presencing Theatre / Theory U)

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6

Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) Model

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June 2021

tacsi.org.au

Module 8

Acting in systems

1

Four-Stage Change Process

(David Stroh, 2016)

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Connect

(heart)

Reflect

(head)

*Respect

(spirit, gut)

Direct

(hands)

top-down ways of working start here

*Always start here

Adapted from Yunkaporta (Sand Talk, 2019)

2

Sand Talk Process

(Tyson Yunkaporta, 2019)

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3

Theory U Movements

(Otto Scharmer, 2009)

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3

24 Practices of Theory U

(Otto Scharmer, 2009)

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June 2021

tacsi.org.au

Module 10

Innovation: intent to invention

June 2021

tacsi.org.au

Module 11

Innovation: invention and implimentation

c

The work of innovation is developing, testing and refining assumptions.

Through this work you reduce your ‘unknowns’ and increase your ‘knowns’

Knowns

Unknowns

Innovation is a journey

Invention is an ongoing activity in the second half of innovation

The assumptions you develop, test and refine along the innovation journey vary by stage

Developing and testing assumptions about what and how to scale is a critical part of the second half of the innovation journey.

There are many alternative methodologies to accelerate your innovation journey.

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They all help articulate and test assumptions.

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(And they can often be adapted, or combined in different ways)

Design based methods

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Adopt/adapt (Pattern based design)

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Theory U

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Four Step Change Process

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Positive Deviance

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Lean Start-up

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Implementation science

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Positive Deviance Methodology

Implementation Science Methodology

Implementation Science Methodology

Implementation Science Methodology

Stage Gate Approach

There are also formulas for systematising innovation - to deal with a whole portfolio of innovations

June 2021

tacsi.org.au

Module 12

Participation part 1: What

Research

expertise

Practice expertise

Lived expertise

Why ‘co’?

Co-work is about making better decisions and creating better change through collaboration between professionals, people with lived-experience and research evidence.

Co-planning Decisions about values, direction, ambition, resources & approach.

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Co-design Decisions about the detailed form of an interaction, service or policy.

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Co-delivery People in lived-experience roles & professionals to collaborate to enable change for others.

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Co-evaluation Judgement of existing situations and development of recommendations for action.

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Co-governance Collaborative oversight

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Co-pro

cycle

What will you co?

In detail: The co-production cycle and associated methodologies

June 2021

tacsi.org.au

Module 13

Participation part 2: how

Research

expertise

Practice expertise

Lived expertise

Who is the ‘co’?

Co-work is about making better decisions and creating better change through collaboration between professionals, people with lived-experience and research evidence.

Informed decision making

Who decides: Professionals

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How they decide: Draw on what they know about community members, evidence and practice, usually in meetings and documents.

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1

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Co-

spectrum

How will you share power?

Consultative decision making

Who decides: Professionals (including facilitator(s) experienced in collaborative processes).

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How they decide: Consult evidence, practitioners and community members – and then use what they learn to refine their assumptions about what’s best.

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Family by Family, TACSI

See making of video

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Participatory decision making

Who decides: A majority community member/ lived experience group likely to also include practitioners, managers, commissioners or subject matter experts.

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How do they decide: Consult evidence, practitioners and community members – and then use what they learn to refine their assumptions about what’s best.

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Ballarat Community Health

Watch Rick talk about the value of co-design

Self-determined decision making

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Who decides: A community member / lived-experience group. Supported, if required, to build their capabilities to organise and lead change.

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How do they decide: Consult evidence, practitioners and community members – and then use what they learn to refine their assumptions about what’s best.

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South Sudanese Australian Young people, with CoHealth and DHHS. Website

How will you co?

Informed

decision making

Consultative �decision making

Participatory �decision making

Self-determined �decision making

In detail: Co-spectrum

Responsibilities along the spectrum

Mitigate cognitive bias in decision making

Make a representative selection of participants

Create safe and ethical spaces for participation

Use multiple strategies to balance power when people come together

Build the capabilities & conditions for people to lead (If required)

Choose the best-fit approach to decision making (who leads, what model of decision making?)

Choose the best-fit approach to decision making

There are there are different kinds of ddcion making - eg consusus vs objection / agility vs ?

Mitigate cognitive biases

Some practical mitigation strategies

• Being aware of your own biases (as much as possible)
• Working in diverse teams and calling out bias when you see it (working with blind spot bias)
• Holding gently to what you are sasying - being open to challenge
• Designing processes to reduce biases
• Pre-mortem on biases that are likely to play out
• Working to explicit principles & reflection on them
• Developmental principle based evaluation
• Triangulating insights with data from multiple sources
• Multiple rounds of feedback and checking
• Increasing levels of (the right kind) of participation
• ​

Some common cognitive biases in Social Innovation

​

Implicit bias - we associates attitudes and stereotypes to people without our conscious knowledge. eg We might assume that a rural community has more or less capability then they have to lead their own change.

​

Confirmation bias is the idea that people seek out information and data that confirms their pre-existing ideas. They tend to ignore contrary information. eg drawing on ideas you like to inform solutions.

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Framing cognitive bias - making a decision because of the way information is presented to them, rather than based just on the facts. See also...narrative fallacy - we naturally like stories and find them easier to make sense of and relate to. eg Putting more value on a piece of information from an emotionally engaging stakeholder.

​

Anchoring - we use pre-existing data as a reference point for all subsequent data, which can skew our decision-making processes. eg using our own lives as a reference point at to what is hard or easy, expensive or cheap.

​

Social desirability bias - we want to look good to others. e.g. Preferencing ideas that are going to be well received - that play into a funders exiting preferences, or the value set of your team.

Illusion of transparency - we overestimate the extent to which others know what we are thinking. eg. assuming people read that we did not agree from our body language

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Blind spot bias - we recognise the impact of biases on the judgment of others, while failing to see the impact of biases on our own judgment

​

​

Cognitive Bias in user research and how to avoid them

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​

​

​

​

​

​

participation itself is a cultural bias

Effective and safe participation

• Do your homework. Understand the background of culture and history, before engaging with communities.

​

• Relationships first. Take time to build trust and enable people to feel that you are there for the right reasons.

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• Design the process with the people. Don't assume what will work. Decide with people who will be doing the work, the pace of the work, who governs the work and who owns intellectual property created in the process.

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• Further self-determination. Create the conditions for communities to make decisions about their future, now, and in the future beyond the project.

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• Set accurate expectations. Be clear on the scope and influence of the work, and expectations for participation.

​

​

• Build on what’s known and what’s been started. Use existing evidence, work with what the community already knows, further what the community has already started.

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• Tell great stories. Think about the best way to share information and ideas, so that they stick.

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• Recognise people’s time, and their cultural and emotional labour. Validate lived-experience with financial compensation or something better.

​

• Partner for cultural safety. Bring organisations and individuals to the team who understand how to work in culturally safe ways, and/or have shared cultural experiences.

Balancing power

• ?

information - history of the struggle

expect rupture

Build and grow power

Working frontstage and backstage

​

Working frontstage to introduce new capabilities and model new practices

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Working shoulder to shoulder to build towns’ confidence to use new practices

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Working backstage to let towns lead their own work, resisting temptation and resisting requests for direct help when communities already had the capability themselves

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Power transitions & builds

• Providing funding
• Providing decision making over funding
• Building capability
• Building shared and collective identity
• Growing connection locally
• Building connections with people in powe

June 2021

tacsi.org.au

Module 14

An Aboriginal perspective on co

Link to source

A set of principles for participatory working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, co-designed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Stepping stones process

What we’ve learned is important

Decolising solidarity Book

​

web

http://decolonizingsolidarity.org/

​

Decolinising research

https://www.perlego.com/book/2014391/decolonizing-solidarity-dilemmas-and-directions-for-supporters-of-indigenous-struggles-pdf?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKCAjwtfqKBhBoEiwAZuesiJYrKP0IiQOsYq45BIWDvEA7jBgAhtlFBQ7nIbkW-19qd0mI0_FiTBoCeVsQAvD_BwE

​

On being

https://www.perlego.com/book/2014391/decolonizing-solidarity-dilemmas-and-directions-for-supporters-of-indigenous-struggles-pdf?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKCAjwtfqKBhBoEiwAZuesiJYrKP0IiQOsYq45BIWDvEA7jBgAhtlFBQ7nIbkW-19qd0mI0_FiTBoCeVsQAvD_BwE

​

Decolonising Methodologies 3ed https://www.booktopia.com.au/decolonizing-methodologies-2ed-linda-tuhiwai/book/9781848139503.html?source=pla&gclid=CjwKCAjwtfqKBhBoEiwAZuesiOiMkwoCKxyvL_aKJKWXBah34R-pHuSQIXTdxnmHBy93Ejco9A63mhoC5dcQAvD_BwE

​

​

How to be an ally to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

​

notes from podcast by Dana Shen and Aunty Vickey Charles

​

• It’s your personal responsibility as an ally to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander cultures. To be respectfully curious and learn about the Community you work with.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities are going through lots of pain. There is lots of strength, winning and finding a way to get through it too. As an ally, it’s important to hold both - the pain and the thriving.
• Some of the aspects of your roles as an ally
• working to support the self determination of Aboriginal people
• working in true partnership
• making sure you are deeply listening to people - listen to what Aunty Vickey has to say
• practicing cultural humility and respect
• seeing the status of Aboriginal people
• knowing we don’t know everything and being open to learn
• working with Aboriginal people to translate their vision
• and last but not least - you need to create a safe space to join up together and do it in true partnership.

​

What do we mean with safe space?

• the physical space to be safe for Aboriginal people e.g. having flags, having the AIATSIS map, the space not to look too ‘white’
• Having another Aboriginal person

​

“It’s incredible the safety you feel when you are with other Aboriginal people. Feels you are with family” - Aunty Vickey

​

​

​

June 2021

tacsi.org.au

Module 15

Systematising social innovation

What are �the conditions that hold social innovation in place /make it hard?

Four systems for social innovation

Individual

Organisational

Institutions & infrastructure

Societal

Four systems for social innovation

Individual

Organisational

Societal

Institutions & infrastructure

2020

2040

⬆Cultural esteem for social innovation

⬆Reconciliation, representation & self determination - love of diversity

⬆Sophisticated view on whole of life costs

⬆Rigour in social innovation

⬆Social, cultural, environmental and economic literacy in society at large

⬆Hope, possibility and imagination

⬆Love for life and the planet (esp for ppl who have experienced trauma)

Some societal forces to start cultivating now

Some things that would follow

⬆Increased and smarter spending on social outcomes

2030

2040

ᐳ Two languages

2035

ᐳ social innovation games and clubs

ᐳ Both ways metrics

ᐳ Indigenous knowledge infrastructure

ᐳ Digital social breakthrough

ᐳ Innovation pattern sharing

ᐳ Specialisation within sector

ᐳ Open knowledge sharing

ᐳ Knowledge sharing

ᐳ Lived experience roles

ᐳ Specific discipline

Four systems for social innovation

Individual

Organisational

Societal

Institutions & infrastructure

​

​

R&D

Ecosystems

Elements of an R&D system

The incentive components ensure there are good reasons and good rewards for doing R&D

​

​

​

Why applying R&D to social settings is a bad idea

​

​

I+G inguru sozialean aplikatzea zergatik den ideia txarra

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​

01

02

03

R&D processes and systems are not designed for complex problems.

​

R&D could meet the needs of paying customers without meeting the needs of beneficiaries.

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R&D could lead to unethical experimentation on people.

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​

​

I+G prozesu eta sistemak ez daude arazo konplexuetarako diseinatuta.

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I+G-k bezeroen beharrak asebete ditzake onuradunen beharrak bete gabe.

​

​

I+G-k pertsonengan etikoa ez den esperimentazioa ekar dezake.

01

02

03

Why applying R&D to social settings is a bad idea

​

​

I+G inguru sozialean aplikatzea zergatik den ideia txarra

​

​

​

04

05

06

In politics ideology trumps evidence anyway.

​

​

R&D would create futures the public doesn’t want to live in.

​

​

R&D would reinforce white dominant culture over Indigenous peoples.

​

Politikan ideologiak ebidentziak gainditzen ditu edonola ere.

​

​

I+G-k gizarteak bizi nahi ez dituen etorkizunak sortuko lituzke.

​

​

I+G-k mendebaldeko gizarte dominantea indartuko luke pertsona Indigenen gainetik.

04

05

06

The role for collaborative governance and co-creation. People at the centre and at every level.

​

Ko-sorkuntza eta lankidentzazko gobernantzaren rola. Pertsonak zentroan eta maila guztietan.

​

​

​

​

A really good R&D system...

​

​

I+G sistema on batek...

​

​

01

02

03

04

Accelerates the development of the future the public wants

Puts people experiencing marginalisation at the centre of decisions big and small

​

Cultivates imagination, experimentation, rigor and generosity

​

Builds talent and capability

​

Gizarteak nahi duen etorkizunaren garapena bizkortzen du

Marjinazioa bizi duten pertsonak erabaki handi zein txikien erdigunean jartzen ditu

​

Irudimena, esperimentazioa, zorroztasuna eta eskuzabaltasuna lantzen ditu

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Talentua eta gaitasuna garatzen ditu

01

02

03

04

A really good R&D system...

​

​

I+G sistema on batek...

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​

​

05

06

07

08

Embraces diverse knowledge bases, stakeholders and worldviews

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Generates interest and cultural esteem for social purpose innovation

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Furthers Indigenous: self-determination, innovation and knowledge systems.

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Leads to better social, economic and planetary outcomes

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Ezagutza-modu anitzak, eragileak eta mundu ikuskerak ezberdinak biltzen ditu

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Helburu sozialak dituen berrikuntzarako interesa eta kultura estimua sortzen ditu

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Pertsona Indigenen autodeterminazioa, berrikuntza eta ezagutza sistemak areagotzen ditu

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Emaitza sozial, ekonomiko eta planetario hobeak lortzen ditu

05

06

07

08

Four systems for social innovation

Individual

Organisational

Societial

Institutions & infrastructure

Conditions for social innovation at an org level

​

​

​

A

B

C

People with the right qualities and capabilities

​

​

Authorising environment to do the work and interest in it.

​

​

Relationships eg with lived experience, specialist technical support, people who have done this already

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Helpful, (or at least not-unhelpful) policies.

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​

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A project design and process that fits budget, capabilities, time, money, ambition and org context.

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D

E

Practical strategies for orgs wanting to pursue SI

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​

​

1

2

3

Battlers: Work under the radar - make it look like business as usual, find workarounds for everything.

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Bespoke operators: Create conditions (eg team, money, policy exceptions) for a limited time eg one project, or one yr.

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Builders: Do SI in a way that grows the legitimacy and conditions for it over time.

Doing multiple projects, building specialists in the process

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Finding the SI approach and language that fits your context

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Building org legitimacy and authorising environment through storytelling, demonstrating value

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Building capability and awareness broader than the team

[The capabilities for SI leadership and management are different to doing SI - working with power and politics (small p) ]

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​

​

​

1

2

3

4

What this means in practice…�(a lot more than just doing innovation. )

Considerations for orgs comissioning SI...

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​

​

1

2

3

To be written

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Co-ditions

How will you create�conditions for co?

3

Four systems for social innovation

Individual

Organisational

Societal

Institutions & infrastructure

Individuals

1 Qualities

2 Capabilities

3 Ongoing learning �and development

Capabilitiesfor social innovators

Systems

Experimentation

People power

First Nations First

See the big �picture

Thinking �and acting �in systems

Future state�focus

Building on �what’s known

Rigour in �imagination

Learning �through doing

Looking after yourself

Leaving only good behind

Furthering�self-�determination

Power to marginalised groups

Qualities of a social innovator

(deeper than capabilities)

Idealisim

Pragmatism

complexity delight

People

love

Humility

Drive

Where you at?

EB

la

AA

AA

BB

EB

la

AA

AA

BB

EB

la

AA

AA

BB

CV

CV

CV

CV

CV

LM

LF

LM

LM

LF

PC

PC

LF

PC

PC

June 2021

tacsi.org.au

Module 16

First Nations Recap

The seven

thread �workbook

​

​

First draft (Internal use only)

Practical prompts to help non-Indigenous organisations engage First Nations peoples, and foreground First Nations’ wisdom in your work; to further reconciliation, self-determination and change.

​

Acknowledgement

We acknowledge the traditional custodians and owners of the lands in which we work and live on across Australia. We pay our respects to Elders of the past, present and emerging. We are committed to collaboration that furthers self-determination and creates a better future for all.

We acknowledge the world is changing and that all of the challenges facing our society will be more deeply felt by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Embedding a cultural lens across all of our work must be a priority in any strategy that is created and implemented.

​

Thanks

Inspired by lots of people, conversations with, our clients, Uncle Tony, Dana Shen, Tyson Yunkaporta, Melanie Goodchild

​

Contents

​

Our journey to here

Next

Seven threads

How we got here

​

In 2018 we created a ‘cultural canvas’, a tool to help build in cultural considerations into every project. For something so simple, it created a lot of value in a wide range of projects.

​

This Seven Thread tool builds on the spirit of the canvas, to provide some pragmatic guidance and reflection opportunities, and expands it to include a much broader range of considerations that we’ve learnt are important when acting in allyship with First Nations Peoples, Country and First knowledges.

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Our thinking is informed by our work, our conversations with clients, partners and innovators, and our understanding of what it means to be a good ally in 2021.

​

It’s just a start, we expect to revise and update, and welcome feedback. We also hope you can start making changes to how you work now.

​

If you weave respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, our land and our culture, and ways of thinking and being through everything you do you’ll end up with a better result - for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and for everyone.

Aunty Vickey Charles

Cultural Lead at TACSI

​

Seven

threads

Innovating together

Country & Peoples

Histories & realities

Self-determination

Seeing & valuing

Bridging

The first thread

Country & Peoples

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On which First Nations’ lands will the project take place?

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What considerations should be made around Welcome to Country? or Acknowledgement of Country?

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What cultural considerations should be made around people on the team and people informing the work?

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What language considerations should be made around people on the team and people informing the work?

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Who should you connect with, why, and when? Consider community leaders or elders, community members, organisations, expert Informants, and others.

​

​

​

“Our land is our people, is out culture”

Dana Shen

Co-design Practitioner

​

"It’s your personal responsibility as an ally to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander cultures. To be respectfully curious and learn about the Community you work with."

The second thread

Histories & realities

​

How is the topic you are working on conceptualised by the First Nations peoples you’re working with?

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How is the topic you’re working on experienced by First Nations peoples; what’s the data and research say?

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What have First Nations peoples said about the topic?

​

What historical context needs to be kept in mind?

​

What recent events should be kept in mind?

​

What might be happening in communities during the time of your project? e.g. cultural business?

​

​

​

​

“Our people live our history everyday”

Simone Miller

​

​

“When engaging with Aboriginal people, be mindful of how they are feeling.”

The third thread

Self-determination

​

Are we the right people to lead this work, or would it be better done by an First Nations’ person, organisation, or in partnership?

​

How can you create greater self-determination in your work, this project? What might you need to share, or give up?

​

What are the First Nations visions for the future on this topic?

​

What First Nations people/communities/organisations are leading innovation on this in Australia, and on other continents?

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How could you connect to and amplify these people, work, and the conditions for it?

​

[Cultural IP and ownership question]

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​

​

​

​

“We are the best people to set our own future”

Dana Shen

Co-design practitioner

​

Being a good ally means working to support the self determination of Aboriginal people. This requires working in true partnership, making sure you are deeply listening to what Aboriginal people have to say. This involves practicing cultural humility and respect, knowing we don’t know everything as non-Aboriginal people and being open to learning, and working with Aboriginal people to translate their vision. Last but not least, you need to create a safe space to join up together and do it in true partnership."

"Gov talks about self determination as if it's in a fish bowl in a big sea — this restricts work beyond the limits of the bowl." Matthew Graham - Koori Caucus

The fourth thread

Seeing & valuing

How could First Nations ways of valuing, being and knowing contribute to addressing this issue to the benefit of all people?

​

Who could help you with this?

​

​

​

​

“Our people have been systems thinkers since day one”

Tyson Yunkaporta

Academic

​

“I always think what would my aunties and uncles say? What would they encourage me to do? ...If you're not open to it, then you'll miss part of what could help you in expanding, or filling up your knowledge bundle.”

Melanie Goodchild

Turtle Island Institute

​

The fifth thread

Bridging

How could you support non-Indigenous organisations to build the capability, confidence and conditions to better support First Nations Peoples to achieve their aims; to be better allies?

​

What are your learning about supporting First Nations people, organisations and systems?

​

How could you support First Nations organisations work in white systems – if they choose to – to achieve their aims?

​

​

​

​

“Our people need allies, we didn’t get here alone”

Dana Shen

Co-design practitioner

​

"It’s your personal responsibility as an ally to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander cultures. To be respectfully curious and learn about the Community you work with." Dana Shen (FINSI podcast)

The sixth & seventh threads

Innovating together

How can you demonstrate two-culture innovation partnership in this work?

​

How can you further the conditions for two-culture innovation partnership in this work?

​

​

​

​

​

Melanie Goodchild

Turtle Island Institute

​

“We need to embrace ‘two eye seeing’, see together and know when it’s best to look through one eye or the other.”

We've been colonized by a certain mental models—that true knowledge is only something that's written or can be counted or even observed.” — Melanie Goodchild

“I've tried to bring my scholarly mind together with my heart, and always go back and forth, recognizing that even in my scholarship, I have learned from the land.” — Melanie Goodchild

​

“There are a lot of opportunities for sustainable innovation through the dialogue of Indigenous and non-Indigenous ways of living...the problem with this communication so far has been asymmetry - when power relations are so skewed that most communication is one way, there is not much opportunity for the brackish waters of hybridity to stew up something exciting.”

​

​

Tyson Yunkaporta

Author