Revelling in systems thinking

Since the beginning, Barry Gall our Systems Strategist, has led the mahi in our systems approach to prevention, creating change across urban design, smokefree environments, the food system and local government. Barry shared some of his learnings during his time in the team.

“It has been a privilege to be part of the Healthy Families NZ kaupapa over the last seven years. I am grateful for the skills and mindsets acquired on the journey and the opportunity to work with and learn from the outstanding workforce in Healthy Families Hutt Valley and the wider Healthy Families NZ workforce across Aotearoa.

For me, the Healthy Families NZ kaupapa was a dynamic merging of population health, social innovation and indigenous knowledge to strengthen the prevention system.

I revelled in the ‘systems thinking’ approach which flips the mindset of seeing our people as failing in the system to identifying how the system fails our people. Our communities have the best opportunity to be well and thrive when their living conditions and the environment positively supports it. In looking at an issue – I would ask the question: what is holding the problem in place and what conditions need to change? The equity focus supported me to work with community and stakeholders to collectively address conditions that are unfair and unjust.

Examples of this included using policy levers to create smokefree environments to make it easier for whānau to quit smoking while raising a smokefree generation. Working with Te Awa Kairangi Kai Collective to create equitable access to nourishing food was an opportunity to support community-led systems change.

Many achievements were built on being able to springboard off the strengths and assets of local government and I acknowledge the significant support provided by officers and elected representatives from Hutt City and Upper Hutt City Councils. Being led by Hutt City Council brought an awareness of the ‘unfunded mandate’ where responsibilities and obligations are placed on local government without the enabling resource. Healthy Families Hutt Valley is an example of how a prevention focused injection of capacity and capability, can amplify local government’s ability to create transformational change.

The Healthy Families NZ kaupapa provided conditions for the workforce to be innovative, safe to experiment and disrupt the status quo when it is a barrier to wellbeing. The kaupapa is an agile vehicle for responding to opportunities and community voice in real time while addressing structural barriers to living well. The fast paced and dynamic way of working was at times exhausting, but the reward was great when the mahi came to fruition.

I take the kaupapa with me to my Community Facilitator role at Hutt City Council and am excited about what lies ahead with the convergence of the health sector reforms and the local government review.”