Creating a Prosperous, Resilient South Auckland Where Children And

CREATING A PROSPEROUS, RESILIENT SOUTH AUCKLAND_ WHERE CHILDREN AND WHANAU THRIVE YEAR IN REVIEW - DECEMBER 2017

Overview: A mandate to transform South Auckland

he Southern Initiative is a place- of our discoveries will be relevant and The Southern Initiative is involved in some very T based initiative in the Auckland useful to the services operating in South important social and economic development work and the Plan. Its coverage spans four Auckland Auckland; others will make their impact “ team has an excellent overview about how to affect the Council local board areas - Māngere- separately from service provision. deepest impact in that regard. It also has all important Ōtāhuhu, Ōtara-Papatoetoe, Manurewa insight into South Auckland’s needs and how to best help and Papakura. We work with whānau, local the community meet those needs, particularly around social change agents, grassroots TSI’s role is to champion, stimulate entrepreneurs, businesses, agencies and helping children reach their full potential. TSI is doing some and enable community and social various organisations to explore, create impressive work and is achieving great results, innovation in South Auckland. and test radical solutions to some of South Auckland’s most pressing social Auckland Mayor, ” Our central philosophy is strengths-based and economic challenges. Phil Goff. and whānau-centric, reflecting what we’ve heard from the community that We’re about transformation and we’re “only the ‘hood can change the ‘hood”. about innovation. This means taking risks, trying new things, and learning as It’s not our job to replace or compete we go. The work being done in South Auckland is ground with the many services working in the “breaking and producing innovative, interesting and social, economic development and impactful outcomes to the benefit of this city which is education space in South Auckland. Our something Aucklanders can be proud of, approach is to learn, explore, experiment and examine what sorts of things might Auckland Council Chief Executive, ” work to help this area thrive. Some Stephen Town. 4

Our priorities

These are no small challenges, and we • The population of South Auckland is know the best way to achieve enduring, younger than the rest of Auckland. The transformative change is to tap into the success of these young people in terms south’s assets, talents and opportunities to of education, skills, employment and focus on projects which will produce high- community participation will shape the quality results. future of South Auckland and Auckland • By 2068 people aged 65 years or This document sets out our work in the older will account for a significant past year, grouped according to our three 28 percent of the population. South priorities: Shared prosperity; Resilience; and Auckland’s young population will be Thriving Children and Whānau. All of our critical to the tax base needed to pay innovation efforts, from small initiatives for pensions and health care. to large scale programmes, contribute ur priorities link to our purpose - to to one or more of our priorities and their We want South Auckland to be O create a prosperous, resilient place outcomes. recognised as the enterprise capital of where children and whānau thrive. New Zealand, leading the country in The Auckland Plan makes our role clear: Auckland may be the economic engine community-led economic development “Strengthening children and families in of New Zealand but the city’s prosperity and inclusive economic growth. stable homes and employment”. We have depends heavily on South Auckland’s a central place in delivering the plan’s success. South Auckland is New Zealand’s priorities for the south, especially ensuring biggest opportunity, and The Southern children have the best start in life, there As the New Zealand Institute of Economic Initiative is at the forefront of harnessing are clear pathways and support for further Research’s (NZIER) Resilient South that power to make impactful education and training for school leavers document says: transformational change. (as well as good, local jobs), inclusive economic development and quality • Auckland will thrive if South Auckland housing. thrives

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Our opportunity: Innovation and collaboration

he Southern Initiative is unique in its Our closeness to community enables us to complex challenges to be part of the South Auckland presents T innovation capability combined with its collaborate with grassroots change makers, south’s transformation. The keys for “New Zealand’s biggest position in local government. entrepreneurs and a range of Māori and unlocking strengths and assets to take on opportunity as a place and Pasifika enterprises to create alternative complex challenges lie in local communities community for lasting and As part of the Auckland Council family business and economic models to enable themselves. Rather than creating more impactful social and economic shared prosperity. services or programmes to ‘fix’ South we can influence decision making, service transformational change. The delivery and asset use, considerable levers Auckland we partner with whānau to Southern Initiative plays a for social transformation given the family’s We are committed to empowering people explore, create and test new size and scope. Collaborative procurements at the sharp end of South Auckland’s and innovative solutions. powerful and successful part with Auckland Transport are creating quality in helping the community employment as well as training and enterprise identify and seize innovative opportunities and we are partnering with opportunities to make a real ATEED and Panuku Development Auckland on difference in people’s lives. a number of projects. Auckland Council is Our strong relationship and effective rightfully proud of the collaboration with central government “ excellent and impressive also means local and central government work being undertaken by are working together on important social TSI across a number of strong and economic issues. Our Co-design Lab is an excellent example of this in action. focus areas for big change It is funded by Auckland Council and including housing quality and eight central government agencies - the affordability, child poverty Department of the Prime Minister and reduction, raised wages and the Cabinet, Treasury, Te Puni Kōkiri, the New future of work, Zealand Police, MBIE and the ministries of health, education and social development. Auckland Councillor” Alf Filipaina. The Southern Initiative team 6

Auckland Co-design Lab

n integral and vital part of our team, Insights from this work directly influenced A the Auckland Co-design Lab’s tenet is council assets, such as libraries, to better to unlock people’s capability so they can support South Aucklanders parenting actively take part in designing their own very young children. Our driver licencing future while advocating for system change project report has been used by a cross- that supports positive transformation. agency working group to address issues at a national level and is referred to as a A unique model, the lab is an institutional ‘go to’ document for central government structure focused on facilitating change agencies. Our Attitude Gap report, focused and an innovation engine that can design on the gap between employers’ and young and test approaches which achieve people’s expectation of the world of advanced outcomes. It designs and work, is a valuable resource for a variety leads projects focusing on complex and of organisations. We are working with constant challenges facing communities the Ministry of Education to develop an in South Auckland and New Zealand by early childhood education project which creating conditions for trust, creativity and will involve front line staff, parents and collaboration, with a bias towards action. agencies exploring parental engagement, quality education and school readiness. As part of the Early Years Challenge we became involved in University of A key purpose of the lab is to support Auckland’s Growing Up in New Zealand capability building across central a Having the co-design lab inside TSI provides both a platform and study which includes more than 1200 nd local government, achieved by support for a better dynamic connection between two essential elements of children in South Auckland. The study participation in live projects as well as a “ gives us the robust ‘big data’ to weave co-design masterclass series that transformation – innovation and implementation, with practice-based and human-centred attracts participants from central evidence to develop solutions to make a government, council, community Director Learning and Systems Innovation, The Australian Centre” for Social Innovation, difference in children’s lives. groups and mana whenua. Dr Ingrid Burkett. • Shared Prosperity •

ities around the world are grappling with more jobs to the South Auckland region, rising inequality and the concentration or linking local people to available jobs, C Shared prosperity can be created by lifting the incomes of wealth and prosperity in a diminishing we purposely seek out those jobs with of South Aucklanders through quality and sustainable number of people. the greatest potential for personal, family employment and enterprise opportunities. and community transformation. Simply The emerging global consensus is that connecting people to employment that is inequality is a handbrake on economic precarious, at risk of automation and/or BY: growth. In its 2014 evaluation, the OECD only moves people from a position of being • Using procurement to improve socio-economic estimated rising inequality knocked poor to ‘working poor’ is a false economy. outcomes more than 10 percentage points off New The ‘any job’ approach exacerbates people’s • Delivering an innovative Māori and Pasifika Trades Zealand’s growth over the past two decades. stress, replaces old problems with new ones, Training Programme keeps people trapped in poverty and does • Creating pathways for people to access better Many South Aucklanders have not shared in not sufficiently lift personal and inter- quality, sustainable jobs Auckland’s economic growth and prosperity. generational outcomes. Some people feel they have been left behind • Growing opportunities for socially innovative by successive economic and social reforms, Our employment, skills and enterprise businesses and enterprises that intentionally automation, globalisation and other impacts activities intentionally integrate social and benefit people and the planet. on the labour market. Moving towards economic strategies to ensure the benefits inclusive economic growth and a long- of economic growth are distributed more SO: term commitment to developing human equitably. Creating shared prosperity and • Social procurement is business as usual in South capital are crucial for South Auckland’s inclusive growth requires us to focus on Auckland transformation. increasing the incomes and wellbeing of our • Everyone has bridges from education into quality, least wealthy. sustainable jobs Our focus on quality employment tackles • Median incomes in South Auckland are higher than the low wage and low productivity rut in Enterprise and entrepreneurship have shared the Auckland average which too many South Aucklanders are prosperity as a core objective so we actively • South Auckland is the leading example of inclusive trapped. Rather than just working to add seek out oppountities to foster both. economic growth. 8

Māori and Pasifika Trades Training

outh Auckland is a paradox. It is job Sand investment rich yet local people experience high levels of unemployment, underemployment and low wages. The conditions for correcting this mismatch and improving South Aucklanders’ lives through quality employment opportunities in construction and infrastructure couldn’t be better.

Auckland has a significant skills shortage; there are simply not enough trades people to meet demand. Also, this is an area where the council family has a direct interest as both the planning authority for housing and infrastructure and one of the largest procurers of infrastructure and construction works.

TSI leads a consortium of private training establishments to deliver a trades training programme for Māori and Pasifika peoples in South Auckland. The pre-apprenticeship courses cover carpentry, construction, infrastructure, welding, fabrication and automotive engineering, all of which directly relate to the council family. 9

Māori and Pasifika Trades Training

We intentionally focus on people who Station, for example, all nine placements Central government’s Tertiary Education face challenges in the labour market and have tailored career development plans and Commission, which funds our programme, for who a career could have life-changing ongoing support. says ours is one of the country’s highest and intergenerational impacts - young performing and we have also had positive people not in education, employment We have also been refining our MPTT feedback from the Ministry of Social or training, sole parents and people who programme. By getting closer to employers Development about how we enable people have experienced long-term joblessness or and better understanding their needs we to move from benefits to employment. sporadic low paid employment. are making changes to training, pastoral care and work readiness to ensure they Our Māori and Pasifika Trades Training We are on track to have trained 281 people are fit for purpose. We are addressing was part of two very successful JobFests by the end of this calendar year. We are the required cognitive and non-cognitive this year. The events were attended committed to increasing the representation skills such as literacy, numeracy, team by hundreds of employers, all with job of women in non-traditional trades and work and communication and we provide vacancies, who were able to connect with currently one third of our learners are mentoring, practical support and referrals thousands of young people looking for female. Forty eight percent of current with matters such as childcare or personal work. Dozens of rangatahi signed up to find students are Māori and 52 percent identify issues. Work readiness preparation out more about our programme. with a Pasifika ethnic group. This year we piloted a career brokerage and includes driver licence progress, CV coaching service to improve employment preparation and presentation skills. Our measure of success is our graduates outcomes with a small cohort of graduates. Trainees complete health and safety TSI’s Māori and Pasifika Trades going on to quality careers. This means By leveraging the council family’s accreditation, first aid training and drug Training placement is doing an sustainable employment with wages that procurements we have brokered graduates testing so they can safely and legally work “ enables people to live with dignity, have into quality jobs, each with individualised on site. We will continue to gather insights extraordinary job for us, genuine career progressions and ongoing career pathways such as apprenticeships, to develop more ways to better support development and feel their contribution has (at a time of poor up-take and completion learners, training providers and employers Jonas Wagner, Operations Manager” meaning and purpose. rates nationally. On the Manukau Bus over the coming year. Shoreload & Propping. 10

Social Procurement

uckland’s citizens have a justifiable these types of benefits in contracts and billion dollar spend) is creating better job based in Ōtāhuhu. This resulted in an Aexpectation of value for money from is used to support community enterprise, and enterprise opportunities for South impactful and innovative collaboration which the public sector. But value for money isn’t get people into training and generate local Aucklanders. It is an obvious and controllable saw quality materials from the Mt Roskill just about the price paid. In Europe, North employment. lever we have to support South Auckland to demolition going to a number of community America and Australia ‘value’ includes socio- transform itself with little or no added cost organisations rather than landfill. Even economic benefits generated for local people. Our use of the council family’s size and to projects. though it wasn’t a requirement, given the Social procurement is a way of including purchasing power (an annual, multi- contract was very small, two people were We work with operation teams across the employed and continue to be so. Great social, council family to identify, include, evaluate economic and environmental outcomes were and implement impactful socio-economic achieved and the project has led to further outcomes in procurements. For the Manukau contracts and spin-off innovations creating Bus Station build we worked with Auckland greater opporunities for Māori and Pasifika. Transport to bring social procurement into TROW Group was subsequently nominated practice, evaluated tenders and worked with in three different categories in the 2017 the successful contractor, NZ Strong, to Sustainable Business Network awards. secure employment with apprenticeships for our MPTT graduates. Likewise, we maximised In the Ōtāhuhu Streetscape Upgrade project training opportunities for locals with Downer tenderers were required to provide paid work in the upgrade of the Pukekohe Rail Station. experience to tertiary students studying design. Through our networks two students We played a small but influential role were given part-time work over the year- when a council-owned building needed to long contract with Boffa Miskell. One of the be demolished. We connected council’s students has secured a scholarship as a result. Waste Solutions team with TROW Group, a Pasifika-owned civil construction company We support a number of community-led 11

Social Procurement

Pasifika communities through enterprise. I’m a very keen supporter of TSI, Our major strength in these partnerships “especially its social procurement work is being part of the council family (the which is really making a difference to largest local government body in Asia- people’s lives in South Auckland, Pacific), and therefore close to purchasers, and our experience and expertise in social Minister of Maori Development ” procurement generally. and Local Government, Nanaia Mahuta. We have been working with a diverse range of public, private and non-government organisations to establish New Zealand’s first supplier diversity model, He Waka Eke Noa (we are all in this together). He Waka Eke Noa will put the transformative power of Māori, Pasifika and community-led enterprises including Stepping Stones, a Community of the Year at the Kiwibank New businesses front and centre. It is modelled community-led enterprise sub-contracted Zealander of the Year awards. We were very on the Australian leader in indigenous to maintain Riverton Reserve in the suburb proud when Randwick Park won and officially supply diversity Supply Nation. In just a of Randwick Park. Stepping Stones provides became New Zealand’s best community for few short years, Supply Nation has grown good, local jobs for local people who have 2017. contracts to indigenous businesses from struggled in the labour market. It continues $6m to $407m. He Waka Eke Noa will to get more contracts and is growing. The organisations we are working with are be used to support City Rail Link Limited The group’s entrepreneurial mindset and as passionate and committed as we are procurements requiring engagement with resourceful, ‘can-do’ attitude prompted us to exponential, sustainable and inclusive Māori, Pasifika and socially innovative to nominate Randwick Park for Mitre 10 economic development of Māori and businesses in supply chains. 12

Connecting social entrepreneurs

We have helped create and establish a South processes, legal requirements and supply Auckland network of social entrepreneurs. chain connections. The initiative is having a The network’s purpose is to bring people generative impact and as a result of being together and give them the chance to part of the network some members have connect with and support others, share ideas, joined forces to launch joint ventures Enterprise and maximise opportunities and solve problems. in the south. entrepreneurship The network has grown rapidly and now has nearly 100 members. Most are Māori and Events we have supported include six Pasifika business people, with enterprises roadshows, four workshops on business ew New Zealand businesses or enterprises Works, Te Roopu Wairoa, Roots Creative ranging from youth development, recycling processes such as funding and marketing and Fare owned by Māori and Pasifika peoples Entrepreneurs and oneCOOPERATIVE to and whānau support to catering, fashion a number of drop-in sessions offering one- yet our experience shows they create help them grow by nurturing confidence and technology. Some are community on-one advice from coaches and mentors. impressive social value. Enterprise and and capability. These enterprises are organisations or service providers looking entrepreneurship is a proven way to help working hard, and successfully, to be for ways to generate more income through If you are considering setting up an tackle social issues. An entrepreneurial sustainable. establishing business ventures and for enterprise or growing an established mindset encourages resourcefulness, We also support Māori to develop support to do so. one and would like some help, or would creativity and vision and builds thriving potential enterprises around growing and like to be part of the network, contact and resilient communities. We focus on marketing kai products. For example we While the group’s main form of specialist adviser Joel Umali at joel.umali@ supporting and facilitating enterprise and are working with the Backyard Garden communication is through social media aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or join the South entrepreneurship because it has shared Project team to support Māngere whānau there have been several ‘in person’ events Entrepreneurs’ Network Facebook page. prosperity - improving the lives of families to grow their own kai, no matter how big which gave people a chance to showcase The CIDANZ team and communities - as a core objective. their backyard is. The aim is to extend what they are doing, learn more about this to the rest of South Auckland. We aspects of business management and The businesses and enterprises already in have facilitated several food preservation get advice. Among the initiatives being South Auckland are key players in creating wānanga and fostering cultural tourism explored are a café, a catering business potential employment opportunities. enterprise is also being investigated. We and a venture selling furniture made from We work with several of them including are always on the look out for intiatives up-cycled pallets. We offered advice TROW Group, Stepping Stones, Affirming with transformative potential to support. on a number of topics including council 13

Te Rerenga Manu Fono

social, business, health and educational discussions and listen to ‘futurists’ panels. The new generation of Pasifika e Rerenga Manu Fono (flying with innovators. It acted as a rallying call to Smaller groups fleshed out the changes needs higher ambitions than Tpurpose) was a two-day conference “ all who wanted to raise the social and they would like to see in South Auckland organised by the Emerging Pasifika Leaders those of their parents who came economic outcomes of South Auckland. and some of the findings will help us Steering Group supported by TSI. It from the islands in the 1960s and accelerate change for Pasifika communities. focused on unleashing the entrepreneurial ‘70s looking for a better future. More than 100 people attended to hear a Pasifika spirit to increase social and Before it was ‘we’ve just got to variety of keynote speakers, take part in economic success and brought together get a house, we’ve got to send money back to the islands’. Now, what’s the new milk and honey? Is it ‘can we start businesses? Is it developing beyond just wanting Pasifika lawyers, doctors and accountants? Pacific people have something unique to offer New Zealand and it’s good to see The Southern Initiative supporting this great fono featuring people who can really shake things up and make sure there is a way forward for our young people,

Auckland Manukau Councillor” Fa’anānā and fono champion, Efeso Collins. 14 15

Fale Kofi - beans and community profits

collaboration between TSI and Auckland percent Arabica beans. Grown, harvested ATransport on food and beverage social and produced in Tonga, Tupu’anga Coffee enterprise Fale Kofi means commuters provides sustainability to families and can enjoy a morning coffee at Ōtāhuhu communities living there. Station, with the profits going back to the community. Profits are reinvested into the delivery of Affirming Works’ local programmes The kiosk, designed and built by Roots providing mentoring to hundreds of children Creative Entrepreneurs and run by Affirming and their families. The kiosk demonstrates Works sources coffee from Tupu’anga a new model of economic development Coffee, an ethical family owned and that puts people and the environment at its operated trade product made up of 100 heart and fosters collaboration.

The great team at TSI has specialised skills and it puts us, the “community, at the centre of its work. TSI raises our thinking, explores possibilities with us and helps us connect the commonalities across our diverse communities. TSI believes in us and empowers us to be our own best solution to our preferred future,

Chief executive Cook Island Development Agency NZ,” Rouruina Emil’e-Brown. • Resilience •

round the world there is strong game in preventing, mitigating and A agreement the fourth industrial managing the inevitable changes to South Auckland’s resilience can be built to harness the revolution will disrupt occupations our social fabric and way of life. We opportunities and withstand the challenges of the 21st and industries in ways we can’t need to ensure South Aucklanders Century. predict. have the skills to harness change rather than be victims of it. Skills such BY: However it is clear the nature of as complex problem solving, critical • Growing innovation, entrepreneurship and work and many of the skills sought thinking, emotional intelligence, after in today’s labour market creativity and the ability to cooperate, collaborative mind-sets, spirit and skills will change radically. Countries collaborate and negotiate will be • Using and joining up platforms for growing across the globe are wrestling with crucial. creativity, entrepreneurship and trading changing demographics, economic • Connecting maker culture and technology with shocks, rising inequality, ageing South Auckland is off to a good trades training societies, increasing globalisation, start. It is known for its creativity • Leveraging and using new and existing physical the unstoppable march of and entrepreneurship, its strong infrastructure to drive social outcomes. technology, the limits and strains DIY culture and its rich and diverse on natural capital and the effects of culture open to innovation. South climate change. Aucklanders have all the ingredients SO: to be pioneers, creators and leaders. • South Aucklanders are sought after for newly We need to act like other smart created jobs cities and be prepared for anything • South Auckland is the leading Maker City in New and everything. Zealand • South Auckland’s young people lead civic We need to ensure our entrepreneurship and enterprises in New Zealand. communities are ahead of the 17

UpSouth

ince its inception just nine months ago, support one another’s development in both an STSI’s crowd empowerment platform entrepreneurial and altruistic way. upsouth has gathered nearly 2000 users, More than 20 callups have been made on the mainly Māori and Pasifika aged 15-24, who platform by council departments, local boards, As the first and only way of connecting directly with South have generated thousands of thoughts, ideas corporates and community organisations, Auckland youngsters, plus providing them a platform to generate and commentary on important local issues. injecting thousands of dollars into the South “ income, upsouth is revolutionary. This is real social change with Auckland economy. real social impact, Upsouth is a safe, non-judgmental place for young people to express their creativity, Upsouth has personal success stories to tell. share ideas and earn money for their input Papakura 18 year old Neihana Lowe set up his Co-founder itsnoon, Suzanna” Barros. in response to callups from companies own photography and videography business and organisations seeking community after receiving money for his contribution. He 6. AND WHAT ABOUT TECHNOLOGY? input to various challenges. It’s a new way used the money to buy equipment and is now of developing and nurturing a network working with several clients in South Auckland, of young people who lead together and his business is growing, he has subsequently This is a self portrait I have created to been named the Māoriland Film Festival film convey how I feel social media maker of the year and held an acclaimed makes me feel. Facebook "Likes" are a huge way that youth use nowadays exhibition in conjunction with his kuia (Tūhoe) measure self worth, and even called Whēnua I at the Papakura Art Gallery. confidence. Personally even though I know it's superficial, I often fall into the misconception. It effects how I Through contributions to upsouth, Janet Akai see myself and blurs my sense of self worth. It suffocates me. It has became more and more confident about been pushed on me and now I her creativity and honed her photographic subconsciously feel like the number of likes or attention a post obtains is a skills. She received a payment with which she true gauge of my worth. This is one of bought professional camera gear. Now the the many ways that I wrongly let technology control me. communications manager at the Cook Island Development Agency (CIDANZ), Janet was responsible for designing the visually stunning photography for the national campaign used to profile 2017’s Cook Island Language Week. Luke Penney 18

Photo credit: Waikare Komene

Makerhood

ne of our aims is to build a culture of Makerhood has provided O innovation so South Aucklanders are “regular opportunities for the local more resilient in a changing economic community/communities - young landscape. To that end we have been to old - to gain exposure and exploring, introducing and evaluating the access to the philosophy, methods growing maker culture. That culture or and resources relating to the maker ‘movement’ is global and encourages people to uncover their creative and creativity and making, in particular technical abilities through tinkering, fixing environmental innovation & STEM, and making things. It encourages people from all sectors to come together and try to solve the problems cities face, in a ”Jaco Van der Merwe, collaborative and open fashion. Meshed Co-operative.

In this mission we have strong relationships with Roots Creative Entrepreneurs and other passionate community makers About 200 young people got to keep and together we have undertaken a bikes recovered from landfill which they number of activities under the umbrella transformed to new. of ‘makerhood’. Workshops allowed keen South Aucklanders to tinker and create Maker days in Ōtara, Manukau, Papatoetoe time-lapse video/photos, upcycle plastic and Manurewa were facilitated where bottles to create vertical gardens and hundreds of locals learned to upcycle lamps and make furniture from pallets. waste fabric into jewellery and fix laptops. 19

The work happening around “enterprise, makers, and upsouth is impressive. With some greater focus and perhaps some more testing of what activities lead to outcomes, this group of projects could result in some significant cultural shifts towards Demonstrations on gaming, virtual reality As a co-developed and leveraging entrepreneurship in the and 3D printing were very popular and “community-owned movement region, library meetups brought makers together makerhood has strived to bring to take part in creating and coding robots. together people and groups to We ran a whānau day at Te Puea Marae Dr Ingrid Burkett.” collaborate on efforts and projects where people, including some homeless, we hope will inspire others to got to find out about virtual reality and upcycling. With our support Manurewa contribute positively to the kaupapa High School holds regular maker and of communities near and dear to market days called Future Fest where them, and to have the impact reach pupils get the chance to showcase their beyond, maker creations to the larger community. Waikare Komene,” As part of the makerhood movement we Roots Creative Entrepreneurs. can envisage South Auckland as a Maker City. It has the right ingredients - an abundance of creativity and DIY culture, a strong manufacturing sector, several tertiary and training colleges and a rich and diverse culture open to innovation. expertise and networking opportunities This would contribute to ATEED’s goal to TSI. We also contribute to Panuku’s to become an innovation hub for Asia Transform Manukau framework which and the Pacific. Through GridAkl, ATEED includes harnessing learning and innovation has committed seed funding, advice, opportunities. • Thriving children and whānau •

esearch tells us the first assets in addressing complex social R 1000 days of a child’s life and economic challenges in the hope Whānau can be enabled to thrive so children in South Auckland get the are absolutely critical in setting of creating healthy families living in best start in life foundations which will lead to healthy homes. achieving positive social and BY: economic lifelong outcomes. Part of this work is reducing the stress which impacts daily on parents’ • Building the capability and skills of families and Our Early Years work has given us lives and has a long term impact on communities so they are resourceful and self-determining valuable insight into the importance children. Removing stress factors and • Synthesising and sharing practice-based evidence so of looking at families in a holistic growing protective factors can make transformation for children/whānau/ is at the centre of way. a big difference. That’s why we focus decision making and service development on obvious, urgent issues such as • Using our co-design resources to provide biodegradable We work with partner organisations good quality, affordable housing and support to families and whānau to find and implement and whānau to support parents in inexpensive, healthy food to enable solutions the ways they know, and say, they whānau to provide the best start for want to be supported. Ways they their children. Cultural perspective • Working with partners in central government and the have identified work for them and of wellbeing acknowledges the community to explore and learn from new ways of working. which mean they can be the kind of interrelated nature of the wellbeing parents they strive to be. We support of the whānau and the wellbeing of SO: whānau capability and confidence, the child. • Whānau and communities design their own solutions providing skills and experience which • People feel they have a purpose greater than themselves parents can use in various aspects of and realise their full potential their lives. We know whānau have • South Aucklanders live in healthy homes and have healthy strength, resilience and a sense of lifestyles agency. This is one of our greatest • Services support people rather than people accessing services. 21

• Children’s wellbeing depends on adults’ Our recommendations are: wellbeing • Do whatever can be done to remove or • The cumulative and prolonged weight of relieve stresses for parents with young risk factors and stress can rob parents of children bandwidth and derail child development • Work with and build protective factors • For both parents and children, reducing • Create contexts and processes that enable immediate environment stress makes a people to be part of their own solutions difference • Have an innovation mindset. • Vulnerability can and does change • The dual importance of building We will apply these findings to new projects executive function and offering including collaborations with Plunket in Early Years Challenge biodegradable support Manurewa and the Ministry of Education in • Putting people at the centre; applying Māngere as part of the South Auckland Social whānau-centric and co-design Investment Board initiative. We will also approaches can unleash potential and continue to work within Auckland Council xperiences and the environments in The analysis of this data shows 0-3 year build bandwidth to explore how the assets and resources E which children develop in their early olds in South Auckland are significantly • Protective factors can build resilience in South Auckland can be best aligned to days can have lasting impact on their later worse off than 0-3 year olds in other parts and help to balance risk factors. support parents with young children. wellbeing, learning, behaviour, and health. of the city, hence the need for action locally, Getting things right when children are particularly for Māori and Pasifika families. The best scientific young is easier and more effective than Our work with parents has highlighted Early Years research in the world trying to address issues later. the key role council can play alongside Challenge “ Supporting parents to give now tells us the other partners. The importance of well- tamariki a great start in life Our Early Years Challenge has examined designed public spaces and amenities plus greatest social good the first thousand days of a child’s life coordinated activities can make a positive will be achieved by through the lens of the lived experience of impact on families’ lives and outcomes for investing in a child’s South Auckland parents, combined with children. For council this means being more earliest years, the insights of international neuro-science intentional about the things we already do. research, local big data and Growing up in Professor Richie Poulton,” New Zealand longitudinal research. Our key findings and insights have been: Otago University. 22

Healthy Families MMP

n partnership with the Alliance and colleagues and adapting as required ICommunity Initiatives Trust, we deliver in preparation for scalable change Healthy Families Manukau, Manurewa- • Documenting, sharing and applying the Papakura (Healthy Families MMP), an learnings in other parts of council and initiative designed to improve people’s beyond to normalise healthy behaviours. health in the places they live, learn, work and play. Because we are part of the When council’s leisure team decided to biggest local government in the Southern replace sugar sweetened beverages it Hemisphere, we have a huge opportunity partnered with us and Healthy Families to affect positive change at scale. We do MMP to design a healthier food and TSI has been invaluable with sharing its deep relationships this by leveraging the council family’s beverage offering in council’s leisure “and connections to Māori and that has been the key enabler resources, influence, and connections to facilities. We seconded the council’s for the department to form meaningful relationships. TSI has reduce social and health inequalities to Catering Services Manager to help develop strong trusting relationships with South Auckland community prevent chronic disease. guidelines for the council family which and in particular with Māori and its knowledge and expertise informed the roll out of new vending has contributed to deep learning for our team with respect to Healthy Families takes a systems machines and the lessons learned from innovative methodologies through co-design plus its expertise and approach, identifying opportunities to that roll out are now being used to inform understanding of how to work through a Māori World view, effect positive changes to people’s leisure centre café menus. health by: We’ve been able to use our experience to Pieter Tuinder, acting partnerships director Auckland, DOC. ” • Finding great people who hold the levers influence Auckland Transport’s vending for change and are passionate about contract (more than 100 machines) improving the health and wellbeing of to ensure healthy options are a higher Aucklanders priority in transport hubs across the • Starting small, learning with community region. We also advocated for elected 23

to help feed thousands of people who visit every week, promoting healthy eating and sustainability as well as bringing the community together. The community garden will eventually cover 11 acres of land on Takanini School Rd with fruit and vegetables. The project will produce food that can be Photo credit: HFMMP distributed to those in need, as well as seeds and seedlings for families to plant in their home gardens. The Healthy Families members to vote in favour of Local and smoking related illness and death so Lunar Calendar) expert, kaumatua MMP team and the Old School Reserve Government New Zealand developing a we have been working with leisure centres Rereata Makiha is using his immense Teaching Gardens will work with the range of resources for councils across the to find out how we can help people stop. knowledge and expertise to support temple to teach food production. country to follow our lead. The initiative gives leisure centre staff tools transformational change for whānau by MIT is running a Level 2 Horticulture and resources to support customers ready offering guidance and support to ensure Course on site. In conjunction with local boards we’re to quit. Healthy Families MMP partnered more successful planting and maximise focusing on reducing and ultimately with Counties Manukau District Health crop abundance. Te Pū a nga Maara Collective is a replacing the sale and supply of sugar Board to hold smoking cessation session in collaborative project between us, the sweetened beverages with healthier three South Auckland leisure centres and We are working to introduce maramataka Department of Conservation, Healthy alternatives at local events and locations CMDHA has also committed to changing its into workplace and physical environments Families MMP and the Makaurau, in South Auckland. A big emphasis is programmes based on our learning. such as Hayman Park, school gardens and Papatuanuku Kokiri and Manuerwa marae improving the availability, appeal and curriculum. designed to encourage care for natural accessibility of water. We are examining the role of culture environments and connect to natural in health. Supported by Healthy We have been working with the Takanini resources thus bringing health and South Auckland has high rates of smoking Families MMP our maramataka (Māori Sikh Temple to create a community garden wellbeing to children and whānau. 24 25

Healthy Homes

e lead a co-design process for the homes warm, dry and healthy. They can also unsanitary buildings, it proved more fruitful, for curtain banks to refit for whānau. In W Ministry of Health working with the measure and install full length, lined curtains - for the time being, to refer substandard addition, Habitat has used its private sector two Healthy Homes initiatives in Auckland - a key component of keeping a home warm. properties where the landlord is not fixing relationships to get material for new curtains Auckland Wide Healthy Homes (AWHI) and the issue to the recently established MBIE to supplement the number of recycled ones. Kainga Ora. These initiatives are designed to Testing our ideas broadened our focus Compliance and Investigations Unit. improve housing conditions for sick and at risk from just whānau to include landlords and Healthy Homes is an excellent example whānau. property managers because tenants need The team has also taken advantage of of collaboration and cooperation between their permission to make most ‘warm and council’s community infrastructure with the central government, local government and We initially gained valuable insights from dry’ improvements such as roof repair or support of Habitat’s existing resources to do the private and community sectors to start whānau and built on those by testing and insulation. The team innovated by hiring an ongoing Auckland-wide curtain drive with leveraging systems change from a deep scaling a number of ideas. One was for a a person with the right negotiation skills more than 500 quality curtains collected understanding of the issues on the ground. Minor Repair Service whose documentation to communicate with landlords based on and approach we directed and coordinated. the reports produced by the service. It is an Delivered by Habitat for Humanity, the iterative process and the service is already service draws on the knowledge of a number providing insights which will help show what of organsiations including council’s eco-design it will take to improve Auckland’s existing The Healthy Homes work undertaken by TSI … has rightly service, Beacon Pathway, the DHBs, Habitat housing stock working with different types of received significant interest by the NZ Government. It is a stunning and The Southern Initiative. landlords. “ piece of work, with potential to become a centre piece of both advocacy and policy change. It could be taken even further given the The service sees a qualified builder, with The service has helped 150 families and interconnections between housing and many of the other challenges training on home performance, helping advised at least 100 landlords and property eligible whānau in private rentals or low management companies on the ground. people face when they live in poor conditions, income home ownership with small repairs such as boarding up broken glass and applying While we tested council’s powers under Dr Ingrid Burkett. ” draught stopping kits which help make their the Building Act to deal with dangerous or 26

Whānau-centric process in practice in Papakura

ith a population of more than 45,000 We work to build whānau capability, W Papakura has a youthful community leadership and knowledge and as a result with the highest Māori population per whānau have developed an initiative capita in Auckland. It also has high levels they’ve named ‘Ko Huimano’ - a peer-to- of need including low mean incomes, low peer model based on the principles of: education achievement (particularly for Māori) and too many children living in • Whakawhanaungtanga – connecting overcrowded conditions. with people in respectful and strengths-based ways We have partnered with Kootuitui Trust, • “Fill my kete, fill your kete” – the Whaanau Engagement Facilitator and empowering whānau champions with Kootuitui whānau to help address these accurate information and skills tailored issues. Kootuitui delivers an innovative to the needs of local whānau and approach to the holistic wellbeing empower other whānau for children in Papakura through a • Strengths-based approach – many three strand programme of education, whānau in Papakura want to provide health and home across six schools. support and help to others and have many The Education Strand is an outreach talents and skills to share. Whānau in of Manaiakalani, one to one digital Papakura are best placed to design local immersion learning, and the Health Strand solutions that will contribute to better sees daily health clinics operating in housing and social outcomes. each school. Together Kootuitui and TSI Kootuitui whānau are part way through have supported a truly whānau-centric an adult education course and upskilling approach, through the co-design process, themselves in a variety of areas such for the development of the Home Strand as financial literacy and tenancy rights. to achieve better outcomes for tamariki Moreover the whānau have formed and whānau. long lasting relationships and grown in 27

Our partnership with TSI is an confidence as they regularly present their to trust their peers. “extremely important one for the story and expertise to large rooms full Kootuitui whānau have continued to Ka Eke expertise and resourcing support of public sector professionals, something develop their ideas through participating to our co-design project and for previously unnerving. One member in Healthy Homes assessments with Poutama profiling the trust’s activities has joined her school board which she the Minor Repair Service and Auckland at local, regional and national previously thought was “just for old Council’s Eco-Design Service. At the first people”. home, a Housing New Zealand property, Our partnership with Te Whare Hukahuka levels. This shared journey with we discovered the temperature was only on Ka Eke Poutama, a rangatahi TSI is allowing us to unleash TSI social intrapreneurs saw the chance 12 degrees, on a sunny mid-morning day governance programme, saw all 45 the incredible potential of our to link Kootuitui and Healthy Homes in September when in a warm and dry participants graduate at the end of 2016 community, to maximise human and physical home (according to the World Health with another 90 taking part in the current resources. We also worked to simplify Organisation’s recommended minimum) year’s programme. Graduates are now Leigh Auton, Chair” Papakura what would normally be specialist it should be 18 degrees. Healthy Homes represented on the boards of dozens of Kootuitui Trust. knowledge and disperse that knowledge was able to advocate for HNZ to have local organisations and two are being to the community for its own use. The the home insulated and the experience mentored by local board chairs through teams worked together to support helped us understand the importance of the subsequent TUIA programme. The experience has been life home performance training tailored for whānau knowing what to ask so they can changing. I’m feeling confident whānau where they learned practical advocate for themselves. “ tips like putting bubble wrap on and empowered because I have windows because it can be as effective the support and the knowledge as double glazing. from what we have been doing with the trust, with TSI, with They use this training to help identify Kootuitui whānau and with our what improvements are needed to tamariki, make homes warm and dry, simply and effectively. Local whānau disconnected Kootuitui whānau” member. from traditional services are more likely The way we work

We think We act like We think big, We learn as We are like a system entrepreneurs but act locally we go, and we strengths- Our role as innovators means Our focus is on finding new We experiment with niche share what we based we need to think about all ways to solve problems, innovation to test new learn aspects of what’s happening solutions that will work, ideas. When we succeed we We know South Auckland has challenges but our in South Auckland - social last and deliver socially look for ways to extend and We continually synthesise focus is on its strengths and and economic, community profitable results. scale that success. what we learn and share talent and every day we and government, the that with others in South work to identify, tap into collective and the individual, Auckland and New Zealand and unleash that potential. natural and built. who are also working to transform communities.

We are nimble We take We have and flexible a unique embraced South By applying a ‘think like a system, “act like an entrepreneur’ mindset we do While we focus on approach Auckland‘s not attempt to take on grand societal priorities we know the Our co-design and philosophy that challenges in their entirety, instead we importance of flexibility responsiveness to Māori look to identify nimble opportunities and agility to adapt “only the ‘hood and Pasifika approaches strategy and/or change for change within the system, seed help us deliver better can change the direction when new innovations, test prototypes and support outcomes for all of our opportunities emerge. ‘hood” successful efforts to grow and influence communities and squarely other parts of the wider system, orientate us to people, We are focused firmly on South culture and place. Auckland’s own goals and aspirations for its communities From Design Thinking to Systems Change,” RSA and how we can help. Action and Research Centre. A recent review of The Southern The Southern Initiative’s agenda is transformative – radical Initiative’s work, carried out by the “and innovative and with more potential to lead to outcomes Australian Center for Social Innovation, than most place-based initiatives around the world. Its systemic approach goes beyond a purely social or welfare approach to found TSI a world-class initiative, incorporate and join together community development and undertaking “comprehensive, grounded economic development. TSI is a world-class initiative which and impressive work” combines a number of innovative approaches to shift outcomes in a community that has experienced a number of challenging issues over many years … its work is comprehensive, grounded and impressive, • TSI has a broad range of initiatives which cover the spectrum of people’s lives and experiences, Dr Ingrid Burkett, Director” Learning and Systems Innovation, The Australian Centre for Social Innovation from “cradle to career”. TSI does this more deeply than other place-based initiatives the reviewer has seen

• TSI is an excellent example of how economic and social policy can be integrated and local growth inclusive, and the approach could be promoted as a showcase of inclusive growth in action internationally Dr Burkett is a social designer, designing processes, products and knowledge that deepen social impact and facilitate social • TSI has work on both supply and demand sides innovation. She has contributed to the design of policy and of the system such as the labour market, a fine processes in a diversity of fields, including community development, example of linking and integrating policy and local economic development, disability, procurement and social practice investment. She is one of the co-founders of Social Procurement • TSI’s focus is on ensuring solutions have Australasia (www.socialprocumentaustralasia.com) and has transformational potential provided much groundwork for Australia’s entry into social and impact investment. A past president and honorary ambassador • The work TSI has done to develop approaches of the International Association for Community Development, Dr that put culture at the centre of practice and Burkett has held a number of university fellowship positions and which actually grow practice out of culture is has qualifications in graphic design, social work and business and exemplary community economic development.

If you have any queries about this report or The Southern Initiative in general please contact us at [email protected] or phone Fiona Cunningham on 021 773643.