Waikato Enabling Good Lives Demonstration Directors announced

Two experienced disability sector leaders will lead the Waikato Enabling Good Lives demonstration. Kate Cosgriff and Christine (Chris) Potts have been appointed as joint Directors for the 3 year EGL demonstration.

Enabling Good Lives is a principles-based approach to supporting disabled people to live the lives they want and be contributing members of their communities. A group of disability sector leaders developed the Enabling Good Lives approach. The vision is that in the future, disabled people and their families will have greater choice and control over their supports and lives, and make more use of natural and universally available supports.

Both Chris and Kate have leadership and operational experience at senior levels in the community and Government sectors. They have each been involved in implementing system change in disability services and in other sectors.

Chris and Kate see Enabling Good Lives as an exciting opportunity to make real change in people’s lives by shifting resource to support people’s choices.

“Having led a range of innovative service change initiatives we know the critical importance of getting people on board and are both able to use our influence and negotiation skills to ensure there is alignment and a shared sense of purpose from the start, and throughout change processes”.

Chris Potts and Kate Cosgriff will lead and manage the three year-long Waikato EGL demonstration with strong input from the local EGL leadership group, whose members include disabled people, family members and other leaders in the disability sector. This group will be very closely involved in the demonstration’s design and oversee implementation.

Helena Tuteao, a member of the Waikato Enabling Good Lives leadership Group and President of the Waikato Branch of the Disabled Person’s Assembly (DPA), says “These appointments are great news. There is a lot of energy and momentum building for EGL. The Waikato EGL Leadership group is looking forward to working with and supporting Kate and Chris as Directors of the demonstration”.

Kate has strong networks in the Hamilton and wider Waikato area, having been the Regional Manager for CCS Disability Action Waikato/Bay of Plenty. Kate is currently National Manager, Service Leadership with CCS Disability Action. Driving individualisation of supports, including supporting people to access and utilise individualised packages creatively and contributing to the Choice in Community Living rollout in the Waikato and Auckland areas is a core part of Kate’s current work.

Chris has had a range of senior leadership and project management roles in the sector, including recently holding the position of Interim Director with the Office for Disability Issues. Chris was also Strategic Adviser to the Horowhenua District Council as part of the MSD Social Sector Trial. This initiative shares with Enabling Good Lives the challenge of aligning and directing cross agency resources to increase positive outcomes for people.

A National Enabling Good Lives Leadership Group is providing advice to the Waikato EGL Leadership Group, and to government agencies and Ministers. Enabling Good Lives is supported by the Ministries of Education, Health and Social Development.

More information on Enabling Good Lives is available at www.odi.govt.nz

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