“Social Investment has to provide a meaningful measure to reduce disparity to create social and economic advantage for
our most challenging whanau” said Labour Whanau Ora Spokesperson Nanaia Mahuta.
I attended the release of Measuring Impact with Social Investment by Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency Te Pou Matakana and it’s clear to see that a huge amount of effort has gone into
creating a framework which demonstrates a range of outcomes from the Whanau Ora service delivery model.
“Perhaps it’s time to check whether the approach taken by Te Pou Matakana is the same as the Government’s social
investment approach?”
“The Government is promoting its social investment based on a range of indicative vulnerabilities and an emphasis on new
ways of working within Government Ministries like Oranga Tamariki.”
“On the other hand it appears that the Independent Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency is taking a strengths based approach
to improving well-being outcomes. This in my mind has a great deal of merit although it is operating in isolation of a
whole of Government agenda.”
These are opportunities for Te Puni Kōkiri to promote the benefits of Social Return on Investment (SRoI) impacts across
the Social Sector and they may indicate better ways to improve outcomes for whanau and maintaining a cultural paradigm
as key to that approach.”
“The next step will be for Te Puni Kōkiri to promote whether the Social Return on Investment (SRoI) framework has
broader applicability as a measure in the social sector as it reports on the effectiveness of the three Commissioning
Agencies.”
Labour has signalled that it will review the Whanau Ora service delivery model and the Commissioning Agency approach in
order to identify which aspects would lead to sustainable outcomes to improve lifetime opportunities for whanau. Getting
the best measure and investment framework will be key to that review.
ENDS