Tuesday and Wednesday the second round of Enabling Good Lives System Transformation Mid-Central prototype meetings took place. There are 3 “Core Groups” represented on the Regional Leadership Group; Disabled Person’s Core Group, Whanau/families Core Group and Providers Core Group. Other represented on the Regional Leadership Group are; EGL facilitators & Co-design members, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, ACC, Ministry of Social Development and Oranga Tamariki. The monthly updates released by Sacha O’Dea are an accurate account of where things are at when we gather for our Mid-Central meetings, and there are many different formats here: http://www.enablinggoodlives.co.nz/system-transformation/transformation-papers/system-transformation-updates/october-update/
I acknowledge fully that many of us have had our lives negatively impacted by the current system and the ones before that. I acknowledge there are systemic issues at play. I acknowledge I can only fully represent my own views, but I will do my best to also try to represent yours. I fully acknowledge that many people don’t want to engage in this process because they have lost hope in the system that is supposed support us. I acknowledge that many people have tried to engage the system before in the past and have not had their opinions listened to. I also fully acknowledge that I am human, I’m going to stuff it up somewhere along the line and say the “wrong thing”, I’m committed to arguing issues and not personalities or personal opinion, I’m open to new thinking and I’m expecting to have to work hard.
![]() |
A lot of these meeting days, are a lot of sitting. |
As you all know I’m not one for sitting for long periods of time in one spot, so add to that the concentration needed to do these meetings justice, by the end of the Regional Leadership meeting is done I am exhausted. I think this led to some of the frustration I expressed in my Thursday Vlog.
I was tired, trying to catch up on housework and it has been bugging me that a lot of people aren’t engaging in the process. I am going to be as transparent as I can through this process, it will either show the change or the lack thereof of, if the bureaucrats are listening or if the cynics turn out to be right. I totally get why people are cynical, I still am to some extent, but I’m going to give it a shot towards change in a more positive direction. I get people are angry and there are still a lot of historical issues to be addressed, I get there are so many problems with the current system actually sitting down and listing them all would take awhile. A lot of wariness towards the system transformation is because “we don’t know whats going on”, I hope that by blogging my experiences throughout the processes I can bring some light to what is going on.
![]() |
Look at things from a different perspective |
The main message still stands; we need to hear from you. We need to hear your perspective. We need what you would like to see from a new system. We want to hear what a good system looks like to you. I want to see people thrive and not just survive, and that looks like different things to different people. So get involved; comment, email, share, get involved in the work streams and upcoming public forums, because your input is needed. This also goes for blog topics! If you want my perspective on something just ask!
I’ve hit a bit of a brain block, and there is still stuff that is filtering around my brain of the Regional Leadership Group meeting, so I will be writing more about it. I left feeling there was a sense of mutual respect, that I was actually being listened to and being involved in the process. This is definitely just the beginning!
Stay safe out there adventuring people!
Antnz