On 5 March 2019 we were delighted to host Transforming Local Systems: the national conference for the MEAM Approach network.
The event brought together the 27 MEAM Approach areas across the country, people with direct experience of multiple disadvantage, the partnership leads from the National Lottery Community Fund’s Fulfilling Lives network and MEAM staff.
The focus of the day was on the leadership role that individuals and partnerships in local areas can play in transforming the systems that surround them. This was timely, as the vast majority of MEAM Approach areas are now delivering interventions and are well-placed to use this learning to drive change.
Below we provide an overview of the event based on the tweets, presentations and speeches from the day.
Reflections on the year
The day started with three reflections on the last year from Anne (Cambridgeshire), Paul (Surrey) and Tassie (MEAM).
‘I feel like the voice I had silenced by systems failures has been found again through inclusion’ – Anne from Cambridge opening the #MEAMApproach conference & adrdressing areas working around #multipledisadvantage across the country!
— Tabz O’Brien (@TabzOBrien) March 5, 2019
Paul from Surrey says the work is a “radical reinterpretation of what it means to provide services for people facing multiple disadvantage” #MEAMApproach
— Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) (@MEAMcoalition) March 5, 2019
Anne from Cambridgeshire says working with people across the #MEAMApproach network is like “coming in from the ideological cold” and finding people that want to change systems together.
— Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) (@MEAMcoalition) March 5, 2019
‘When you try to do things differently – the systems will always try & push back & maintain the status quo’ – @TassieWeaver addressing #MEAMApproach areas & sharing examples of systems flex ? across the network
— Tabz O’Brien (@TabzOBrien) March 5, 2019
Keynote: Commissioning in Complexity
The first keynote speech was from Dr Toby Lowe, Northumbria University. Toby focused on the role that commissioners should play in a world of complex problems. He had one key message that he wanted the audience to take away…
If you take one message away from today, @tobyjlowe wants it to be that outcomes ARE NOT delivered by services, but systems! #MEAMApproach #commissioningincomplexity
— Tabz O’Brien (@TabzOBrien) March 5, 2019
“Commissioners nurture systems from which outcomes emerge” @tobyjlowe @CollaborateCIC #MEAMApproach pic.twitter.com/bUrEe1w2aN
— Anna Randle (@annarandle) March 5, 2019
.@tobyjlowe says “Is our system working well?” Who is asking that vital question in a local area? #MEAMApproach
— Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) (@MEAMcoalition) March 5, 2019
Services don’t produce outcomes, complex systems do. So commissioners can’t buy services that produce outcomes, they should invest in systems that enable positive outcomes to emerge – @tobyjlowe #meamapproach
— Tassie Weaver (@TassieWeaver) March 5, 2019
Keynote: What are the building blocks needed for systems change?
The second keynote speech was given by Anna Randle from Collaborate. Anna argued that public services and public servants have a key role to play in changing systems, and that to do so they need to ensure that ten building blocks are in place in local areas. MEAM Approach partners need to reach out across their local systems and ensure that others share their vision.
.@annarandle says in her keynote – public services must see themselves as part of the wider system. They must have a role in creating the wider conditions for change. #MEAMApproach
— Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) (@MEAMcoalition) March 5, 2019
Absolutely! Thanks for that really interesting address @annarandle #systemschange #MEAMApproach pic.twitter.com/XusmKDcnNA
— Tabz O’Brien (@TabzOBrien) March 5, 2019
How the change is being created is AS important, if not more, than the what – @annarandle from @CollaborateCIC hitting home around the importance of principles of change and system behaviors & values #MEAMApproach
— Tabz O’Brien (@TabzOBrien) March 5, 2019
Workshop 1: Everyone on board – creating buy-in and a role for your strategic board
This workshop explored the barriers and solutions to getting an effective strategic board up and running in a MEAM Approach area. Key insights were provided by staff from the Norwich and Doncaster MEAM Approach areas, who spoke about the shared leadership they had been able to create across their localities. Workshop slides and materials are here.
@debbiemckinneyd great workshop today #MEAMApproach. Doncaster whole system accountabilty so refreshing @ChangingLives__ @jomillerdonny
— Laura Seebohm (@LauraSeebohm) March 5, 2019
In ‘Everyone on Board’ we’re hearing from @debbiemckinneyd from @MyDoncaster about how strategic involvement is fundamental to the work of the Donny partnership & to enabling them to address systems barriers around #multipledisadvantage #TeamDoncaster #MEAMApproach pic.twitter.com/CTSG9kJXm3
— Tabz O’Brien (@TabzOBrien) March 5, 2019
Workshop 2: Commissioning in complexity – what does it really take?
In this workshop, Dr Toby Lowe helped delegates to think about what it really takes to be a commissioner in a complex environment and how nurturing and shaping the ‘purpose’ of the system is better than focusing on outcomes. Workshop materials are available here and the link to the Plymouth example is here.
Fascinating to hear what’s been happening in Plymouth. £80m 20yr Alliance Contract Model. No KPIs. Trust. #meamapproach @tobyjlowe
— Sophie Wilson (@Sophie_Wilson73) March 5, 2019
In the second workshop of the day – Commissioning for Complexity with @tobyjlowe .Hearing about the progressive and innovative Plymouth approach of ‘commissioning a system’ which must feel seamless to people it’s supporting #MEAMApproach
— Tabz O’Brien (@TabzOBrien) March 5, 2019
Workshop 3: Systems thinking – what is it and how can it help my area?
In the final workshop, MEAM staff helped delegates to de-mystify the concept of systems thinking and look at how they could practically apply it in their local areas. The workshop aimed to answer three key questions: (1) Why bother thinking about systems? (2) What does it mean to do ‘systems thinking’? and (3) What practical tools can I use? Delegates looked at system behaviours vs. traditional ones, tried out causal loop diagrams and were introduced to action inquiry. Workshop slides are available here.
Exploring systems thinking behaviours versus traditional ways of working @MEAMcoalition annual conference #MEAMApproach pic.twitter.com/s9yERG2Lpi
— Jude Cross (@judecross) March 5, 2019
Panel session: The role of coproduction in transformational change
Our final panel session was formed of a brilliant group of speakers. Adam and Joe from West Yorkshire Finding Independence spoke about why coproduction is different from user involvement; Charlie and Rachel from Basingstoke & Deane explained why you can’t create systems change without involving people with experience of multiple disadvantage; Jason from Bristol Golden Key looked at what’s most important when involving people; and Helen from MEAM spoke about the need to recognise and respond to power when working on coproduction. The debate was thoughtfully chaired by Anne from Cambridgeshire.
… And the last panel is off – what is the role of coproduction in transformational change? #MEAMApproach pic.twitter.com/yUN3h4zRLM
— Tabz O’Brien (@TabzOBrien) March 5, 2019
‘I don’t think coproduction is just very very good involvement – it describes communities that are asset based where everyone’s involved & everyone gets something out of it’ – Joe from WIFI speaking on the #MEAMApproach final panel
— Tabz O’Brien (@TabzOBrien) March 5, 2019
“saying I coproduced this report with service users is like saying I shared my bag of crisps and did some socialism” says @rattleyourwalls #MEAMApproach
— Tassie Weaver (@TassieWeaver) March 5, 2019
Our afternoon panel session is on the role of coproduction in transformational change. Charlie from Basingstoke says: “Don’t do it because it’s cool, do it because you need us.” #MEAMApproach
— Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) (@MEAMcoalition) March 5, 2019
Helen from @MEAMcoalition says we need to understand the role of power in coproduction. What are the underlying dynamics that exist between us when we work together? How can we understand them and change them? #MEAMApproach
— Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) (@MEAMcoalition) March 5, 2019
‘We’re gonna plan this holiday. It’s gonna be at my house. You need to take your shoes off & do this & that’ – sounds like a rubbish holiday tbh! Joe explaining why inviting someone onto boards, with established norms, cultures & lang isn’t coproduction #MEAMApproach
— Tabz O’Brien (@TabzOBrien) March 5, 2019
Panel sums up: “If you don’t do coproduction because you’re afraid of doing it wrong, then you’re already doing it wrong.” And… “Go into coproduction expecting to be changed by it” #MEAMApproach
— Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) (@MEAMcoalition) March 5, 2019
And our poet in residence, Adam, closed the day…
In the morning, all delegates had been asked to write down one success from the last year and one hope for the next twelve months. Adam from West Yorkshire, who runs Ad Verse, had used these to create a poem for the day, which we are delighted to share with you as it sums up so many themes from the conference.
Next steps
Thank you to everyone who attended and made the day a success. Please contact your Partnership Manager if you would like their support in taking forward any of the ideas that you took from the conference. Dates for our learning hubs in 2019 will be announced soon and we look forward to seeing you at the next event.