Exploring the New World: Human, Learning, Systems

Toby Lowe Newcastle Business School@tobyjlowe

Dawn PlimmerCollaborate@DawnMPlimmer

Wifi: Password01@

#HumanLearningSystems

Purpose of today

1) Enable people to explore the:

Human

Learning

Systems approach

2) Build a movement for change – how do we

make this normal practice?

Agenda

1.00 Welcome

1.15 Presenting the Human Learning Systems approach

1.45 Q & A

2.05 Case study introductions

2.25 Break

2.35 Case studies

3.35 Building a movement – opportunities to get involved

4.15

4.30

Next steps & finish

Networking

Caroline Mason

Chief Executive

Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

Slido

Go to Sli.do

Enter #S814

Summary

• What does it mean to work in complexity?

Human Learning Systems

• How to shift towards an HLS approach

Complexity

We know we are in complex territory when:

• there are a variety of strengths and needs, and these look

different from different perspectives

• when outcomes are being produced by many factors

interacting together in an ever changing way

• when people are working in systems that are beyond the

control of any one of the actors in the system

Human Variety

Max

Toby

Rob

Mary-

Lee

Dynamic complexity

Max

Toby

Rob

Mary-

Lee

What does complexity require of us?

• The capacity to respond to variety – each person’s

strengths and needs are different

• The ability to adapt to change – the context in which

social interventions are undertaken constantly changes

• The ability to shape systems whose behaviour can’t be

reliably predicted, and which no one controls.

Implications for commissioning

OUTCOMES ARE NOT DELIVERED BY

ORGANISATIONS!

The outcomes we desire are emergent properties

of complex systems

Key ideas

Funding, Commissioning and Managing in

complexity involves:

Being Human to one another: put on your VEST

Learning and adaptation: improvement requires

continuous learning

Systems: Nurture healthy systems to createpositive outcomes – be a System Steward

Human

To be Human, put on your VEST:

• Respond to Variety of human need and experience

• Use Empathy to understand the life of others

• View people from a Strengths-based perspective

• Trust people with decision-making: increasing agency and

autonomy

For Funders/Commissioners means:

• Long term funding

• Funding without Performance Measures/KPIs

• Fund those organisations you trust to build effective human

relationships with people – e.g. Plymouth – £80m, 10 year

Alliance contract

Human

= Public service is Bespoke by Default

Each human being is recognised as having their own strengths and

needs.

The job of social interventions is to:

• Hear and understand those strengths and needs through forming

relationships with people

• Respond appropriately to those strengths and needs

“liberating” workers from attempts to proceduralise what happens in

good human relationships, and instead focus on the capabilities and

contexts which help enable these relationships”

Learning

Young Foundation,

Stages of Social Innovation

Current view: Learning is a phase in social innovation

• Learn & experiment.

• Find “what works”

• Do more of that

Learning

In a complex environment, learning is a continuous

process

There is no such thing as “what works” – because “what

works” is always changing.

“What works” is a continuous process of learning and

adaption.

= funders and commissioners are “purchasing” the

capacity for organisations to learn and adapt.

Systems

Who looks after the health of a system?

Role of System Stewards

Systems

System StewardsWhat does a healthy system look like?

System Behaviours (via Lankelly Chase Foundation):

Perspective

• People view themselves as part of an interconnected whole

• People are viewed as resourceful and bringing strengths

• People share a vision

Power

• Power is shared, and equality of voice actively promoted

• Decision-making is devolved

• Accountability is mutual

Participation

• Open, trusting relationships enable effective dialogue

• Leadership is collaborative and promoted at every level

• Feedback and collective learning drive adaptation

How change happens

Putting it into practice…

• Leadership

“Have I got the bravery to call things out, the energy and capacity to carry on and

carry the system through to a new set of relationships?”

• Culture change

“We re-interviewed all staff and lost 50% of the workforce – they didn’t want to or

didn’t have the right behaviours and mindset.”

• Accountability

“The Care Inspectorate has sought to support the pioneering work that Cornerstone

are advancing, by promoting an enabling regulatory environment that supports

innovation and improvement and allows new ways of working to be explored and new

ideas and approaches to be tested.”

Building a movement: how do we make HLS practice ‘everyday’?

How do we make HLS practice ‘everyday’?

What have we learnt about how to enable change? What is

needed?

Learning: about what HLS practice looks like and how to do it

Sharing: knowledge about the practice

Connecting: people who want to work in this way with one another

Bespoke support: for organisations, partnerships and places

Developing an enabling environment for HLS practice

How might you get involved?

How do we make HLS practice ‘everyday’?

• Challenge NPM choices

• Advocate for and champion HLS practice

• Share your learning

• Connect with others: join the online forum:

https://khub.net/group/complexity-friendly-system-oriented-

commissioning-pilot-project/group-forum

Collective bravery – we will make this change together

Thanks for listening

toby.lowe@northumbria.ac.uk@tobyjlowe

dawn@collaboratecic.com@DawnMPlimmer

Questions?Thoughts?

Case studies

John HamblinShekinah

Case studies

Julian CornerLankelly Chase

Case studies

Pat McArdle and Lynn MumfordMayday Trust

Case studies

Richard JenkinsTudor Trust

Principles

We base our activity on the following strongly felt principles. We regularly evaluate our practice against them.

Supporting communities to drive their own positive change

Investing in relationships as the foundation of all we do - starting from a position of trust and demonstrating that we can be trusted

Listening with intent: always trying to hear the real voice

Valuing people’s time: acting quickly where helpful and taking time where needed

Using learning, our experience and creativity to offer flexible support to communities.

In our work we will actively use our resources, and the freedom and independence they give, to contribute to the health and strength of civil society.

Case studies

Philippa KnottBlagrave Trust

Case studies: rooms

John Hamblin, Shekinah Shanghai

Julian Corner, Lankelly Chase Beijing

Pat and Lynn, Mayday Trust Main room - front

Richard Jenkins, Tudor Trust Main room - middle

Philippa Knott, Blagrave Trust Main room - back

Case study: discussion

What does this mean for

your practice?

Reflecting on everything you’ve heard so far today

(including the case study example)…

What are the implications, the challenges, the

opportunities?

Discussion

Where do we want to be in

one and five years time

with spreading Human

Learning Systems

practice?

One year?

Five years?

Over to you…

1. What can you do to build and share this

practice?

2. What do you need to build and share this

practice?

Please answer on Slido

Thank you