It’s been a big old year for us in Australia and Aotearoa. Thank you for being part of it.

blog | Words Emma Scott | 20 Dec 2024

On a year of sharing our experience –

– of the multi-year project reforming education in Bermuda through co-design and collaboration. As the island nation transitions to its new system, we’ve been sharing what we’ve learned with other education leaders, including at the 2024 Global Education Leaders’ Partnership in Jakarta where members of our Aotearoan team spoke with leaders around the world about intergenerational and inclusive learning from a Māori perspective. In September we were also proud to receive a Good Design Award for our approach to participatory policy design in education.’

On a year of deep listening and learning –

 – about how systems might be rebuilt / centred around lived experience and community knowledge. This continues across projects such as Fin WA’s peer support model, which partners families involved in the child protection system with someone with lived experience. Working in collaboration with Morgan Cataldo and RMIT, we have generated new insights into lived experience leadership and advocacy, so that those carrying such knowledge can do their work safely and powerfully.

On a year of expanding and connecting knowledge – 

– in the Domestic and Family Violence sector. Appointed by Paul Ramsay Foundation, we worked with a network of 31 organisations that are doing the hard frontline work with special cohorts of help-seekers, to produce not just one but two powerful learning papers capturing the strengths of the field. Our projects in the DFV sector range from the design, monitoring and evaluation of Hub services in WA to approaching the challenge of Primary Prevention – with the Department of Education WA’s ACTION Respect initiative and our Youth co-designed intervention, This is Manly, now entering a new phase with support from the Department of Communities WA.

On a year of building capacity –

– within our organisation and in other changemakers. We’ve added new team members in all geographies and coached the passionate second cohort of our Social Design Academy, who worked in teams within and across organisations gathering new tools and perspectives and applying them to real-life projects. The Aotearoa Design Academy has been prepared for launch next year, to grow the capability of rangatahi to create change in their communities and leading Māori change-making practices and mātauranga across Aotearoa. 

In WA, we’ve convened panel discussions to stimulate Commissioning innovation in the state. 

On a year walking alongside totally brilliant partners as we do this challenging work –

– Our relationships are everything – the Aotearoa team’s allyship with Tūmanako sees our two organisations becoming powerful accomplices to fight injustice and make life better for Māori so they are healthier, happier, safer in Aotearoa. In Western Australia, Kaarla Baabpa have become powerful partners and leaders in the work with Aboriginal communities ensuring that the knowledge and experiences of Aboriginal people shape the outcomes of projects.

We are grateful to everyone who has worked with us this year. 

There will be many more stories to tell in 2025 – we look forward to you being part of them.