1. No category

Superu: Improving outcomes
through increasing the use of
evidence
Global Implementation Conference, Dublin 2015
Clare Ward, Chief Executive
Improving outcomes
Our environment
Complex, intergenerational, multidimensional
Customer at the centre
Integrated, multi-faceted,
differentiated, flexible responses
Partnerships
Over-representation
of Maori
Culturally appropriate
Understanding what
works is difficult
Focus on what works and
effectiveness
Limited resources
Invest where it has the
greatest impact
Build capacity and
capability
NZ’s response
Welfare
Reform
Vulnerable
Children’s
Plan
Whānau
Ora
Results for
a customer
Community
Investment
Social
Sector
Trials
Common features
Focus on outcomes and investment for
results
Person, family or community centred
approaches
Flexible and responsive
Evaluate, learn, and improve
Sector capacity and capability
Alignment of institutional settings
Critical supports
Shared
Results
Integration
Integrated
data &
analytics
Budget &
funding
processes
Investing for results
Improve the lives of New Zealand’s most vulnerable
children and their families
Social investment
Customer at the centre
Policy makers, funders, service providers need to
use evidence about what works and what doesn’t
“we’ll be buying what works” (MoF)
One of a number of initiatives
Superu
Science
Advisors
New Zealand
Data Futures
Forum
Integrated Data
Infrastructure
Analytics
& Insights
Our purpose
To increase the use of evidence by people across
the social sector so that they can make better
decisions to improve the lives of New
Zealanders, New Zealand’s communities, families
and whānau
1. Policy makers and
programme developers
2. Funders
3. Researchers and
evaluators
4. Service deliverers
5. Best practice developers
Organisational capability
Strategy
&
planning
Structure
Ways of
working
Culture
and
capability
Measuring impact
impact
relevance
quality
accessibility
usability
clarity
robust processes
They have filled a vacuum
of knowledge for me. I am
running some purchasing
trials and [they have]
influenced the way I am
thinking about those, so
it's profound
Growing evidence about what works
Youth Mental Health Project
evaluation
Children’s Teams
What Works briefs
NGO Evaluation fund
“Methodologically
they are quite
courageous – to have
a major evaluation
based on case studies
is interesting in
itself, but the way
the case studies are
conceived is really
quite innovative”
Improving understanding and informing
debate
Family and whānau
wellbeing
Perceptions of Income
adequacy by low income
families
Non-health costs of obesity
Duration of paid parental
leave
‘In Focus’ product
“I sense ... a willingness to come up with uncomfortable findings
... they are not simply the servants of the policy agenda, they are
certainly prepared to raise difficult questions”
The Hub: making research easier to find
http://thehub.superu.govt.nz/
Making evidence easier to understand
“the Review of
Parenting
Programmes was a
good piece of work
… it provides a basis
for making good
decisions about what
we should be
funding in that
space”
Supporting use
Advice and expertise
Conferences
Seminars
Knowledge exchange forums
‘How to’ guides
“Generated a lot of thought
around implementation
approaches”
Building infrastructure & capability
Social sector research priorities
Advice and expertise
In government
NGOs
Lifting standards
Evaluation standards
Publication protocol
The Hub
‘How to’ Guides
Growing Up in NZ
To be influential ….
Clear direction
Connected
Relevant and trusted
Receptive environment
Culture and capability
The whānau wellbeing
report that they did ….
we have used that as a
resource to influence
some of our thinking …
it has certainly
influenced policy
Challenges remain
Relevance
Focus where we can have impact
Relationships
Culture and capability – within Superu and
externally
Questions