Canterbury clinical network (CCN) kia kotahi partnership in design framework gifted to Collaborative Aotearoa

Collaborative Aotearoa is delighted that Canterbury Clinical Network (CCN) identified Collaborative Aotearoa as the preferred kaitiaki/guardian of the Kia Kotahi Partnership in Design (KKPID) framework, following the Network’s permanent closure yesterday.

Canterbury Clinical Network (CCN) was formed as a collaborative of health professionals, mana whenua, lived experience advisors, and cross-sector partners working together to decide how, when and where health services are delivered across Waitaha/Canterbury. As of 11th April 2024, the CCN programme office and its work closes, with most of the work transitioned to partners across the wider Waitaha health system.

Kia Kotahi Partnership in Design (KKPID) is a flexible, six-step, values-based framework which ensures that people and their whānau are at the centre of (re)designing equitable health and wellbeing services in a genuine, purposeful partnership. A key difference of this co-design framework from Euro-centric approaches is its foundation in ngā whanonga pono (values) and informed by Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

The framework was used for Pae Ora ki Waitaha, a co-design project to explore how the health system can better support the pae ora (healthy futures) of the Canterbury community. One of the project participants commented that: ‘Never before have I been involved in a co-design process that’s been as empowering of providers as this experience. The providers are being heard and promoting what we know works in the communities; this is an opportunity to reduce inequities.’

Koral Fitzgerald believes that one of the many advantages of this framework is the ability for community, providers and funders to be both learners and experts in their own right, particularly during the whai whakaaro (mindful listening and learning) and wawata (dreaming) stages.

The framework has the ability to be used beyond health – it has applications in transport, social organisations, education, justice and corrections.

Former principal of co-design at Ko Awatea, Dr Lynne Maher, has been working in co-design for 20 years, both in England and in Aotearoa New Zealand. When Lynne first learned about KKPID, she instantly thought it was a brilliant example of authentic co-design.

“It starts by putting community at the centre, rather than predetermining the problem or opportunity and then consulting with the community. To me, this really sets KKPID apart from other co-design processes.”