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Are you wondering how to get started on a different approach to commissioning, working with communities? Is the new procurement act leaving you uncertain about how to take forward new approaches to commissioning? Or perhaps you’ve heard of Human Learning Systems (HLS) but not sure what that means for commissioning?
While the relational practices central to HLS are well-positioned to promote equity, they do not automatically enable equitable outcomes. Without explicitly naming and addressing equity, even the most well-intentioned relational work can reproduce existing power imbalances. Equity needs to be an interconnected, embedded consideration throughout. Ensuring equity requires deliberate, intentional practice around a clear purpose, promoting social justice. Relational practices can only advance equity where they are accompanied by conscious, critical reflections on power, inclusion and agency at all system levels (interpersonal, organisational-structural, local, regional and national). Without acknowledging and addressing structural barriers, implicit biases and trust deficits, particularly in marginalised communities, public services risk ignoring or reinforcing existing inequalities.
System Convening roles to tackle the inequalities and failures of complex systems surrounding public services appear to be on the rise. Alex Fox of Mayday Trust and New System Alliance, Matthew Mezey of Q and the Health Foundation, and Jenny Zienau of London Borough of Hackney are asking current Systems Conveners to spare two minutes to complete a short questionnaire so they can find out what these roles currently look like and find out if there is a need for a community of practice.
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