Easier INC

Videos From Our April Event: Taking An HLS Approach To Public Services

 

In April 2020 we convened a series of webinars, led by a group of funders, commissioners, practitioners and professionals working at the forefront of complexity-informed practice. The webinars provided opportunities for participants to listen to and share ideas, and to learn and build networks with others interested in taking a Human Learning Systems (HLS) approach.

Happening just a few weeks into when the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning to be felt in the UK, the webinars included discussion on how HLS can help us to respond to such crisis in times of uncertainty and volatility.

 

Introduction and Overview

 

Webinar A: 'Human Learning Systems' at the local level

We heard how The Tudor Trust-funded research case studies are using HLS in their work:

• The Tudor Trust.

• The Plymouth Alliance.

•  Plymouth Octopus Project (POP+).

  

Webinar B: 'Human Learning Systems' and the VCS

We heard what the implications of 'Human Learning Systems' (HLS) are for the voluntary and community sector and funded programmes:

• The Institute for Voluntary Action Research will discuss 'trust, power and relationships'; what it takes for the VCSE sector to develop HLS approaches in their organisations and in working with others.

• Dr Mary Miller discussed the journey of taking an HLS approach to palliative and end-of-life care at Sobell House Hospice.

• Paula McCormack, Executive Lead of Wallsend Children's Community, discussed implications for funding a systems change programme, particularly in highly uncertain times such as the COVID-19 crisis.

  

Webinar C: 'Human Learning Systems' at a national level

We heard what the implications for taking an HLS approach are at the national level:

• Elena Bagnera (Senior Programme Associate) and Nadine Smith (Director) from The Centre for Public Impact. Elena and Nadine discussed how The Shared Power Principle can help us to consider how the wider system, including government, could respond to a crisis such as COVID-19.

• Andy Brogan, founding partner of Easier Inc, considered what the requirement is of regulators and auditors to move to a complexity-informed approach and the necessity of generative conversations to bridge between systems.

• Collaborate CIC shared headlines from a recent cross-sector roundtable on learning and accountability in complex systems and invited participants to contribute their thoughts and help shape next steps.

 

 

Webinar D: 'Human Learning Systems' and practice

We considered what HLS can look like in practice and how it can link to other theories, processes and organisational structures.

• Colleagues from IMPOWER discussed how their approach Edgework offers a practical response to complex problems and highlights the importance of developing relationships and collaborating across system boundaries or 'edges'.

• Ruth Hannan, Transform Programme Manager at the RSA, discussed how self-managing teams in health and social care can create a human-centred organisational approach which can respond and adapt to uncertainty and complexity.

• Lowis Charfe, Senior Lecturer in the School of Social Work, Care and Community, University of Central Lancashire, explored how social pedagogy prioritises the importance of relational practice and learning, and can support the development of cultural and organisational change.

 

Webinar E: Learning in the time of Corona: creating rapid learning environments

Chris Bolton, Wales Audit Office Good Practice Exchange Team, and Toby Lowe, Centre for Public Impact, discussed how continuous and embedded learning practices can support organisations to innovate. NB Recommended prior reading for this webinar was, "Is anyone deploying innovation and learning people alongside COVID-19 response teams?"

Thanks for watching!

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Format: Videos

Tags: Control , Self-Management , Understanding Variation , Complexity , Human Learning Systems , Commissioning , Personalisation , Understanding Variety , Case Studies , Leadership , Fellowship , Psychological Safety , Improvement , Regulation , Collaboration , Friction , Governance , Systems Thinking , Public Services , Rehumanising Work , Empathy , Systems Transformation , Funding

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