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The Government has today launched the Social Sector Commissioning Action Plan 2022-2028, marking a significant and exciting shift in the way social services deliver suppport for people, whānau and communities in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“This shift provides a pathway for how we can fundamentally change the way government works with social services, so they can be supported to better help their communities,” Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni said.

“Working toward a social sector that better serves our people and communities by improving how government commissions and works with social services is a key manifesto commitment, and today we’re delivering on that,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

“People, whānau and communities right across the country can expect to have their welfare needs met through social services that are responsive, whānau-centred and community-led and reflects their needs and aspirations.

“This work will transform the social sector at all levels. For people in need, this transformation will mean they know where to go for assistance and the support available is community-led. Their experience will also help to inform further improvements to the delivery of social services.

“For our social services, these changes mean they can be sustainble, less focused on paper work and competition for funding, and more focused on supporting their communities with more flexiblility in responding to the unique and diverse needs of those accessing their services.

“And for government, it means we need to be transparent in how we commission and support social services, and work collaboratively to learn and grow in order to meet the needs of New Zealanders. It’s also about making sure our investment in the sector is going to the right people and places, as opposed to being tied up in administrative processes.

“This Action Plan is part of our welfare overhaul programme and is one step towards modernising our welfare system so that social sector organisations can support New Zealanders to live with dignity and deliver support where neccessary, without having to encounter unneccessary red-tape along the way.

“Underpinning this Action Plan and the starting point for transformation is Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the need for us to recognise and give practical effect to Te Tiriti. Māori-Crown partnerships must be at the heart of effective commissioning and this Action Plan will support iwi, hapū and whānau to create their own solutions, ensure equitable access, experiences and outcomes for Māori who work in the sector, and apply tikanga in a way that benefits the provision of support.

“Since work begun in 2018, there have been positive changes across government to improve commissioning. For instance, we’ve been working on extending contracts to provide more certainty and stability for non-government organisations. This means the average length of a contract is now 2.5 years, with contracts of three years or more making up 61 percent of contracts for 2020/21.

“The relational approach we’re taking isn’t something that is new. Te Aorerekura, The ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence, for example, explicitly uses relational commissioning as a key lever to deliver better outcomes for people, their families, whānau and communities.

“On top of that, our response to COVID-19 has further underlined the important role social sector organisations play in supporting people. We saw communities come together to support their own, whether that be through the quick delivery of food parcels and hygiene packs or helping to provide income and hardship assistance. We want to see more of this, and this Action Plan supports that.

“It’s not just about improving government practice when commissioning social services, it’s also about strengthening the ties that brings together government, the sector, iwi, Māori and communities to support people and their whānau, including our disabled people, people experiencing mental illness, Māori and Pacific.

“This will be a new way of working together locally, regionally and nationally and will help to future-proof the sector so people, whānau and communities are provided with certainty during what can be an uncertain time for many,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

Social Sector Commissioning 2022-2028 Action Plan attached.