Summary of our EGL Hui 1: Hawkes Bay April 2024 Posted by Posted by Michelle Abbas on 20 May 2024 Posted on: 20 May 2024

It was great to meet everyone who was able to attend the community hui in Hawkes Bay recently hosted by SAMS where we began exploring Enabling Good Lives community leadership. 

We met with many people, including disabled people, families, deaf community, and providers in Hawkes Bay.  We talked about how to make life better for everyone. In total, 55 people shared their ideas.

We talked about how leadership in the Hawkes Bay community could help to shape up the Enabling Good Live approach and give choice and control to the community.

We visited:

• DRC (Disability Resource Centre) with a diverse group of community leaders,
• Hohepa and met with an existing leadership group, and
• People First with a commitment to inclusive leadership and support for those with learning disabilities,
• Meetings with Hohepa and People First demonstrate a commitment to inclusive leadership and support for those with learning disabilities.

 The two-community hui’s, one in Hastings and Napier, with a combined attendance of 44 people, reflects a strong community drive to explore EGL Community Leadership.

At the hui, we presented power points by TAMA and SAMS.

The Hawkes Bay community's direct input has highlighted several common themes:

• A strong interest in developing community leadership aligned with the Enabling Good Lives principles
• a deeper understanding of what this leadership involves, and the need for systemic change
• There's also a clear desire to correct misconceptions about EGL and address the frustrations with the current system, with a widespread call for the national rollout of EGL by Whaikaha
• These themes reflect the community's active engagement and commitment to EGL Community Leadership
• Confused for the need of community leadership and would like Whaikaha to roll out Enabling Good Lives mechanisms
• Frustration and some anger that system transformation has not happened in their community and that no decision has been made as to when it will happen.
• Tired and mistrust of the current support system, constant consultation with no obvious actions or changes
• The need and want for a system that support people to have a better live, more choice and opportunities
• Interest in the possibilities of EGL leadership in understanding what it could look like and mean for their community

 NEXT STEPS:

1. We are gathering feedback from those who attended the hui to ensure we are supporting in a way that is meaningful.
2. We had planned to host ONLINE hui; however, unfortunately short timeframes have meant this is no longer an option.
3. We are working to organise a second hui, where we will explore community leadership in depth. This will be from 10am-2pm on 6 June – venue to be confirmed.
4. We will also be available on 5 June for smaller education focused conversations.
5. Please email egl@sams.org.nz to register your interest in any of these events. There will be more information to follow.

As always, we are here for any questions and feedback.

With kindness,

The SAMS team