1. v Are we being held back? An exploration of how evidence is used to address complex social problems Professor Kristy Muir Superu Evidence to Action Conference 2016 – Evidence: it’s how you use it that matters Wellington NZ, 5 April 2016

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5. 5 S OCIAL ISSUES Mental health & social and economic exclusion Disability & economic exclusion Homelessness Indigenous v non-Indigenous gaps Increased poverty & inequity High levels of youth unemployment Place based disadvantage What if we lived in an era where policy decision, services and organisations were driven by using evidence effectively? What might we achieve and what are the risks if we focus on outcomes based on that evidence? What might this mean for social change for our children, young people, families and communities?

6. 6 F UNDING AND SECTOR SHIFTS

7. 7 D IFFERENT PROBLEMS & S YSTEMS THINKING What type of problem are we trying to solve? a)Linear (cause & effect) b)Complicated c)Complex Systems thinking Independent parts that play different roles Parts “interconnected”: work together & interact The whole is different from the sum of the parts Feedback loops

8. 8 T HE SYSTEM PEOPLE LIVE IN & OECD GOALS Environment Policy, governance, laws, culture Societal infrastructure & opportunities Work, education, health NFP, govt, corporates, philanthropy Community infrastructure Orgs, govt agencies, businesses, housing, transport, community groups Family & friends Other trusted friends, mentors, carers, networks etc Characteristics, traits, SES, health, disability Civic engagement and governance Social connections Education and skills Work-life balance Health-status Environmental quality Personal security Subjective well-being *OECD (2013), “The Better Life Initiative Concepts and Indicators”, How's life? 2013 - Measuring well-being, OECD Publishing

9. 9 J ACK : ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION, MENTAL HEALTH, YOUTH Environment Policy, governance, laws, culture Social security policies Societal infrastructure & opportunities High youth unemployment Urban area: so community resources Community infrastructure Orgs, govt agencies, businesses, housing, transport, community groups Family & friends Little to no trusted supports YP, MH. AOH, social skills, low education

10. 10 C ATHERINE : DISABILITY AND PARTICIPATION Environment Policy, governance, laws, culture NDIS Societal infrastructure & opportunities High unemployment amongst people with disability Community infrastructure Currently living in urban area to access orgs, govt agencies, businesses, housing, transport, community groups Family & friends Family live in rural area YP, disability, tertiary education

11. 11 M AE : P LACE BASED DISADVANTAGE Environment Policy, governance, laws, culture Societal infrastructure & opportunities Work, education, health NFP, govt, corporates, philanthropy Community infrastructure Orgs, govt agencies, businesses, housing, transport, community groups Family & friends Other trusted friends, mentors, carers, networks etc Early childhood, low SES, poor development outcomes 603,000 - 17.7% of all children living in poverty in Australia (ABS, 2011-12)

12. 12 S OME RISKS 1.Evidence is too driven by costs (e.g. SRoI) 2.Not thinking systemically or about unintended consequences 3.Distraction of outcomes > failure to recognise the importance of: Process Establishment & implementation Intermediaries Funding 4.The market will not always provide Risk losing niche providers/ supports Hardest to reach and support may fall through the cracks 5.Poor data collection and use Individual evaluations Lack of transparency Lack of comparability & shared measurement

13. 13 S O WHAT ? 1. Understand what problem needs to be solved 2. Think & work systemically “Individualised” is key, but people live within a context Understand roles, interactions and levers 3. Collaboration is critical when relevant – who, under what circumstances & conditions Siloed responses often don’t work; place-based interventions rely on collaboration 4. Work within the competitive market (be ahead or keeping up with the curve) Values differ, but human rights, happiness and wellbeing matter Understand and respond to funding drivers BUT be cautious of cost benefit ratios 5. Work with purpose, measure outcomes, watch for unintended consequence, use evidence to inform, keep, change and/or stop policy, practice and processes Measure what matters for the people who matter The best intentions can still have unintended feedback loops Numbers matter, but narratives create meaning and can have influence

14. 14 C ONTACT DETAILS Professor Kristy Muir (PhD) Professor of Social Policy & Research Director Suite 16.01, Level 16, 6 O’Connell St, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia P +61 2 8936 0923 | M +61 478 492 114 E k.muir@unsw.edu.auk.muir@unsw.edu.au @CSIsocialimpact | WWW.CSI.EDU.AU WWW.CSI.EDU.AU