How does The Lab work?
Our Innovation Methodology: A model for practice based evidence.
The Lab acts as an implementation and learning partner to government agencies.
We have a specific focus on how to enable culturally grounded, place-based and community-led approaches that prioritise what matters and makes the difference to whānau.
As well as drawing on existing knowledge and evidence, we try things out on the ground with whānau, hapori and other partners, co-creating new practice-based evidence and building capability.
Our innovation methodology is underpinned by three practice models:
We support the public sector in three ways:
1. Live Labs
Generating and testing evidence on the ground.
Live Labs prototype, test and demonstrate the role of government in enabling community-led responses, beyond services into ecologies of wellbeing.
This not only produces local benefits for whānau and communities, but builds the capability and capacity of public sector teams to grapple with complex issues in more place-based and systems-oriented ways.
3. Lab Learning
Sharing, connecting and embedding evidence, insights and practice.
We support public sector capability and capacity through practice sessions, learning programmes and platforms, workshops, mentoring/coaching and advice.
We promote ethical and Tiriti-based design and evaluative practice by providing tools and frameworks to help teams assess their current capability, and identify pathways for development.
2. Lab Insights
Developing practice-based tools and frameworks, as well as evidence for what works.
We share practice-based evidence about what works to enhance equity and intergenerational wellbeing, developed alongside whānau, hapori and other partners.
We share and amplify what we and others are learning on the ground to inform policy, decision making and investment.