Download full document (pdf 240kb)A Journey through Kaipara: Telling the story of the Kaipara Community Outcomes Process Steering Group (K-COP)
3. The role and purpose of the Kaipara Community Outcomes Steering Group
The role of K-COP is to monitor progress on the jointly initiated projects, while continuing to identify further opportunities that would benefit from collaboration. This formal role, and the expected outcomes of the Steering Group (as outlined in the Terms of Reference), are paralleled by the more informal roles that K-COP plays.
Networking and relationship building
Being involved on K-COP means different things to different agencies but all see the networking and relationship building role as fundamental to progressing community outcomes.
“The Steering Group provides huge opportunities for collaborative work on issues such as transport. Work on initiatives will go on anyway. Connections from the steering group make it easier to get directly to the right people. Joint thinking is done – and is needed on things like access to services and economic opportunities in Kaipara.” “It’s about keeping in touch – it’s not easy to keep in touch when there are no formalised networks. A lot of people are working part-time and on multiple projects so there is little time to connect, reflect and share information. Changes in people doing the work can mean the original purpose for the project or the work is lost – the steering group can keep the history about why are we doing this. It’s also important to communicate the project and objectives to those who will be involved.” |
The CE of Kaipara District Council agrees:
“It may not be particularly identifiable but things do happen. The aim is to get enthusiastic people round the table…even just for a social chat – just getting to know the other people….there’s been good engagement…there will be a whole lot of things that have happened because of the group…we hope that people will take initiatives – projects may come up apart from the group, just because of the links and relationships that have been made because of the group.” |
Focusing on productivity, not process
While the CE sees the role of the Steering Group is to “do on the ground some of the things that the Northern Intersectoral Forum aspires to do regionally” it is acknowledged that achieving this is not a linear or time-bound process, and requires time and patience.
At this point in the Steering Group’s development, the original purpose and scope, as outlined in the Terms of Reference, is not a critical driver for their leadership (8).
Nor does the CE want to see K-COP tied up with unnecessary paperwork – developing project plans and so on. The focus is on the best use of people’s time. The CE sees this as developing processes that build the informal trust-based relationships critical to K-COP’s future.
“We’re quite happy to have the uncertainty of it not doing anything for a while, as long as it keeps bubbling along…the last 18 months have focused on getting people together and talk about why are we here and what do we want to achieve.” |
(8) In fact, none of the people interviewed referred to the Terms of Reference document see appendix one.
