Transformation Management Board
Learn about the Transformation Management Board, what its purpose is, and what is disability system transformation.
Board members
We received an incredible response to the opportunity to serve on this board and were very pleased with both the calibre and diversity of the people who applied.
We would like to thank all applicants for their patience and understanding as we worked through the recruitment process.
Chief Executive Paula Tesoriero and two Whaikaha executives will be joined on the board by the following community members:
- Barry De Geest
- Delia Nolan
- Kellie McGrath
- Pati Umaga
- Peter Allen
- Ray King
- Renata Kotua
Learn more about the community Board members.
The first meeting of the Transformation Management Board will take place in February 2024.
How the Board was selected?
A public expression of Interest process was run during October and November, seeking applications from disabled people and their families and whānau with skills and experience in strategic planning, governance, financial management and assurance.
From a pool of over 100 applicants, a team drawn from the disability community, tāngata whaikaha Māori and a representative from the Disabled People’s Organisation, worked with Paula Tesoriero, Chief Executive Whaikaha to interview short-listed candidates. The successful applicants went through a rigorous and robust process during their appointments.
What is Disability System Transformation?
Disability System Transformation is a Cabinet agreed programme of work under the Disability Action Plan 2019-2023 and involves fundamental changes to the entire disability support system, so it will support “disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori, and their families and whānau, to live a life they are seeking.”
In Budget 2022, Cabinet approved a tagged contingency “to extend Enabling Good Lives to more of the disabled population and their whānau, progressing towards a national rollout of the Enabling Good Lives approach”. In September 2023, the Government announced that Whaikaha could access $73.7 million over the next four years and an additional $40.5 million each year in the following years to support our disability system transformation work.
The contingency funding supports the establishment of a tripartite Transformation Management Board and a Transformation Management Office to oversee the implementation of initiatives to:
- Support the disability community as they lead the growth of partnership groups and networks, independent voice mechanisms and communities of practice to guide improvements.
- Support disabled people who are at risk of abuse through a mix of prevention (including safeguarding skills), early responses and greater community connects and intensive response (and advocacy), when needed.
- Improve equity of access to disability support services by extending Enabling Good Lives supports to historically underserved communities.
- Transform existing services by intervening early and supporting transitions, through changing what support is available.
- Build the system infrastructure required to support and embed the Enabling Good Lives approach, including through IT, data and insights, and legislative and policy settings.
It is important to note that the initial focus of the funding is to build the system infrastructure to ensure that the foundations required for transformation are in place.
Purpose of the Transformation Management Board
The Transformation Management Board is one of many partnerships both underway and being established to transform the disability support system, so it improves the lives of disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
Transformation Management Board members will primarily provide advice to support the implementation of transformation initiatives funded through the Budget 2022 contingency.
The Board members are responsible for:
- reviewing the progress of the transformation programme
- approving the allocation of funding to specific initiatives
- identifying the potential areas for re-prioritisation to better support transformation
- agreeing on what responsibilities need to be managed nationally, where consistency is required and where regional and local flexibility will lead to better outcomes for disabled people and their family/whānau and carers.
What being on the Transformation Management Board will involve
The Board will meet five times per year with face to face meetings in Wellington. Board meetings will be held over two days, generally the afternoon of day one and the morning of day two.
Whaikaha will organise overnight accommodation and travel to meet the needs of members. Whaikaha will provide reasonable accommodations as necessary.
Preparation and post-meeting activity is expected. Members will be paid a daily fee of $600 for each meeting day, this fee includes preparation time.
What we looked for in Board members
Disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori members of the Management Board collectively reflect a combination of the following skills.
- Disabled person or tāngata whaikaha Māori life experience. Reflects and respects the wide diversity of experiences, needs and strengths among the disabled community and brings these to the decision-making table.
- Able to embed Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles. Experienced in embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles into the design and delivery of policy, supports and monitoring and evaluation.
- Strategic leadership. Comprehends the big picture and maintains a strategic outlook; demonstrates the capacity to think holistically and strategically, balancing diverse needs of stakeholders. Examples could include guiding the strategic direction of organisations or groups.
- Assurance leadership. Has a questioning mindset; focuses on results; able to understand and assess risks that need managing. Examples include overseeing ongoing projects, services, or investments to make sure they are producing the desired results and taking corrective action where necessary.
- Transformation. Understands the difference between transformational and ongoing improvement initiatives, and ideally with experience in working in a transformation environment. Examples could include developing innovative responses and changing how organisations or groups work.
- Governance. Understands the difference between governance and management, and ideally has had experience in governance roles in a public sector context.
- Programme/portfolio management. Having experience in programme and/or portfolio management disciplines. Being able to relate to the work of the Transformation Management Office and hold it accountable for carrying out agreed transformation programmes.
- Financial/investment management. Experience with a variety of financial and investment management principles, as well as knowledge of managing budgets and trade-offs. Planning and managing work schedules and budgets are some examples.
- Experience in Enabling Good Lives initiatives. Brings insights and experience including lessons learned from the Enabling Good Lives initiatives.
- Whaikaha connection. Brings insights and connection with the wider work of Whaikaha.
- Network connections. Brings connections and relationships that enable connection disabled people and whānau. For example, this could include groups like the Disabled Persons Organisations Coalition, Regional Leadership Groups, National Enabling Good Lives Leadership, Te Ao Marama o Aotearoa, Faiva Ora and Mana Pasifika leadership group and insights alliance.
- Relationship management. Capacity to build trusted and credible relationships with multiple stakeholders.
Personal attributes we looked for
- Objective thinker. Able to debate and demonstrate the benefit of independent thought through frank and open communication.
- Integrity and openness. Truthful, trustworthy, demonstrates integrity and is fair-minded.
- Positive and constructive attitude. Emotionally intelligent, respectful of diversity and other points of view.
- Innovative. Is creative and original in addressing issues and assessing priorities for action.