Chief Executive’s introduction
Strategic Intentions sets out the Ministry’s direction and priorities for the next four years.
The Ministry is here to make a real difference in the lives of New Zealanders. Our purpose is to help them help themselves to be safe, strong and independent and our work touches the most vulnerable people in society, from the youngest to the oldest.
Working within an increasingly challenging and complex environment with fiscal constraints, rising costs, changing government and public expectations, and the opportunities of new technology means we are doing things differently.
We are working to become a single, cohesive organisation, centred on the people we serve and support. We’ll achieve this, in part, through our internal cultural change programme, Building Blue. This programme will strengthen our capability, and help us become a more supportive and inclusive organisation.
The Ministry’s staff are knowledgeable, motivated and engaged with the business we’re in. I am proud of the work they do. Some of our staff work in difficult, and at times dangerous, circumstances. The tragedy at our Ashburton Office on 1 September 2014 was a stark reminder of this. Moving forward, the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring the safety of all staff and clients is an absolute priority.
The future for us focuses on the public we serve. We can no longer expect people to be knocking on multiple doors to try and access the services they need, or spend hours queuing for services that can be delivered in other, more convenient ways. We will simplify our clients’ experiences, and give them choices about how they access our services in the ways best suited to their needs and requirements – not ours.
Data is one of the key tools which will support our work over the next four years. Data will drive our policies and services, based on evidence. We will know which client interactions work, and more importantly, why. The use of data will fundamentally change the way we work together with other agencies and our partners across the community to better identify, support and protect vulnerable children.
We have an ambitious programme of change ahead, and one which we are carrying out while also maintaining our day-to-day work. The business of helping people doesn’t stop. We may not always get it right but I am confident that the Ministry is heading in the right direction.
Strategic Intentions, along with our four-year plan, will guide and influence our work over the coming four years. And in time we will be able to look back and see how far we have come, what we have achieved and what we still need to do to deliver positive results for New Zealanders.
Brendan Boyle
Chief Executive
Ministry of Social Development
