The pillars of the Walk Together approach:
Mutual Ways
The philosophy that underpins the work of Walk Together. Mutual Ways creates the conditions for shared authority, responsibility and agreement through the creation of an ‘in between world’, an intercultural space where neither group or culture dominates or controls the other.
our ways - 7 Monitoring Protocols
These protocols are followed alongside the 8 guiding principles to ensure that a change program is being implemented in ways that will achieve sustainable results.
our ways - 8 Guiding Principles
In the Walk Together process, our 8 principles guide participant actions to ensure that change processes are culturally responsive.
The Ngahere-Forest Approach to Systemic Change
A facilitated process using our Systemic Action Framework to support people to collectively navigate complex systemic change, particularly across and within cultures.
Our Vision
Total Wellbeing + Mana Motuhake [SELF DETERMINATION] + TINO RANGATIRATANGA [SELF SOVEREIGNTY]
We acknowledge the imperative for recognising the agency of individuals and communities in shaping their own destinies. This vision underscores the commitment to holistic flourishing, sovereignty, self-determination.
WE NEED SYSTEMS TO CHANGE IN CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE WAYS.
Many of us experience systems as top-down hierarchies where decision-making isn’t shared, processes aren’t truly collaborative and dominating behaviours undermine people’s ability to express themselves. That means we do a lot of things to people, rather than with them. We envision a future where there is balance between systems and making sure everyone can experience quality of life.
What does working with Walk Together look like?
Walk Together's Mutual Ways philosophy and The Ngahere-Forrest approach to systems change guides both groups and the WT facilitator. Walking Together means that we facilitate while you create and control your kaupapa and desired outcomes.
DEALING WITH WICKED AND COMPLEX PROBLEMS
Walk Together is a facilitated process for systems change. Within any change there are wicked problems to deal with. These are problems like school attendance, high diabetes rates, a cold culture in the workplace, failed outcomes and policies or people not having enough food. Wicked problems exist everywhere, and dealing with them is a part of systemic change. We use wicked problem solving processes within the journey we take together.
The Between world
The Role of Intercultural Facilitator
The pivotal element that brings Walk Together and walking together to life and into action is the role of the Intercultural Facilitator. This role has the crucial job of keeping an eye and surfacing on unconscious bias, power and control dynamics, open and transparent communication as examples. The facilitator walks with an individual or group by supporting them to grow momentum, or to challenge them to slow momentum in order to do things right, and according to what has been agreed. The role sits in the in-between world, or the intercultural space where collective, connected and collaborative co-creation can happen. It is the same space where we deal with difference, conflict, competing values, opposing world-views, feelings of being stuck, power dynamics and so on. The role is a vital support role as people imagine future states and navigate their innovations inside of dominant systems.
Our Whakapapa
Our origins