Guidelines for engaging iwi and hapu
Guidelines for engaging iwi and hapu groups in Integrated Catchment Management Research
Garth Harmsworth
Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, Private Bag 11052, Palmerston North
Email
Harmsworth, G. R. 2004: Collaborative research with Maori groups as part of the Motueka integrated catchment management (ICM) programme. Collaborative learning web site, Landcare Research. (note: clicking this link will leave the ICM Motueka site)
1.1 Introduction
Internationally and in New Zealand multistakeholder engagement between people of different backgrounds, interests, beliefs, values, is becoming increasingly important when dealing with complex issues across regions, where effective engagement is imperative for demonstrating participatory process, for achieving sustainable resource use, addressing societal problems, incorporating cultural, religious and ethical views, finding balanced solutions, and reducing conflict. In New Zealand, in line with international thinking and in response to obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi, International conventions, New Zealand legislation, and acknowledgement of cultural rights, tangata whenua (indigenous people) are being increasingly included in discussion on all issues, and participation in issues-related research and management.
Collaboration can generate positive outcomes for managing natural resources, and also help achieve integrated catchment management. Guidelines can be used to improve engagement between groups, and help achieve good environmental, social, economic, and cultural outcomes, for example: responsive research to issues, sustainable management of natural resources, sustainable economic development, acknowledgement and use of cultural values in integrated catchment management, best management practice.
The following guideline, checklist and evaluation methodology, section 1.3, are based on international studies, learning and experience from other and previous New Zealand projects, and from the current FRST programme, Integrated land and water resource management in complex catchments. A small part of the current research programme has been dedicated to social learning with iwi and hapu groups. It is designed to assist researchers, land managers, and policy-makers develop effective relationships and partnerships with iwi and hapu groups to achieve sustainable management of natural resources in catchments and ultimately integrated catchment management. They provide a step-by-step approach, along with process indicators, to measure progress towards collaboration and achievement of agreed goals and outcomes. An effective collaborative process can increase the chances of success and achievement. The checklist refers to a group as: an iwi/hapu; representatives of iwi/hapu; a group within iwi/hapu; or any Maori organisation with links to iwi/hapu.
1.2 Key factors that influence the collaborative process
Key factors that influence the collaborative process have been identified by a number of authors (Borden, L.M.& Perkins, D.F., 1999). By using a collaborative process checklist, factors that show weakness can be worked on to improve the functioning of the collaborative process. Key factors (adapted from Borden, L.M.& Perkins, D.F., 1999), or the key ingredients for successful collaboration from a number of international studies include:
- Communication - an effective process of communication should be established with open lines of communication, where the role of networking is recognised and is being strengthened
- Sustainability - Participatory research and collaboration function best when the group and membership can be maintained, and the groups activities are sustainable through planning and resourcing
- Evaluation - its always good for a group to assess or evaluate its own performance and achievements, evaluate the collaborative process itself and see where it could be improved, and evaluate progress towards goals, outcomes
- Politics - the political (community, local, regional, national) climate has to be conducive to collaboration and engagement
- Resources - success often depends on the group have adequate resources to function in partnerships and participatory research, to achieve goals, aspirations and outcomes. Resources usually refer to 4 main types ofcapital: environmental, in-kind financial, and human)
- Catalysts - Successful collaboration needs momentum and prompts that influence and drive the collaborative process, such as catalysts or reasons for collaboration, these are binding and prompt a group towards actions
- Policies and legislation - Policies/laws/regulations provide a context for collaboration and engagement, legislative process can also provide catalysts
- History - the length of time a group or community has been together, the way the group has developed and evolved over a long period of time to address issues and solve problems, commitment to achieving goals and outcomes
- Leadership - (supports team building) the importance of leadership, often creates the drive for success, with key people, champions, individual contributions, helping to build group identity, perserverence, vision, and organisational strength
- Connectedness - the group is connected through common values, issues, actions, culture, and good networks and communication, good people skills, vertically and horizontally, is important
- Community development - the way people are mobilised and united around important issues, the way they form organisational and management units to achieve goals and implement actions
- Understanding cultural values - the way people are open to and understand different cultural, community, or group perspectives, ideas, and opinions.
1.3 Key factors for engaging with iwi and hapu groups
The following guideline, checklist of questions, and process indicators (for evaluating the collaborative process and progress towards goals and outcomes) help identify whether the key factors - from sections 1.2 & 1.3 - are present, strong, weak, or absent in the collaborative process. When these factors are present and strong, the likelihood of success of engagement and achievement of goals and outcomes increases. When any of the key factors are absent or allowed to weaken during the process of engagement, difficulties and problems often arise. Any one of these factors when removed can undermine efforts in the collaborative process and make engagement and success difficult.
Based on the above key factors from international studies (Borden & Perkins 1999), learning and experience in other and previous New Zealand projects (Harmsworth 2001; Kilvington & Allen 2001), and from the current FRST programme, integrated land and water resource management in complex catchments, the following key factors are given for successful engagement with iwi and hapu (indigenous) groups. They include:
- Capacity: A certain level of human and social capacity is required, and is related to the type of collaboration or engagement being proposed
- Belief and committment: A belief and commitment in a project or a kaupapa to achieve agreed, often value-based, objectives, goals, aspirations, and outcomes
- Issues: An understanding of the issues which a group has identified as important, needs to be responsive to, and often exists because of these issues
- Leadership: To have a key individual(s) to lead a group, provide organisational strength, direction, delegate responsibility, mobilise and organise work, provide a purpose, a mission, support others, make decisions, and determine actions
- People: To be people oriented and willing to work and listen to others, understand, follow other agendas, for the benefit of the group (outside those of the individual)
- Organisation: The group needs to be organised in some way, especially if project planning and funding is involved. An ability to plan, organise, set objectives and actions and use performance measures
- Group structure: To have a coherent group or key individual(s), around which individuals can develop, engage, and network as a group
- Resources: The group should have some resourcing to maintain itself
- Networking - Communication: The ability and belief to network effectively, communicate, and share information
- Skills and knowledge: The group should have some skill capacity and an interest in acquiring and sharing knowledge, and increasing skills and capacity
- Policies and legislation: An understanding of the policies and legislative frameworks within which a group operates
- Tikanga: An understanding and acknowledgement of tikanga, kawa, values, culture and custom, in which to work and engage
- Values: An ability to understand and comprehend other peoples' cultural values, an ability to learn, recognise and be sensitive to issues related to other values and beliefs
- History - sustainability: Knowledge of the history, or length of time a group has been together, often indicates stability, permanence, and endurance that can help the collaborative process. It is also good to know about the origins of a group and previous relationships. Sustainability will help a group develop institutional knowledge and capacity
- Politics: An understanding of the politics and dynamics within which a group operates. Also an understanding of the external relationships with other organisations, and other iwi and hapu
These factors in combination are often seen as essential ingredients or
building blocks for achieving relationships and partnerships. They influence the
collaborative process and are instrumental in helping and shaping engagement
with iwi and hapu. The factors have not been weighted or prioritised, but
obviously certain factors have greater weight for impeding or speeding up the
process, but this is still often reliant on other factors being present. The
following guideline and checklist can be used to identify these key factors:
http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/social/
References
Harmsworth, G. R. 2004: Collaborative research with Maori groups as part of the Motueka integrated catchment management (ICM) programme. Collaborative learning web site, Landcare Research. (added 6/12/2004) (note: clicking this link will leave the ICM Motueka site)
Kilvington, M. & Allen, W. 2001: Appendix II: A checklist for evaluating team performance. In: A Participatory Evaluation Process to Strengthen the Effectiveness of Industry Teams in Achieving Resource Use Efficiency: The Target Zero Programme of Christchurch City Council. Landcare Research Contract Report: LC0001/62 Available: http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/social/teams_evaluation.asp
Harmsworth, G. 2001: A collaborative research model for working with iwi: discussion paper. Landcare Reseacrch contract report LC 2001/119. Landcare Research, New Zealand.
Borden, L.M. & Perkins, D.F. 1999: Assessing your Collaboration: A Self Evaluation Tool. Journal of Extension. Vol 37, Number 2. www.joe.org.
