Making commissioning work: The relational gap between intent and implementation in the transition to ‘commissioning’ community services in New South Wales

Abstract

The question of impact is at the heart of human service design, with governments searching perennially for the right approach to meeting citizen need while responsibly acquitting public funds. In this area, 'commissioning' has become a popularised approach, most recently in Australia. Although in theory commissioning is a strategic and relational practice offering to put communities at the heart of decision-making, commissioning in practice has proved less transformational. This paper explores the gulf between intent and implementation in the transition to commissioning human services in New South Wales (NSW) in the context of the Commissioning Project, a collaborative project facilitated by the Sydney Policy Lab at the University of Sydney to enable peak organisations in the community sector build a collective approach to commissioning. The collaboration resulted in the articulation of four guiding principles to facilitate better commissioning in NSW: putting relationships first, letting communities lead, investing in people, and embedding learning.

Factors affecting policy implementation for childhood obesity prevention in New South Wales, Australia: policy mapping and interviews with senior officials

“…While public sector employees are concerned with effective implementation and account for program design, outsourced program implementation is focused on efficient implementation driven by 'contractual relations and accountabilities for service delivery' (Head 2008). The exacerbation/perversion of policy intention via outsourcing implementation has been documented elsewhere (Riboldi et al 2021). Care must be taken in a model that relies so heavily on outsourcing of services and the dramatic impacts of cost-cutting at arm's length.…”

Implementation for impact—Measurement, partnership approaches, and storytelling

“…Scholars increasingly indicate that there is a need to work relationally, develop genuine partnerships and trust, and pay attention to the processes for connection that are needed to ensure better outcomes for communities (see Dudgeon & Bray, 2019;Milroy & ANZSOG First Peoples Team, 2019;Althaus et al, 2021). Picking up on this, Riboldi et al (2021) explore the gulf between the theory of commissioning as a strategic and relational practice offering to put communities at the heart of decision-making, and how it is more often practiced as a much less transformational process. Using a collaborative methodology approach as an example, they develop four guiding principles for better commissioning.…”