At its simplest, social services involves ensuring that people’s fundamental human needs are met. Human needs are complex and intersectional, as are the people who need support, so solutions and supports must reach across the sector.
Improving outcomes for vulnerable people and families requires a multidisciplinary approach as the complex issues cannot be addressed in isolation. People who come into contact with human services providers often have been doing so over many generations and this presents a systemic disadvantage that must be understood in designing policy and programs.
As government and society’s understanding of vulnerability continues to develop, the human services system is evolving to identify and respond to the complexity, vulnerability and risk earlier.
The breadth of our consultants' services includes disability; children, youth and families; housing and homelessness; and communities and wellbeing support.
Policy and strategy development is the earliest stage of addressing human services challenges by government and the social sector to ensure high-impact approaches and programs. Our consultants have experience supporting clients with the full scope of policy development, from identifying a policy issue to selecting the appropriate policy instrument and assessing policy options.
Quality program design sets human services providers up to deliver maximum impact and value for money through their programs. Our consultants work with human services clients to design and evaluate program strategy, engage with stakeholders, use research and data, and develop outcome reporting.
System reform in social services is undertaken to improve the impact and efficiency of the sector as a whole in order to increase individual and community wellbeing. Our consultants have expertise in operating model design and delivery, business model transformation, market shaping and regulation.
The right organizational design is crucial for social services providers to set, perform against and achieve their social missions. Our consultants' approach to organizational design is guided by the Nous Organizational Architecture Framework, which describes how an entity is set up to deliver value to its people, customers and other beneficiaries.
Intersectional analysis is essential for designing policy programs
Intersectional analysis is vital for any policy and program designer who is aiming to meet the diverse needs in a population.
Asset-based community development helps to build resilient neighbourhoods
It is vital to look for new approaches that might yield results. One promising approach is asset-based community development, which aims to build more inclusive communities, revitalise neighbourhoods and connect people.
Our use of human-centred design to transform the sharing of information to enhance child wellbeing and safety has won a 2021 Good Design Award.
