My Approach to Developing Impactful Resources

My approach to developing impactful resources is informed by my values: Hope & Positivity; Curiosity & Creativity; Social Justice & Responsibility; Diversity, Equity & Radical Inclusion; Relationships, Collaboration & Co-Creation and Transparency, Integrity & Accountability.

My approach to developing impactful resources is:

• Needs-Based and Adaptive – I carefully establish the intended purpose(s) of and audience for the resource and the most user-friendly format to ensure that it will be as helpful and impactful as possible. If anything changes, I carefully adapt the development of the resource to reflect that.
•  Co-Creation and Participatory Design – I use co-creation and participatory design in ways that allow stakeholders to determine how and to what degree they want to be involved in the development of the resource. I also use inclusive practices to ensure all stakeholders can engage with the development of the resources in ways that are intentional, meaningful and authentic. I value as much participation and engagement as possible, but I also respect that stakeholders might not want to be much involved in which case, I am happy to develop the resource on my own.
• Diversity, Equity and Radical Inclusion: To me diversity as a value means treasuring all the differences between people that makes each of us a unique human being. Equity means acknowledging that everyone’s intersectional identity such as their race, religion, class, gender and sexuality shapes their lived experiences both positively and negatively. It signifies the guarantee of fair access, opportunity and treatment for everyone regardless of the characteristics of their intersectional identify, while also committing to identifying and eliminating barriers that prevent their full participation.  Inclusion means creating spaces, where everyone feels welcomed, respected, valued and supported in participating fully and authentically. To me radical inclusion means proactively identifying, who is excluded from full and authentic participation and what the obstacles and barriers to their inclusion are. It also means actively engaging with those that are excluded and carefully and actively listening to their concerns and ideas about how their inclusion can be secured and then making the changes needed to dismantle the obstacles and barriers. It basically requires shifting the focus from changing the individual to fit into the process or system to changing the process or system to accommodate and value every individual. 
• Curious and Creative - I value curiosity, because it encourages me to be open-minded, to explore diverse perspectives and to embrace complexity when I develop impactful resources. I use creativity to think outside the box and develop new ways to effectively address complex problems and bring about positive change. I also use creativity to present complex findings in alternative ways that are easy to understand and action.
• Research Informed – I always use the latest research to inform my resources. If existing research is insufficient, I conduct my own primary research such as surveys, interviews or focus groups.
• Hopeful and Positive – I utilise a strength-based approach that identifies and builds on what is already known to be working well. This means identifying promising practices and critically reflecting on how they can be applied in different contexts.
• Bridging Theory and Practice – I use case studies and real-world scenarios to illustrate how theory should inform practice.
• Using a Critical Intersectional Lens – I apply a critical lens to highlight how intersectional identities such as gender, religion and ethnicity affect people’ lived-experiences especially concerning the impact of systemic inequalities and agency.
• Promoting Social- Justice and Responsibility – I am committed to developing impactful resources that help develop fair and just communities, where everyone has equitable access to fundamental rights, opportunities and resources, is treated with respect, empathy, fairness and dignity and feels valued and a sense of belonging. I believe we are all responsible for developing such communities and for addressing any obstacles and barriers that hinder this vital development. I will always reflect this social responsibility in the resources I develop.
• Based on Transparency, Integrity and Accountability – I always ensure that objectives, scope, methodology, outputs and expectations are carefully and clearly negotiated and agreed on before I commence on the development of the resource. I also proactively share information about how the project is progressing and any obstacles I encounter with relevant stakeholders. In addition, I also always adhere to the highest ethical standards including maintaining confidentiality and protecting participants’ safety, privacy and dignity. Finally, I always strive to deliver what has been agreed on time.