The Systems Sandbox

Have some feedback, or a question you want us to answer? You can send us a text by following this link.In this episode of The Systems Sandbox, Matt chats with author, educator, policy advisor and regenerative thinker Dominique Hes about her take on systems thinking. She offers insights into the importance of adaptability, the importance of designing with communities and place, and why she sees herself as mycelium in the forest. Matt and Tenille then tackle a crucial question in the systems space - what are we seeing if we frame a problem as 'complex'? Shifting away from surface level analogies, they break down four things to look for to know if something is complex with the issue of vaping used as an example.This thought provoking episode has something for everyone!You can pick up a copy of Dominique's new book on the history and place of Newport Lakes in local bookstores in Yarraville and Williamstown, or online: https://www.amazon.com.au/STORIES-NEWPORT-LAKES-Creating-regeneration/dp/064670494XFor more about us and what we do check out our LinkedIn page.

Have some feedback, or a question you want us to answer? You can send us a text by following this link.In this episode, Tenille speaks with Ruby Marshall, the Live 5210 coordinator at the University of British Columbia. Ruby shares her journey in health promotion, from her roots in Australia to her current role in Canada, where she collaborates with communities to promote healthy habits in children. They explore concepts essential to systems thinking, like leverage points and feedback loops, and Ruby offers insights into the challenges of cross-sector collaboration in health promotion. She discusses the 5210 initiative, which encourages children to enjoy 5 servings of fruits and veggies, limit recreational screen time to 2 hours, get 1 hour of physical activity, and avoid sugary drinks. Ruby explains how mental models and community champions play a crucial role in sustaining long-term change in complex health systems. Matt wraps up with a discussion on mental models, emphasizing the importance of making assumptions explicit in systems change work; and ideas on how to do so.Learn more about Live5210 from their website: https://live5210.ca/pages/home.For more about us and what we do check out our LinkedIn page.

Have some feedback, or a question you want us to answer? You can send us a text by following this link.We continue the theme of systems journeys, with hosts Tenille and Matt sharing how they each came to learn about the ideas and practices of systems thinking from public health and environmental disciplines. This includes the determinants of health, ecological ways of thinking and resilience, but also handy tips to help anchor our thinking in systemic ways.Then, Tenille spends some time explaining The Pig Model, a useful and no-tech approach to reflecting on stakeholder perspectives. It's a great tool for the toolkit, and usable by individuals or groups as an icebreaker or conversation starter.This episode promises to enrich your understanding of how systems-based concepts are embedded in our daily lives, and provide some ideas for reframing conversations.For more about us and what we do check out our LinkedIn page.

Have some feedback, or a question you want us to answer? You can send us a text by following this link.Systems thinking is valuable as both process and product, but that is not the end of the story. These are both inputs into wider efforts and processes for change. In this episode we chat to Jocelyn Bignold OAM and the CEO of McAuley Community Services for Women. Jocelyn has spent her career supporting women and children leaving family violence, experiencing homelessness and mental illness. Jocelyn chats with Matt about her own systems journey, and how McAuley used systems thinking as part of their efforts to support women and children to be Safe at Home.You can learn more about McAuley and their work advocating and working towards Safe at Home on their website.For more about us and what we do check out our LinkedIn page.