What more could NZAIA be doing?
Ben Payne
Yet again the news bites within this issue have highlighted the NZAIA’s focus on better linking a diverse group of professionals, practitioners and students, and leading the discussion on how innovative and multidisciplinary IA tools can be better applied.
The NZAIA retains strong links to the IAIA as an affiliate of this international group, and we have begun to collaborate better with the EIANZ in the shared aspiration of connecting the network of IA practitioners. Clearly as an organisation we are uniquely positioned with a focus on integrating what are often perceived as disparate knowledges. Our members intersect with diverse networks and disciplines within the broader ‘resource management’ and sustainability spaces, and our annual conferences always seek to question the status quo of ‘best practice’ within resource management areas (land, water, energy) to distil knowledge that informs the application of IA.
To be provocative, however, the work of IA professionals remains esoteric and the NZAIA continues to preach to the converted - being those who are already well versed with the benefits of applying rigorous IA - which limits our reach as an organisation. There remains an ‘institutionalised blockage’ in terms of promoting the value of IA beyond the close-knit community of practitioners.
Therefore, on the lead up to the 2016 conference this has us thinking about what the NZAIA is currently doing well, but also what we can do immediately, additionally and better to assist practitioners with the challenges they face and to promote the benefits of the IA toolkit.
As a first point of call, the following provides a summary of what interviews undertaken for our first newsletter of 2016 tell us.
A core theme that emerged within the interviews undertaken was that the NZAIA should engage more fully with its membership and ask what is relevant to them, to seek better participation and wider engagement.
However, in terms of specifics the following points for reflection from students and young professionals were clear.
So, what are we doing well as a national organisation?
But what could we be doing better?
Do you agree/ disagree with these sentiments? What would you do, or like to see happen? Share your thoughts on the NZAIA LinkedIn page.
The NZAIA retains strong links to the IAIA as an affiliate of this international group, and we have begun to collaborate better with the EIANZ in the shared aspiration of connecting the network of IA practitioners. Clearly as an organisation we are uniquely positioned with a focus on integrating what are often perceived as disparate knowledges. Our members intersect with diverse networks and disciplines within the broader ‘resource management’ and sustainability spaces, and our annual conferences always seek to question the status quo of ‘best practice’ within resource management areas (land, water, energy) to distil knowledge that informs the application of IA.
To be provocative, however, the work of IA professionals remains esoteric and the NZAIA continues to preach to the converted - being those who are already well versed with the benefits of applying rigorous IA - which limits our reach as an organisation. There remains an ‘institutionalised blockage’ in terms of promoting the value of IA beyond the close-knit community of practitioners.
Therefore, on the lead up to the 2016 conference this has us thinking about what the NZAIA is currently doing well, but also what we can do immediately, additionally and better to assist practitioners with the challenges they face and to promote the benefits of the IA toolkit.
As a first point of call, the following provides a summary of what interviews undertaken for our first newsletter of 2016 tell us.
A core theme that emerged within the interviews undertaken was that the NZAIA should engage more fully with its membership and ask what is relevant to them, to seek better participation and wider engagement.
However, in terms of specifics the following points for reflection from students and young professionals were clear.
So, what are we doing well as a national organisation?
- The NZAIA includes a community of very specialised experts in our field and provides potential for interaction between various levels of professional and student.
- As an organisation we are writing strong submissions and providing feedback on policy and procedure, the incorporation of IA in management discussions and so on.
- As an ‘integrating group’ the NZAIA can provide overview of the state of the discipline, and engage with what practitioners and students are doing – what work has been done, what they are achieving, what has been learned, and finding ways that can make it easier to share information between us.
- IA is a broad/holistic strategic framework. This is a core strength.
But what could we be doing better?
- Our marketing and profile, as well as our message should be savvy and accessible to diverse professionals, developers, lay people and public interests, not just those who are well informed on IA.
- Re-describe and revalue ourselves and NZAIA’s relevancy to appeal to new members, become more applicable to a younger cohort, and more in touch with needs and interests of our stakeholders.
- We should seek to engage and capture the public mood and sentiment more strongly.
- NZAIA could actively engage with people, such as planners, who do play a more significant role in decision making.
- Promote and make accessible, good research by the IA community (or beyond) to a wider audience, such as agencies, developers, the public, people with a passing interest in impact assessment, who might benefit from knowing more. Provide a web-based library of effective ‘best practice’ IA documents, ‘peer reviewed’ by the NZAIA committee. New Zealand examples and international comparisons.
- Promote an active training programme in impact assessment. Maybe a two-day course on doing various forms of impact assessment at a different time of year to the conference.
- Accreditation such as with NZPI membership.
- Publication of basic training guides on the NZAIA website. For example, a simple guide to what impact assessment is, how you can use it in your workplace would be helpful. Clear guides, with clear language aimed at people who aren’t as accustomed to impact assessment.
- Become more social as an organisation. Improve social networking, similar to the planning institute. Provide a forum to enable open discussion of new ideas in a respectful / receptive environment, which develop stronger bonds between different career level professionals and IA students.
- Support and learn from each other as practitioners more. Acknowledge and utilise the wealth of knowledge and resource within the organisation, as well as the external connections and networks we have.
- Connect with IAP2, the Institute of Public Participation as that is best practice about public engagement, an important part of a robust impact assessment process.
- Provide for student/young professional mentoring - would experienced practitioners be prepared to take on roles as industry mentors? In what format, could this occur?
- IA and SEA are broad. Break it down, identify key deliverables and benefits, what the tools apply to and how they work. Publish a short guide that explains the key outcomes of impact assessment.
Do you agree/ disagree with these sentiments? What would you do, or like to see happen? Share your thoughts on the NZAIA LinkedIn page.