Changes to how we work

Based on what we have heard from you, we think there are a number of things we need to change about how we work.

First things First

We know we need to start from firm foundations. This is why we will start by tackling the following:

• Knowing Our Communities
  Haringey’s communities are diverse and continuously changing. We need to develop a better understanding of who our residents are, your strengths and needs, and how we can best work with you.
• Getting the basics right
  If we are going to increase trust, then we know residents’ everyday interactions with the council have to be as easy, effective, and supportive as possible.

The change we will make

Based on what we have heard, we think there are a number of things we can do differently.

• We need to listen and prioritise relationships
  We will learn to listen better and take the time to build more trusting 2-way relationships with our residents.
• We need to focus on what’s strong, not what is wrong
  We know that sometimes we treat issues in our communities as problems to be fixed, rather than supporting the good that is already there. In future, we will build on existing positivity instead.
• We need to share power
  We will create new and genuine opportunities for you to have a say in decisions that affect you; help design the services you rely on; and work with us to solve long-standing and difficult problems.
• We need to learn from our mistakes
  No large organisation can get everything right all the time. When we make mistakes, we will be honest about them and learn from them.
• We need to create space for good things to happen
  Sometimes we make it harder for communities to make change happen themselves. Sometimes there are good reasons for our caution, sometimes not. We will get better at letting go and explaining when we can’t.
• We need to work harder to hear the voices that are too often overlooked
  We know that some people face real barriers to joining in and making their voices heard. We will strip away those barriers so that everyone has a real opportunity to be part of the change.

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