Co-design and Co-delivery: Maintaining momentum at the mid-point of the Healthy Waterways Strategy for Melbourne (2018 – 2028) (#16)
Johanna Slijkerman
1
,
Trish Grant
2
,
Sharyn Rossrakesh
2
- Water Technology, Wangaratta, VIC, Australia
- Melbourne Water, Melbourne
- The Healthy Waterways Strategy (2018) is the overarching planning document for the management of rivers, wetlands and estuaries in the Port Phillip and Westernport region in Victoria, from 2018 to 2028. It includes 956+ performance objectives, many of which are reported annually. The Strategy, including performance objectives, was co-designed by Melbourne Water, its partners and community stakeholders; and is being co-delivered. The mid-point in the Strategy has provided an opportunity to reflect on the success of co-design and the challenges of co-delivery and annual reporting.
- The implementation of the Strategy and its mid-term review have raised questions such as - how do you maintain co-delivery and co-reporting over ten years? What systems are needed, and how long will it take to establish them? How do you write a really good performance objective? And how do you communicate this work to different audiences ranging from politicians to the public?
- This paper presents lessons learned in the Strategy’s first five years. These include systems and rubrics to map and track data and progress; engagement techniques for different audiences and maintaining the momentum of co-design; the development of a website that collates outputs from co-delivery partners; and maintaining flexibility to review and update the Strategy as required.
- Key lessons are relevant to the next Strategy for the Port Phillip and Westernport region, and to other jurisdictions embarking on strategy development to guide the implementation of catchment management.
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