Vision -
Lead with a concrete
vision for a better world
- A vision builds hope helping people see past the sea of problems being communicated to them.
- A vision creates an invitation for people to consider the issue as important to them.
- It opens a side door for your evidence to be listened to.
Our vision – Decent homes for all
- “Imagine if everyone in New Zealand had a place to come home to where they could be comfortable and breathe easy. A decent home that is warm, dry, accessible, and offers security of tenure. People across the housing system activate the solutions we already have – people in central government and councils who set policy and regulate, architects, builders, tradies, health providers and researchers work together. We ensure all homes can do their job to look after the people who live in them. With decent homes for all, people can contribute to and participate in our communities, can get work and get to work and to keep kids in school, and can keep healthy.”
Key principles of vision-making
Find out what matters most to the people affected. Ask communities what they want for housing-related health then make sure your communications align with their vision for decent homes.
Use two-way communications developed in collaboration with communities and those that are most affected by unhealthy homes. This means you will include important aspects of local knowledge and behaviours. You will also build support in the community for necessary policy and behaviour changes.
- Be concrete, believable and specific. What does it look and feel like for people’s day-to-day lives as a result of decent homes.
- Lead with people-centred outcomes, not economic outcomes. Describe homes, communities that are calm and pleasant where people can connect with others, participate in work, school and community and be in good health.
- Envision the entire community. Do not talk about building or housing policy in isolation. Include energy, transport, access to employment and services, food, green spaces etc.
- Sell the cake, not the ingredients. Don’t mistake talking about the changes that are needed, the solutions that will work or the removal of a problem as a vision for people.
- Avoid leading with technological solutions — these become distracting or exclusionary.
- Ensure your vision is inclusive of all people and their needs. Create inclusive visions in partnership with those most negatively impacted by current unhealthy homes.
Experiential proof and vision-making
Seeing and experiencing what the change feels like in small ways can help build understanding and support for longer term changes, and form part of effective vision-making.