Action - DPOs and government working together

The action outlined below will help achieve this outcome. This work was started under the existing Disability Action Plan.   

5. Priority: Promote the involvement of Disabled People’s Organisations in the design and monitoring of the disability support system transformation

5 A: DPOs and government working together - joint work programme on involving DPOs in decisions that affect disabled people agreed by the Chief Executives’ Group on Disability Issues and Independent Monitors on 21 August 2013.

On this page

Progress update

Scope of action

Progress update to September 2018

Status: On track - Green (It has been rescoped, and actions 5a/b merged).

The MSD-funded capability work and Te Pou-funded governance training and other capability building for the DPOs has not eventuated. ODI along with the Human Rights Commissioner have been working with the DPOs Coalition on their value proposition including identifying areas for capability strengthening. A draft strategic plan is currently being developed.

Work by DPOs to increase the diversity of disabled peoples' voices being heard by government agencies [on-going]

The DPOs Coalition members are considering options to increase the diversity of disabled peoples’ voices that are represented around the DPOs Coalition meetings. In addition the Coalition are putting forward various individuals from their combined membership base to sit on government working groups, advisory groups and boards.

ODI to progress new arrangement for collective funding for DPOs (on going)

• The collective funding arrangement is for DPOs to engage with the Disability Action Plan.
• This builds on DPOs experience with capability development work to date.
• DPOs are trialling new ways of managing their meetings, with support from ODI. This includes the chairing of Coalition meetings being rotated around the organisation Chairs and Presidents, both building capability of these individuals and ensuring that disabled people have a strong voice.

ODI: develop reasonable accommodation approach (November 2016) [on-going]

• The collective funding arrangement is for DPOs to engage with the Disability Action Plan.
• This builds on DPOs experience with capability development work to date.
  DPOs are trialling new ways of managing their meetings, with support from ODI. This includes the chairing of Coalition meetings being rotated around the organisation Chairs and Presidents, both building capability of these individuals and ensuring that disabled people have a strong voice.

Agreement to refresh the governance structure over the DAP [on-going]

• Process to understand experiences under the relationship principles (November - December 2016)
• Revised scope (November 2016)
• ODI and DPOs Coalition agreed that the governance structure be shifted from the Chief Executives Group on Disability Issues level to the more appropriate Senior Officials Group on Disability Issues level.  Senior officials manage the work programmes that the actions sit within and are best placed to provide effective joint governance over the DAP.
• This change has enabled the meetings between the DPOs Coalition and Chief Executives to be more focussed on strategic level discussions around major issues.

'Guidelines for DPO meetings: costs and fees' document developed (March 2017) [complete]

• The Guidelines highlight reasonable accommodations for DPOs engaging with government agencies. It will inform a wider discussion towards a consistent approach by government agencies when working with DPOs under the Disability Action Plan.

Consider options for a collective contract (thoughout 2017) [on-going]

• ODI is continuing to discuss with DPOs ways to make the meetings and working together processes more efficient and effective. The collective contract is to support DPOs engagement with government agencies and help build DPOs capacility, through devolving responsibility for the collective working together arrangements from ODI to the DPOs.
• ODI continues to manage the funding that supports the DPOs Coalition meetings.

Lead: Office for Disability  Issues

DPOs contact: DPO managers 

Scope of action

Scope in development.