System leadership

Changing Futures Cambridgeshire & Peterborough focuses on learning lessons, overcoming and removing barriers, and on sharing learning from each person’s experiences so others don’t have to solve the same problems over and over again.

To help with this flow of communication, a simple governance structure has been devised to make sure that at each level of operations, people with lived experience are involved and lessons are shared with partners who can then work together to remove barriers.

Visualizing an ecosystem of learning

We have devised a graphic which sets out how we see the flow of information leading to learning, system change and lessons to help us all overcome the barriers faced by people in multiple disadvantage. We want to share successes when things go well, or are resolved. We are calling this our “ecosystem of learning”.

The ecosystem is building up. Parts are working already and parts are yet to be fully put into practice, but we hope the idea of flow of information and learning helps visualize what we are working towards…

Please click here for a key to the ecosystem of learning diagram.

System Leadership Foundation Training

Changing Futures Cambridgeshire & Peterborough are delighted to be working in partnership with the national Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) team to offer new Systems Leadership Foundation Training.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough partnerships can benefit form the training as part of the Changing Futures on-going commitment to systemic change to improve the outcomes of people living with multiple disadvantage.

The programme will provide a solid introduction to the MEAM approach and some of the principles and best practice at its core.

Through exploration of multiple disadvantage, systems thinking, coproduction, trauma and
strength-based approaches local individuals and partners will be offered a reflective space to connect with people from other organisations and agencies, to explore the foundations of their collaborative work.

The programme will support learning for people interested in developing their skills in systems thinking and is open to everyone across the whole system. We welcome participation from across all sectors and geographical areas of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

There are 48 places available. A number of courses will run from Autumn 2024 onward, each taking place over a 12 week programme

While the training is free to access, participants would be required to:

Attend training sessions
Contribute experience, active workload, questions and curiosity
Commit to taking the learning back to your organisation to share and apply
Be part of and contribute to the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough system leader peer network

What will be offered

Face-to-face and online training
Online resources to support you during and after the training
Ongoing support from Changing Futures, Systems Leadership Manager (Kyle).

For more information about the MEAM approach, please take a look at their website at meam.org.uk

To register your interest please fill in this form.

If you have any questions, please contact kyle.buckle-hodgson@cambridegshire.gov.uk who will be happy to answer any questions about the training or the commitment involved.

Cordis-Bright evaluation framework

The consultants Cordis Bright have completed a “system impact” framework which they have been developing for Changing Futures. The team is starting to explore applying it to when monitoring, evaluating and evidencing changes in the system around people experiencing multiple disadvantage.

The framework provides flexibility and direction in trying to assess a range of projects within this complex, adaptive systems. Because our system is dynamic, often unpredictable and uncontrollable, and features complex relationships and feedback between the parts of that system, this is no small task!

The framework will help us all to demonstrate positive outcomes where traditional, “number counting” assessments can be unhelpful. For example, knowing how many people you have worked with tells us nothing about the quality of the interaction, how the person being helped felt, or indeed whether the interaction was, itself, re-traumatising.

You can open the report here CFC&P-framework-for-understanding-systems-impact.

System Leaders manifesto

Click here to open the Systems Leaders Manifesto.

Convening with purpose

Two workshops were held in 2025, bringing a range of partners together to convene with purpose.

Session 1: Ely session

Workshop reflections here Ely workshop reflections

Session 2: Peterborough session

Workshop reflections here Peterborough workshop reflections summary 061125