ABSTRACT
This chapter offers a case study on building practice-based evidence focussed on shifting systems towards equity and wellbeing, grounded in a real-world public sector social innovation unit based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, New Zealand. Part of tackling complex issues of inequity involves engaging with current norms of what constitutes evidence, as well as advancing public sector understanding of the kinds of evidence-building suitable for working and learning in complexity. The chapter describes an approach to evidence-building guided by culturally grounded practices, based on testing and learning in place with whānau (families) and other innovation partners, and shares the frameworks that developed to support that as a rigorous systems innovation and learning practice. This action learning process utilises and produces practice-based evidence about what is needed to create the conditions for wellbeing in place, led by what matters and makes the difference for whānau, at the same time building capacity and capability across the system to work differently.
