Bringing restoration into the work of systems change means changing the way we work, relate, design and learn together. Our framework for restorative systems change here, indicates how this can work, with the explanation starting from the bottom up – with mauri ora, or the flow of life. The systemic issues are on the left and the strategy for addressing them is on the right. We provide more detail on how we do this work further in this resource series.

To support people and organisations to apply this thinking in a practical way, we have developed a process. It has a flow but is not a neat or linear process. We call it Āta, a reference in Māori to the slow and deep work of relating and reflecting.

Our central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) is how we receive, process and respond to sensory information. Our approach is informed by American psychologist and neuroscientist Stephen Porges' work on Polyvagal Theory. Polyvagal Theory explores how our bodily state influences how we experience the world, and how we can cultivate physiologies of calmness and safety, through our individual bodies, in groups and through our social systems.

In this webinar held in March 2025 we take you through why a healing approach to systems change is important. We outline how Haumanu works and what we have learnt through our pilot programmes. The webinar was designed to help participants from organisations involved in systems change to understand the key concepts of a healing approach, and to help you consider what might be of value to your organisation and your mahi.

The Haumanu community of practice consisted of a group of 23 not for profit, community sector kaimahi. Who, between August 2022 and March 2023, met monthly online to learn about and prototype the Haumanu Framework. See what the participants said about their experiences.