The role of consultant itself does not necessarily make an impact. Ultimately, it is our clients (often an administrator, alderman or director) who make a decision. Consider, for example, whether or not to enter into a collaboration between two sectors, start a merger or begin an innovative project. These kinds of decisions are (hopefully) well-considered and we help the client with that…. In many cases, the target group we advise is responsible for an entire organization, or part of it. This means that a director’s decision often affects a large group of clients and professionals. The effect of our work (or of a decision) is abstract: it sometimes takes months or years for the effects of a new strategy or collaboration to bear fruit, so the impact is not immediately tangible.
The great thing about working at EHdK is that we take that impact very seriously. When I am critical of our added value in individual projects, it helps at such times to zoom out and put work in a broader perspective. A practical example to make this a little more concrete:
In recent years, we have worked hard as an agency to improve the relationship between municipalities and providers in youth aid. On behalf of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG), we have supported more than half of the youth aid regions (cooperating municipalities) in the country in drawing up a new procurement strategy. The goals that regions want to achieve in terms of content in the coming years are translated practically In these trajectories, we learned a lot about how the decentralized system works for clients, professionals, municipalities and providers. We compiled this knowledge in a number of publications. Based on these experiences and publications, we were approached by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport in the summer of 2022.
Discussions on the Youth Reform Agenda between ministries, municipalities and care providers had led to an impasse. Everyone was mostly busy proclaiming their own point of view. A joint solution, reasoned from the content seemed far away. Specifically, this was about the continuity and availability of youth care for children and families with the most complex requests for help. The question to us was to guide a process to get three ministries, the VNG and the industry association for specialized youth aid providers to come up with a joint proposal. This was, of course, incredibly exciting to do. Personally, I do notice that I really turn on this kind of process. In work, I like pressure, a broad sense of urgency with a chance for a great joint result. And this succeeded: the parties involved arrived at a joint proposal for the follow-up. The output: direct input for a new legislative amendment.
“In work, I like pressure, a broad sense of urgency with a chance for a great collective outcome.”
As an agency, we were allowed to think along at the national level to get parties to agree on a change in the law. Because on the one hand we made meters in practice with municipalities and professionals and on the other hand because we constantly kept the bigger picture in mind. With a result we are proud of. At the same time, I realize that there is still room for improvement in care. I am looking forward to continuing to build the care of tomorrow, step by step, together with our clients. This on a small and local level, with an eye on the broader perspective. And for me that is making impact.