Changing Futures Sussex and WRKWLL: Creating the Conditions for Systems Change

Changing Futures Sussex was part of a three-year national programme focused on improving outcomes for people in Sussex experiencing Multiple Compound Needs (MCN) – individuals facing interconnected challenges such as poor mental health, homelessness, substance misuse and contact with the criminal justice system. A key aim was to help services work together more effectively, addressing costly and fragmented support, and improving people's experience of care.

Harmonisation

WRKWLL was brought into the programme because of its expertise in facilitation - to create spaces where diverse partners can coalesce and work constructively together. One of the programme's greatest successes was strengthening relationships across organisations and creating opportunities for new partnerships to emerge. WRKWLL played a key role in this by convening spaces where a broad range of participants could engage openly, share perspectives and focus on a common purpose.

As Jo Rogers (Changing Futures Programme Lead) puts it “WRKWLL were really cognisant of how much to curate and direct, and how much to allow things to evolve and grow naturally...knowing when to push and when to step back”

Creating Trust and Shared Purpose

A particular contribution was the facilitation of quarterly commissioning network meetings across Sussex. These sessions brought together senior commissioners from different organisations and locations, helping to break down silos, encourage collaboration and foster new partnerships. Throughout the programme, WRKWLL used its ability to balance structure with flexibility, creating environments where challenging conversations could take place productively.

“The WRKWLL associate was able to facilitate the network as a neutral partner. She was very well informed and articulate, and could hold the space in a very effective way”.

WRKWLL also delivered reflective practice sessions that helped teams learn from each other’s experiences and embed a culture of continuous improvement. This created space for deeper reflection, strengthened professional learning and modelled the behaviours needed for effective systems change.

“WRKWLL were able to maintain the human aspect front and centre, asking people to take a moment to really think and engage with what's important and required, what the purpose is of the systems change practice taking place. They encouraged participants to remember the vision and the values, not losing sight of why the work is important to the people we're serving”

According to programme leaders, WRKWLL's success lay in its ability to combine strong facilitation with a deep understanding of human relationships and system dynamics. As one of the CFS team members feedback "The WRKWLL facilitators are great, passionate, intelligent and excellent communicators. I really enjoy my time with them. I feel they provide a space to breathe, reflect and network and give me a boost to keep going with the daily overwhelm I face in my role."

By bringing people together around a shared vision, amplifying lived experience voices and creating trusted spaces for dialogue, WRKWLL helped lay the foundations for a more cohesive and fit-for-purpose system which really catered for the complex needs of those living with Multiple Compound Needs.

When asked what advice might be given to others starting out on a complex, multifaceted systems change process, Jo Rogers reflected:
"At its essence, systems change happens through relationships and trust, and having a true sense of purpose that you can return to throughout the process.”

WRKWLL helped create the spaces where this could occur.