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Learning by Doing

The Learning by Doing Fund was established to support the delivery of the Health Impact Assessment Support Unit's priorities for creating capacity and developing the evidence base on HIA.

Review of HIAs conducted under the Learning by Doing Fund

A recent review of ten 2007/8 and 2008/9 HIAs funded as part of the Learning by Doing initiative is an exciting platform for developing HIA practice in New Zealand. The review identified strengths and weaknesses of the HIA and Whānau Ora HIA reports, and developed recommendations for the commissioning, implementation, reporting and evaluation/review of future HIAs.

Learning by Doing approach

The Health Impact Assessment Support Unit has identified two priorities for achieving its aims and objectives. These are:

  • Creating capacity on HIA
  • Building the evidence base on HIA

By ‘creating capacity’ we mean working in the following areas:

  • Leadership
  • Organisational change
  • Workforce
  • Resource allocation
  • Partnership

(New South Wales Health ‘Building capacity to improve health’ 2001)

We think the best way of achieving these priorities for HIA, is to do HIAs; that is taking a learning by doing approach.

Learning by Doing Fund

The Learning by Doing Fund was established in 2007. It was set up to support the delivery of the Unit’s priorities creating capacity and developing the evidence base on HIA. Initially it has been targeted at DHBs, but the work must be in partnership with other organisations and should deliver the following outcomes:

  • DHBs/PHUs are aware of and understand the value and benefits of using HIA
  • Increase the number of HIAs completed and written up
  • Increase the number of HIAs evaluated
  • Identification of where capacity needs to be developed
  • Capacity building programme on HIA produced as part of the workforce planning process
  • Public health staff in all PHUs trained to ensure HIA sustainability
  • HIA is applied to those public policies that require it.

The activities or outputs could include the following:

  • information, tips, case studies for inclusion on the HIASU database
  • guidelines for undertaking HIAs or screening tools i.e. Developing the organisational processes for embedding HIA
  • training in the use of HIA with an emphasis on undertaking an HIA
  • advice, information & support to agencies using HIA
  • conducting HIAs
  • assessment of HIA processes
  • evaluation reports on completed HIAs to add to the evidence base.

The average cost of an HIA is between $30,000 - $40,000.

The number of HIAs being undertaken has doubled over the past year from a baseline of 7 completed HIAs in July 2007. This has significantly improved the capacity and evidence base on HIAs in New Zealand.

Reports and case studies can be accessed from the activities funded under the Learning by Doing Fund page as they become available.

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Page last updated: 31 May 2011