Professional Services

As an independent ‘fresh set of eyes’, I can help your organisation design, develop and deliver strategic impact activities for your stakeholders, in ways that complement your other priorities and do not compromise Lived Experience values.

Lived Experience issues and organisations sometimes require additional support in achieving maximum strategic impact. Other matters can compete for attention such as advocacy, day-to-day business operations, and the realities of the ‘urgent and important’.

I work with three main groups:

  1. Organisations (public, corporate, community, churches) wanting to engage Lived Experience communities and individuals in a safe, respectful and effective manner;

  2. Lived Experience organisations and groups wishing to work more effectively and meaningfully with non-Lived Experience groups (funders, corporates, government);

  3. Lived Experience individuals who wish to enhance their own Lived Experience effectiveness and strengths. (Or, coaching the managers they report to.)

    To offer the following services:

  • Andre Afamasaga giving a talk before the German Ambassador to NZ

    Advisory & consultancy services

    I can expediently analyse and solve problems around Lived Experience issues. With a background in public health, equity, human rights, race relations, community work and cultural safety, I embed these approaches within my advice to help mitigate against unintended negative consequences. I can work at a governance level or operationally. I can also advise on procurement processes that support effective Lived Experience outcomes.

  • Andre Afamasaga giving a project update on a Pacific public health initiative

    Capability Development services

    l help individuals, organisations and settings to develop their capability in areas I have expertise in, such as — strategic planning and communications, and service delivery — without diminishing their Lived Experience uniqueness. By overlaying culturally safe logic models and frameworks, we can increase effectiveness and acceptability.

  • A community workshop that Andre Afamasaga co-facilitated

    Co-production and Facilitaion

    I can help organisations produce high quality outputs for their stakeholders (clients or peers) from campaigns to resources and tools. With 20+ years of Facilitator experience with Pacific, Māori & culturally and linguistically diverse community groups, I can run co-production workshops to help develop products for your stakeholders.

  • Andre Afamasaga speaking to a large church audience about mental health distress

    Speaking & Education

    As a public speaker, educator and facilitator, I can customise Keynote talks or training for your audience about Lived Experience and other issues I am well versed in. During 2023, I spoke at seven national and international conferences, including delivering four keynotes. I am frequently evaluated as being a standout speaker. See my Speaking section for more info.

Outside of the Lived Experience space, I also provide these skills and services. Whether you need an advisor, facilitator, or project manager, let’s talk about your needs:

  • 20+ years of community engagement experience with diverse communities in New Zealand and Australia. Within government, I have held senior engagement roles at the NZ Human Rights Commission; the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet (COVID-19); and the Ministry of Justice (Conversion practices). I can help design Community Engagement/ Partnership plans that embed lived experience, cultural safety, and human rights approaches. I can help design Community Engagement/ Partnership plans that embed lived experience, cultural safety, and human rights approaches.

  • 10+ years experience in strategic communications & media roles for government/Independent Crown Entities. I can do Communications strategies, planning, or producing outputs. I can also work with ad agencies and do media management/public relations and media training. As well as awareness-raising, behaviour and attitude-change campaigns.

  • Rainbow/LGBITQ+ inclusion in religious & cultural settings - I have delivered education for religious settings on the Conversion Practices Prohibition Act, as well as conversations around inclusion from a theological and an ethical perspective.

  • Competent in operationalising Te Tiriti o Waitangi & equity approaches for Māori; and pan-Pacific and ethnic-specific equity approaches

  • Former advisor (policy & media/comms) to senior public officials such as Human Rights Commissioners

  • Education & Learning development, including resources and tool production - I’ve helped develop large-scale public health, youth development, antiracism, and social cohesion tools and resources.

  • Empowering Project Management - I’ve managed complex projects that create win-win results for both project sponsors and lived experience benefactors.

  • Procurement that embeds equity, diversity and inclusion capabilities - I have helped develop Human Rights procurement frameworks, such as the inclusion of Lived Experience experts and communities, on tenders for government agencies. I have helped coach Māori and Pacific suppliers and community groups to eventually become preferred suppliers to government agencies. I also initiated the foundational work for a government agency to eventually establish a supplier panel for Māori and Pacific researchers.

Examples of projects where I have applied Lived Experience leadership

Before I was ever aware of the concept and language of “Lived Experience”, I was already applying my own lived experience of various human rights issues to inform policies, practices, advocacy and service design.

Here are examples of where I have been able to apply those insights via contributions to projects (i.e. programmmes, campaigns, events, panels, initiatives), in addition to other inputs, to eventually produce better outcomes overall.

My approach - human rights practices I embed into my work

  • I will respect Indigenous communities wherever I work, such as tangata whenua Māori in Aotearoa, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia, and Indigenous communities across Pacific Island nations.

    I will integrate decolonisation, equity, culturally safe, anti-racist, and pro-human rights approaches, including supporting local struggles for self-determination, including Te Tiriti o Waitangi based approaches, and the Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

  • Respecting local leadership, I will work in a ‘by, for and with’ fashion with local leaders (community, cultural and civil society, human rights defenders). I will not impose ineffectual or unwanted methods. However, in collaboration I can work with local leaders to stress test new methods prior to implementation.

  • I begin with the ‘end in mind’, and the ‘why?’ by using theory of change and logic models and rationale in the early stages of an initiative design process.

    This includes risk management, and culturally safe practices, as required by relevant various stakeholders.

  • I working with and advocate for the full spectrum of the Rainbow communities being accepted, including transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming, or intersex identifying communities and individuals.

    I work in a human rights affirming way, to model and demonstrate non-discrimination and equality for any groups marginalised by the dominant powers and systems.

  • Every person is born free and equal in dignity and rights. Despite our differences (sometimes significant), I generally believe it is possible for most people to act towards one another in a spirit of kinship.

    Where appropriate and relevant, human rights approaches can also include educative and conciliatory approaches, in addition to justice reform and redress.

    For example, as an ex-Pastor, I practice bridge-building between non-affirming religious groups and Rainbow communities using elements of non-violent communication and restorative justice.