IHC Strategy update

Kia ora tātou,

Over the last four months we have had a fantastic response to our questions about the IHC strategy. Thank you to everyone who has taken part. The feedback and conversations have helped challenge our thinking and focus us on what is important.    

Why a new strategy

IHC’s new strategy will guide what we do. It will ensure we focus on what matters most. The feedback is clear and confirmed some of what we know– there are significant gaps between the lives and experiences of people with intellectual disability and other New Zealanders.

We have heard

Since May we have held face-to-face sessions with people with intellectual disabilities, families, whānau, and staff.  We published an online survey that nearly 1,000 people completed.

We have had strong and consistent messages.

People with intellectual disabilities have told us they want:

• To follow their interests and do meaningful things
• To learn new things
• To work in a job
• Friendships and relationships
• Independence with the right support
• Control over what happens in their home

You can find the Easy Read version of the strategy feedback here

Families have told us:

• The system is complex and hard to navigate
  Many respondents said they don’t know where to go for help, information and support.  IHC should consider what role it can play to make information more accessible and useful.
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• Advocacy is really important
  IHC must lead by sharing knowledge and driving strong, visible, systemic advocacy. We need to have the courage to question and advocate on issues that adversely affect the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Families said they could be an ally in IHC’s advocacy work, supporting and working alongside IHC at local and national levels.  
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• Connecting families and local communities needs to be a focus
  Families want to be active, connected and supported. They want IHC to be a place where brave conversations happen, leadership is nurtured, and people feel empowered. IHC needs to be united by a powerful vision.

• Safety and security are paramount  
  Families raised concerns about the safety and security of people with intellectual disabilities, particularly for those living on their own and when parents become less involved.

We also heard clear messages about the:

• Significant void after school ends, and the need for purpose and meaningful activity
• Importance of opportunities for personal growth
• Need for good health and housing
• Importance of opportunities to form friendships and relationships
• Value of relationships with capable, committed staff
• Families’ concerns about what happens when they are no longer there to support and advocate for their family member.

What’s next

Over the coming months we are developing the strategy and testing it with people as we go. We will be talking more to the IHC Member Council and the Chief Executive’s Advisory Group (made up of people with intellectual disabilities and chaired by National Self-Advocacy Advisor David Corner).

We will present the strategy at the IHC AGM on 31 October. After that, we’ll share it more widely.  

The information we present at the AGM will describe how we intend to work, the outcomes that are important, and some of the shifts that will happen over the next 10 years.

It will not be a plan with detailed actions. The plan will be developed in 2026 based on the strategy and will describe the immediate things we will do to deliver on the strategy. I look forward to involving you in those conversations as well.

We remain grounded in our mission, and our focus continues to be on rights, empowerment, leadership and meaningful support for people with intellectual disabilities.

Thank you for your insights. I look forward to sharing more progress with you soon as we create a strategy that honours our history and strengthens our future – together.

"Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua."

“I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed firmly on the past.”

Andrew Crisp  
IHC Chief Executive