Kia ora
I’m a researcher, co-designer and neurodivergent Pākehā woman living in Horowhenua. I acknowledge tangata whenua and pay my respects to iwi Rangitāne, Muaūpoko and Ngāti Apa.
My research and participatory design practice takes a systems and equity approach to behaviour change. Having spent many years navigating the mental health and addictions sector with whānau, I want to see systems work better and more compassionately for different people. My research and co-design is in service of these shifts. To do this I advocate for policies, processes and programs that reflect the needs, aspirations and reality of community. I focus on research that builds capability and mutual benefits. This includes integrating models from western behavioural science with community knowledge systems, to identify what’s helping and hindering behaviours consistent with equitable wellbeing.
I also collaborate with Behavioural by Design for experimental design and evaluation, where empirical evidence supports community and sector advocacy. My part-time Masters in Design for Social Innovation (MDI), at Victoria University of Wellington, explores the role of compassion in co-design. My guiding question is “how can compassion models help designers take action to prevent harm and promote wellbeing when its hard in the moment?”.
I’d love to connect with fellow travellers.
Ngā mihi,
Leanna Dey (she/her)