EDVISI Equity Oriented Model v1.0

Engaging Diverse Voices in Systems Improvement (EDVISI) Equity Oriented Model

The EDVISI Equity Oriented Model is comprised of three components: a Readiness Assessment Tool, an Engagement Pathway, and an accompanying Toolkit. The Equity Oriented Model is designed to support organizations to adopt and embed the continuous practice of ensuring meaningful and inclusive engagement of people with lived/living experience in system initiatives, with a specific focus on structurally marginalized groups. To determine if your organization is ready to embark on the EDVISI Pathway, we recommend that you first complete the EDVISI Readiness Assessment Tool. If you have already completed the EDVISI Readiness Assessment, proceed to the EDVISI Pathway.

EXPLORE the EDVISI READINESS ASSESSMENT TOOL

EXPLORE the EDVISI Pathway

Abejirinde IO, Choon-Kon-Yune I, Hafleen N, Hersi A. (2025). Engaging Diverse Voices in Systems Improvement Equity Oriented Model (Version 1.0) [Web application]. https://tinyurl.com/EDVISI-Equity-Oriented-Model

©Moonshot Collaborative 2025. All Rights reserved.

Meaningful Engagement is a Journey The EDVISI Pathway conceptualizes engagement using a waveform as a metaphor, a continuous dynamic journey of action (peaks) and reflection (troughs). While traditional projects often begin and end with bursts of high-intensity project-focused activity - which we have termed “actional" (captured in the peaks of the waveform), the quieter “troughs” in between projects are just as vital and perhaps even more important, because they set the tone for peaks in engagement. These slower moments reflect the constant relational work needed to sustain trust and connection with experts by experience from structurally marginalized groups.

START YOUR JOURNEY

©Moonshot Collaborative 2025. All Rights reserved.

Before Starting Your Journey On the next slide, you will find the interactive EDVISI Pathway outlining steps 1 through 8, including the steps within a project cycle (steps 5A to 5D). These project cycle stages should ideally begin after steps 1 through 4 of the Pathway have been accomplished Think of this interactive pathway as a microscopic snapshot of one segment of a continous engagement waverform journey. When you click on each step, you'll see a high-level summary of the various components involved. For more in-depth guidance on each step, including templates, additional reflection questions, a case study exemplar, and practical tools to support your journey, you can download the EDVISI Toolkit.

EXPLORE the EDVISI Pathway

©Moonshot Collaborative 2025. All Rights reserved.

Click on each step below to view a high-level summary of the key elements involved.

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CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE EDVISI Toolkit

Abejirinde IO, Choon-Kon-Yune I, Hafleen N, Hersi A. (2025). Engaging Diverse Voices in Systems Improvement Equity Oriented Model (Version 1.0) [Web application]. https://tinyurl.com/EDVISI-Equity-Oriented-Model

©Moonshot Collaborative 2025. All Rights reserved.

• Organize report back and debrief meeting between project lived experience experts and wider pool of diverse lived experience experts
• Discuss how lessons learned will be integrated into future engagement projects

6. Loop Back

& Regroup

1. How can we make these debriefs reciprocal—not just informative, but also opportunities for shared learning and growth within the wider group?
2. How will we transparently communicate follow-up actions and demonstrate how lived experience experts’ contributions influenced outcomes?

Reflection Questions

• (Re)assess maturity of lived experience group and organizational capabilities for engagement
• Continue to promote a culture of learning and continuous improvement
• Slow engagement: in-between projects activate earlier defined strategies for relational engagement (step 2) and continue capacity building

7. Re-assess

& Strengthen

1. What gaps are emerging, and how can we strengthen or shift our approach to meet evolving needs?
2. What new skills, knowledge, or growth have lived experience experts and organisational staff gained ?
3. What informal opportunities can our team do to make lived experience experts feel valued and appreciated during off-project periods?

Reflection Questions

1. Are the project activities designed in a way that honours the knowledge and preferences of the project lived experience experts?
2. Have we identified and addressed potential accessibility needs, both physical (e.g., mobility, sensory) and digital (e.g., tech access, platform usability) to enhance meaningful participation?
3. How will our team ensure that feedback, both verbal and anonymous, is actively considered and addressed in project decision-making?

Reflection Questions

• Conduct project specific activities
• Support project lived experience experts to participate fully and safely (e.g. accessibility, psycho-social supports, language inclusion, etc.)
• Enable continuous feedback and learning opportunities throughout the project

5C. Facilitate

• Develop strategies for actional and relational engagement
• Raise awareness internally and externally of your organizations' intentions to develop and sustain a practice of engaging diverse voices
• Identify and welcome experts by experience from structurally marginalized groups

2. Prepare

1. What kind of staff roles and resources (both technical and non-technical) are needed during active engagement phases versus quieter, relationship-focused periods?
2. How well have the goals and purpose of the lived experience experts group been socialized across the organization? Where are there gaps in awareness or understanding?
3. What are the risks of excluding certain groups, and how can we be transparent about these limitations whilst not using them as an excuse to not try harder?

Reflection Questions

1. How are we ensuring that the voices of lived experience experts are authentically represented in what is shared with funders, project owners or organizational leadership?
2. Who are the key audiences that could benefit from or act on project findings, and how can we tailor content to each audience type?
3. Have we revisited the compensation plan co-developed in Stage 5B to ensure we are fulfilling what was agreed upon?

Reflection Questions

• Organize collaborative reporting and feedback to project funder, organizational leadership, etc.
• Disseminate project outputs and findings (e.g. reports, conferences, presentations)
• Recognize and compensate lived experience experts who have participated on the project

5D. Project

Closure

1. What problem are we (or the project) trying to solve? What question are we attempting to answer?
2. How many lived experience experts do we need to meaningfully shape the project, not just validate it?
3. What are the key questions to ask the broader pool of lived experience experts to help identify those best suited for this specific project?

Reflection Questions

(Actional Engagement)

Initiation

• Define the goal(s) and scope of the specific project
• Establish selection criteria for project participants (i.e. lived experience experts)
• Identify and recruit lived experience experts from the larger group within the organizations' roster

5A. Project

• Support retention of individuals and manage engagement attrition in lived experience experts
• Broaden diversity of your organizations' lived experience group as your capability grows
• Assess impact of your engagement activities and the EDVISI Equity Oriented Model

8. Sustain

1. What factors might be contributing to attrition, and how can we address or mitigate them (e.g., workload, recognition, burnout)?
2. Which structurally marginalized groups are underrepresented, or whose perspectives are currently missing from our lived experience experts group, and what steps should we take to invite their perspectives?
3. How are we measuring the impact of the EDVISI Model in promoting equity, within our engagement process?

Reflection Questions

• Establish collaborative partnerships with relevant organizations and communities
• Provide specialized training of staff to support your engagement capabilities
• Ensure appropriate resources are available (i.e. personnel and financial)
• Explore and learn from your organization's historical and ongoing engagement efforts across teams and units

1. Plan

1. What structurally marginalized communities are not represented in our relationships with other organizations and communities?
2. What knowledge gaps currently exist among staff as it pertains to collaborating with individuals from structurally marginalized groups?
3. How can we build flexibility into our budgets to ensure equity supports for engagement?
4. What lessons has our organization learned from past engagement experiences, both successful and challenging?

Reflection Questions

• Co-develop governance and decision-making structure for the engagement
• Establish terms and processes of engagement
• Select leads or co-chairs and appoint individuals to other agreed-upon roles

4. Co-Create

1. Have we meaningfully involved lived experience experts in shaping the group’s governance, or are we defaulting to pre-set organizational structures?
2. What specific roles and responsibilities should be outlined for each member of the group, and how will these be agreed upon by all members?
3. How are we supporting lived experience expert group members in defining fair, inclusive criteria for selecting co-chairs or peer project advisors?

Reflection Questions

• Assess eligiblity and screen identified individuals from structurally marginalized groups
• Onboard eligible individuals and finalize formal agreements
• Provide training and skills development opportunities to the growing pool of experts by experience

3. Establish

1. What criteria are we using to assess eligibility for participation, and do those criteria unintentionally exclude key voices or perspectives?
2. How are we addressing potential barriers that could affect new participants’ comfort, such as logistical or emotional concerns?
3. What skills and knowledge are necessary for lived experience experts to contribute effectively to the group’s objectives and additional opportunities to participate in projects?

Reflection Questions

1. Have we intentionally created a welcoming environment that acknowledges power dynamics and prioritizes relationship-building before project objectives?
2. What does “project success” look like for both the organization and project lived experience experts — and where might those expectations differ?
3. Are expectations around roles, time commitments, and compensation clearly communicated and co-developed?
4. What regular opportunities for feedback and course correction have we built into the project timeline?

Reflection Questions

• Conduct project inception meetings between organization's project team and project lived experience experts
• Discuss and define/refine project scope and deliverables
• Establish project expectations and timelines
• Embed accountability and feedback mechanisms

5B. Convene &

Co-design