Inspiring Communities Newsletter No 28 December 2011 |
In this Newsletter you’ll find…Inspiring Communities and Core Learning Cluster News: Thanks to our survey participants; Kiwi reflections from Tamarack’s Communities Collaborating Institute 2011; Community Boards interested in What We Are Learning Community-Led and Community Driven: Festival for the Future 2011 success; Christchurch City Councils ‘Share an Idea’ wins international applause; JigSaw’s Many Voices One Purpose campaign Learning Links: What gets counted, counts: UK programme on ‘valuing what matters’; NZ Social Entrepreneurs Fellowships series: John Stansfield the Community Organiser as Entrepreneur; Lessons Learned by Community Recovery Committees of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires News You Can Use: Community Social Finance – link to materials from Clara Miller workshops; Community Development Scheme – priority areas for 2012 DIA Grants; New Time Bank in Wellington South gains momentum Events: ReGeneration Summer Jam (January).
Editorial
Kia ora tatou 2011 has been another big year for Inspiring Communities and as we head into a bit of a lull over the summer break, it’s a great time for some reflection on what’s been happening and what we’d like to achieve next year. Neighbours Day Aotearoa springs to mind as something fun and not too taxing to contemplate with friends and neighbours over a barbeque or at the beach this summer. It’s such a simple concept with such fantastic outcomes. Di Jennings from the Community Economic Development Trust of New Zealand quoted the following piece from John Schaar recently, and in light of the end of year ruminations and reflections it seems appropriate to quote it again here. “The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created…created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made…and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination.” The year of 2011 has seen strong growth and consolidation of Aotearoa New Zealand’s community-led development movement. Inspiring Communities has enjoyed working alongside other organisations, people and networks who are passionate about the potential of more community-engaging ways to plan and bring about sustainable futures. It has been a year rich with learning, some of it co-created by Inspiring Communities and others – including:
We’ve delighted in the thinking and learning shared by many kindred networks and organizations including:
We’d also like to thank all our supporters, funders and everyone who has worked with us this year. Your investments and participation have been, and remain, invaluable to the continuation of growing and embedding community-led development in communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.
And along with the rest of the country we have mourned following events in Christchurch and the Pike River Mine, and have also seen and celebrated the resilience, determination and capability of local communities to go on with life and find new ways of working. Your feedback to us through our recent Survey Monkey ……. Thank you for sharing your thoughts – they will help shape our 2012 plans. In this issue we are please to share some new material including Kiwi reflections from Tamarack’s Communities Collaborating Institute. We’ve also worked with NZ Futures Trust on Volume 4 2011 of their Journal Future Times, which includes a second feature edition focusing on community-led development. As the year comes to a close, we are mindful of increasing awareness and discomfort throughout NZ about the growing “gap” between the rich and the poor, and the long term consequences of poverty. The reasons for this are complex, and simple solutions will not bring long term sustainable change… we need to work together and we look forward to connecting, collaborating and co-creating with many of you on this and other complexities, to “make new paths and destinations” together during 2012. Our next newsletter will be in February 2012. Have a safe and reinvigorating summer break. Ian
INSPIRING COMMUNITIES & CORE LEARNING CLUSTER NEWS
Kiwi delegates’ reflections from Tamarack’s Communities Collaborating Institute 2011This week-long event was full of learning for four Kiwis who travelled across the Pacific. They joined two hundred and fifty people from all over Canada to share experiences and successes from collaborative effort around complex issues such as poverty, homelessness, addictions, violence and the wellbeing of First Nations people. The delegation included Roku Mihinui from Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Rebecca Harrington from Lifewise, Terri Eggleton from BayTrust and Barbara MacLennan from Inspiring Communities. They have compiled their reflections, and many links , in order to share the learning with others who are interested
Thanks for your input to our 2011 SurveyThanks to everyone for participating in our survey recently. We have had people from all over the country and a range of sectors take part, which is fabulous! We are now in the process of analysis and will let you know more in the new year about what Inspiring Communities plans to do next. Community Boards interested in What We Are LearningIn many cities and districts all around New Zealand, local people step up to leadership positions on local Community Boards. These are a formal part of some Councils, and they exist to connect with, represent and advocate for local communities, as well as undertaking functions delegated to them by the Council. Recently Te Puke Community Board hosted their colleagues from all around Local Government Zone 2 on a scorching hot Bay of Plenty Saturday. Community Board members from Kawhia, Matamata, Rotorua Lakes, Whakatane, Ohope Beach, Te Puke, and Katikati spent the day together, focused on engaging with their local communities, and developing locally driven plans and strategies. They were interested in the themes and frameworks which Inspiring Communities has shared through “ What we are learning about community led development in Aotearoa New Zealand” and hearing about other community experiences and successes.
COMMUNITY LED COMMUNITY DRIVEN
Festival for the Future 2011 successIn early November 120 enthusiastic creatives, entrepreneurs and changemakers from around New Zealand took part in the very first Festival for the Future. This first-time event, organised in 10-weeks largely by two 25-year olds, was life changing for some. You can relive the Festival by viewing all the inspiring speakers, young innovators and other highlights over on the festival website. Christchurch City Councils ‘Share an Idea’ wins international applauseThe Christchurch City Council has been recognised internationally for its Share an Idea community public engagement campaign. 2011 is the first time the Netherlands-based Co-Creation Association has given the award to an initiative outside Europe. Share an Idea was one of 49 projects nominated for this year’s awards. For more see the Co-Creation Association website . JigSaw’s Many Voices One Purpose campaign getting communities working together for stronger familiesJigsaw is taking on the challenge of reaching out and linking families in a spread out rural community as part of its drive to improve children's wellbeing and prevent child abuse. The campaign aims to make it a normal part of everyday life for people to notice when children and families need extra help and offer support before problems escalate. It has already been embedded in the Thames region and adapted in Whangarei and Tokoroa, and is now expanding into the Tararua region. Jacqueline, from Dannevirke Family Services, says her first challenge has been getting to know who's who in the Weber and Pongaroa communities and identifying possible leaders. To do that she's been out visiting with the rural postie and has been meeting with farmers, playgroups, mums and district nurses. Read more at the Jigsaw website
LEARNING LINKSWhat gets counted, counts: New Economics Foundation programme on ‘valuing what matters’.UK-based NEF claims that £1 invested in high-quality residential care for children generates a social return of between £4 and £6.10. NEF is creating new approaches to value and measurement so that those things that matter most to people, communities and to achieving a sustainable planet are made visible and measurable. Read more about it at the New Economics Foundation website. NZ Social Entrepreneurs Fellowships series: John Stansfield the Community Organiser as EnterpreneurChapter nine in the How Communities Heal series covers the work of John Stansfield: a ‘serial entrepreneur’ who has had an impact on how communities and organisations are managed in New Zealand and the Pacific. “Being a social change agent is like swimming towards the horizon – the goal is constantly moving. Periodically we need to create times for ourselves where we can stop and tread water. We can either reflect on how far from the shore we’ve come, or just celebrate the fact that we are still afloat!” Link to the full article via the NZSEF website. Report from Victoria: ‘Lessons Learned by Community Recovery Committees of the 2009 Victorian BushfiresAdvice we offer to communities impacted by disaster: Written by a group of community members who each played a role in their community’s recovery and renewal and who then became inspired by our belief that as community members we can and should share their lessons with other communities impacted by disaster. This is not a formal report prepared by government bodies or any other organisation but a report by communities, and for communities. At the website of the Premier of Victoria You can download the 22 page report and read about how it has been shared internationally.
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Community Social Finance – materials from Clara Miller workshops availableClara Miller is President of The F. B. Heron Foundation in New York City, a private foundation helping low-income people and communities help themselves. Prior to this she spent 27 years as President and CEO of a national Community Development Financial Institution that, with partners, has made over $2 billion available in loans, grants and tax credit transactions to U.S. based nonprofits. In a series of workshops with Philanthropy NZ and the Community Economic Development Network, Clara discussed the financial tools that funders can use effectively to invest in a strong and progressive not for profit sector and examined the characteristics of investment ready organisations and the role of the philanthropic sector in supporting their growth. The presentations and other materials are now available for viewing and printing at the Philanthropy NZ website. Community Development Scheme – priority areas for 2012 Grants from Department of Internal AffairsThe 2012/13 funding round for the Community Development Scheme closes on Wednesday 21 March 2012 at 4pm. “The Community Development Scheme (CDS) supports community, hapū, iwi, Pacific and ethnic organisations to work together, generate their own solutions to local issues, and work towards becoming more self-reliant and resilient. CDS supports communities to work together in new ways, to be innovative and to determine their own development priorities to achieve sustainable community outcomes. The priority territories change from year to year. The territories for 2012 are :
For more details follow this link to the communitymatters.govt.nz website
New Time Bank in Wellington South gains momentumWith over 65 registrations and 8 fully confirmed members (as of 29 November) and counting, the Wellington South Time Bank is off to a strong start. Skills available include knowledge of local walkways, dancing, menu planning, funding applications and gardening. Read more on stuff.co.nz. Or find out the latest on Wellington South Time Bank’s Facebook page.
EVENTS
January 2012: ReGeneration Summer Jam 2012 (Taupo)Summer Jam is ReGeneration’s annual national youth leadership event. Young people from around New Zealand who are already leading the change in their communities, schools and organisations gather to upskill, plan actions, have fun and consider the question "where to from here?" The concept is youth teaching youth, and while there are facilitators, youth workers and invited speakers, all are part of the Jam. Where: Tauhara Centre near Taupo. When: 10 - 15 January 2012 Contact: ReGeneration to receive a registration form.
ABOUT INSPIRING COMMUNITIESTo find out more about Inspiring Communities, our approach to learning, our framework for Community-Led Development, and more, visit: www.inspiringcommunities.org.nz For all our latest news you can go straight to our to Community News online. The work of Inspiring Communities is currently being supported by The Tindall Foundation, The Todd Foundation, the J R McKenzie Trust, Community Trust of Southland, BayTrust, ASB Community Trust, Slingshot-Call Plus, Auckland Council, TSB Trust, Lottery Community and the Lottery Community Sector Research Fund, Ideas Shop and many other generous people and organisations who contribute time, skills, meeting spaces and resources to help us grow the recognition, understanding and practice of community-led development in Aotearoa, NZ.
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