Taskforce News January 2004

This is the first newsletter, aimed to keep everyone informed about the Taskforce.

It is available by email: contact ed@nzfvwo.org.nz

 

 

The Community Sector Taskforce has been set up as a result of work by the Community-Government Relationship Steering Group. This group recommended that two community-based and community-driven groups be set up to develop projects to ensure the community and voluntary sector is informed, connected and able to do its work.

 

Te Wero, the second group, has been established from the recommendations of the Phase Two Steering Group to provide an independent perspective to that of the community and voluntary sector and of government.

 

Taskforce Principles

 

·         A commitment to the Tiriti/Treaty of Waitangi underpins all the projects.

·         Sector wide inclusiveness.

·         Sustainable outcomes.

·         Work with the sector not for the sector.

·        Regionally driven projects supported by national organisations building on strengths.

·         Utilise collaborative and organic processes – acknowledging diversity and working with flexibility to achieve commitment, appropriate solutions and durability.

·       Projects should not duplicate but build upon existing services, processes, and organisations including partnerships external to the sector.

 

 

·          Informing government agencies of the range of processes and documents currently used in forming Treaty-based relationships with tangata whenua.

·          Identifying the principles of key features of Treaty relationship practice between government agencies and tangata whenua.

·          Identifying the risks and benefits to tangata whenua in engaging with government agencies.

·         Developing a Treaty framework or ‘toolkit’ to assist tangata whenua in determining the appropriate mode of engagement.

 

 

 

Regional forums have traditionally offered the opportunity for people to deal with local issues, and strengthen their local networks. A round of regional and sectoral forums is now being planned, however these will have an additional and focused purpose.

 

The forums, in 2004, will be asked to give a mandate to a national forum to establish leadership that will:

·         be a clear and loud voice to government

·         go into bat to get the recognition and resourcing that the whole sector deserves

·         implement actions that further the vision of a sector that is informed, connected and able

 

The national forum is being planned for May, hopefully at a venue in the Waikato.  Initial criteria for identifying the invited national forum participants are that they:

·         have good knowledge of the sector, (participants are not required to represent a region or  sector)

·         participated in a 2004 preparatory forum,

·         have strategic vision and can apply it to everyday activities within the sector,

·         are solution focused and can look beyond their own needs,

·         have a keen interest and experience in regional or national community and  voluntary/ tangata whenua sector,

·         have demonstrated leadership capacity and a commitment to a Tiriti/Treaty driven future.

 

Organisers are aiming for 50/50 tangata whenua / tangata tiriti participation, with the fullest possible mix of geography, sector, ethnicity, age, etc.

 

The forums will seek to follow a Treaty-based process.

 

 

 

Along with the regional forums, the Taskforce plans to sponsor discussions in national sector groups.  We are keen to hear from any national agencies or groupings which will be meeting between now and April next year.

 

 

Information sharing is one of the core focuses of the Taskforce. To support this we have set up the Information Network Project. This aims to find out who is in the sector, to share resources and support capacity building, to connect communities and to build communication. 

 

The project is aimed at being really practical, so some outcome -focused questions have been developed to test whether or not it is working. These are:

1.        Can we send a message to all groups about regional or national events?

2.        If one group has a useful document/policy could any-one else find out about it?

3.        Could we initiate a discussion on a controversial topic and get feedback?

4.       Are both tangata whenua and tangata tiriti clear this network is treaty based?

 

 

Coordination of the information network and the forum projects is being managed by the National Projects Leadership Group (NPLG).

 

This is made up of four national umbrella groups – Volunteering New Zealand, the NZ Council of Social Services, the Association of Non-Government Organisations of Aotearoa and the NZ Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations.

 

The NPLG will be communicating directly with our sector over the next few months. 

 

Taskforce membership

 

The Taskforce membership is:

Gill Genet – Chair

– sport, recreation, education and health contractor - Wellington

*Atareta Poananga

– Lawyer - Gisborne

*Enid Leighton

– Ngati Awa Social and Health Services - Whakatane

*Pat Seymour

– Tokoroa Council of Social Services – Tokoroa

Peter Glensor

– Association of NGOs of Aotearoa – Lower Hutt

Samuelu Sefuiva

– Auckland and Pacific community leader - Auckland

Sandi Morrison

– Auckland arts and community development networker - Auckland

Tina Reid

– NZ Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations - Wellington

Weng Kei Chen

– NZ Federation of Ethnic Councils - Christchurch

 

* Enid, Pat and Atareta are members of both Te Wero and the Taskforce

 

We have had to say farewell to our project manager, Sue Driver, who left us to set up the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector, and Kevin Hague resigned due to work commitments. Thank you to both for your contributions.

 

Te Wero membership

 

Enid Leighton - Chair

- Ngati Awa

Atareta Poananga

– Ngati Porou, Ngati Kahungunu

Darrin Haimona

– Ngati Haua, Tainui

Donna Matahaere-Atariki

- Ngäi Tahu, Ngäti Ruanui and Ngä Rauru

Pat Seymour

– Nga Puhi, Ngati Whatua

Tony Spelman

– Ngati Hikairo, Tainui

 

The Taskforce and Te Wero are committed to working in close collaboration and partnership.