Kumara Vine CE Update March 2024
Tena koutou katoa, and welcome to our first Kumara Vine of 2024. This edition is focused on our youth/rangatahi. Our young people have so much to offer our communities and our sector. They have fresh ways of thinking and doing, and many have an advanced understanding of the digital landscape, which has become such a fundamental part of our work. Working with our young people can require different communication skills, different expectations, and different types of feedback from what we are used to. In this edition we explore the value of the contribution of rangatahi to our mahi and we consider how to prepare our organisations and governance to create pathways for young people to contribute, and we celebrate their current contributions across our sector.
This edition also includes consideration of the value and the importance of our young people participating in the democratic process. Often our young people feel alienated and do not see the value of voting or understand the process. Inclusion in our communities, our decision-making, our social services and demystifying the electoral process is a critical part of connecting rangatahi to the broader ecosystem of our community.
We will be facilitating another mentoring programme this year and if you are interested in either being a mentor or mentee, you can contact Sally (sally@communitywaikato.org.nz) to express your interest. We would really like to encourage young people to reach out if you have an interest in leadership or governance in the non-profit space as we have a wide range of highly experienced governors and community leaders who can provide mentorship.
There are several other important things to look out for this year. Community Waikato will be running a conference in the last quarter of the year. We do try to ensure the conference event is affordable, but it is worth keeping in mind as you set your budgets to include professional development.
The Incorporated Societies Act 2022 is in place as of October 2023, and incorporated societies have until 5 April 2026 to reincorporate their organisations. There are several changes from the previous Act, and this is your opportunity to ensure your guiding document is fit for purpose and captures all it needs to in order to comply legally, but also to enable you to operate effectively in what is a very different world from 1908 (when the first Act was enacted).
Finally, Community Waikato will be moving in 2024. While we will be sad to leave 33 Victoria Street, we are excited about what the future will hold and how we might better strengthen our partnerships with others across the non-profit sector. Big changes like this give us motivation to reflect on our work and how we can have the most impact. And as always, we are open to your feedback and thoughts, so please reach out if you have suggestions for the Community Waikato Team.
With warm regards,
Holly Snape
