Hui E! Community Aotearoa

Hui E! Community Aotearoa seeks to promote, strengthen and connect the Community Sector – tangata whenua organisations and the broad voluntary and community sector – charities, incorporated societies, clubs, boards, trusts, and informal community groups.

Ko tā Hui E! Community Aotearoa he whakatairanga, he whakapakari, he tūhono i te Rāngai Hāpori – ngā rōpū tāngata whenua me te rāngai mahi tūao, mahi hāpori torowhānui – ngā rōpū mahi aroha, ngā rōpū kāporeita, ngā karapū, ngā poari, me ngā rōpū kaitiaki.

 Tēnā tātou katoa

Kiaora everyone
Kua puku mahi tonu mātou, we’ve been quite busy over the spring season with a few things that may interest you. Tuatahi, he mihi nui ki Ngā Ratonga Kaupapa Atawhai. Firstly, a big shout out to Charities Services for the acknowledgement of Hui E! as a leader amongst the wider community as one of six community organisations who received a grant in the Community Leadership Fund. We also would like to thank the Lottery National Community committee for the grant that will support the work we do! Ka rawe tō koutou tautoko mai.

Tuarua, kia hiwa rā ki tō mātou Hui a Tau, we intend to hold our Annual General Meeting on Friday 2^nd November but will confirm that in a special pānui to you all very soon. Pania, Sandy and Charlie intend to stay on for their second term as Trustees and Simon will remain for another year as he transitions out of his Co-chair role. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou!

Tuatoru, he mihi ki te tira o Tatauranga Aotearoa, big thanks to the team from Stats NZ for sharing their new initiative Indicators Aotearoa with our packed out audience in Wellington and absolutely engaged attendees in Christchurch. Thanks also to DIA Christchurch for lending their meeting room facilities. We look forward to an inquisitive audience next week in Auckland when we travel up with Stats NZ again.

Hei te mutunga mō tēnei wā, finally for now, we’ll continue to engage with you in the many things we do across the community sector. In particular, look out for upcoming news regarding the Charities Act review.

Heoi anō, have a bountiful spring season!
Mauriora.
Anaru

Better supporting our people who are disadvantaged; remedy inequality; ensuring every Kiwi has a home that is affordable, safe and warm, and protecting our environment are among the major areas of concern to New Zealand's community sector. These also play a significant part of the sustainable development goals under review at the UN High Level Political Forum next year under the theme Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality, and during which the NZ government will present its own national review of these priorities for the first time. Goals under review next year are Goals 4 (quality education), 8 (sustainable economic growth), 10 (reducing inequality), 13 (taking urgent climate action), 16 (peaceful and inclusive societies), and 17 (strengthen means of implementation and partnerships). New Zealand along with the rest of world committed in 2015 to mobilising efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind. The national review is an important part of the mechanism to ensure we stay on track to meeting these commitments. 

For us here in Aotearoa New Zealand, the review of the agenda and the goals is an important opportunity for wide engagement at national level, that is purposeful, inclusive, transformative and proactive. We need to have an honest conversation between sectors about the successes, challenges and lessons learned, ensure a collective effort to the process and tell the stories of those left behind. We need to not only localise but socialise the SDGs for New Zealand. These were also some of the key messages raised during the subregional preparatory meeting for the Asia Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development I was able to attend last month.

One of the review mechanisms for the Pacific is the Pacific Roadmap for Sustainable Development, which identifies 132 indicators that are specific to the Pacific, and rests on the principles of leadership, ownership, inclusivity, alignment, harmonisation and transparency, and mutual accountability. Hui E! will continue to engage in these processes to ensure our contributions are valuable and relevant for the wider community sector. 

You can read a brief summary of key messages from the 2018 VNRs presented to the UN here. Enjoy reading this pānui – it looks like a busy month ahead. 

Kia ora koutou katoa – I attended two very valuable conferences recently on Māori health – the Tū Kaha 2018 Māori Health Conference in Dunedin in late August highlighted that: the current health system does not sufficiently support Māori – their health outcomes are far worse than those of non- Māori; and that there is a need for building bridges between pre-existing knowledge and new knowledge, between matters of social justice and cultural revitalisation and cultural creativity. There was also a call for more academics that are Māori and a Minister for Māori Health. 

The Toitū Hauora Māori Leadership Summit: Māori Leadership for Health & Wellbeing was held in Dunedin and provided an opportunity for existing and emerging Māori health leaders to work together to consider future Māori health leadership needs, leading to the year 2030. The summit's theme was a celebration of being Māori; it is an expression well known by many that says “Hold fast to our culture, to our mana, our language and our land – as it is the essence of who we are as Māori”. It was clear that strong network and good communication in the care process is the result of and a reason for building Māori Leadership in the health sector, and to mark the first time the summit was held in the South Island, Te Rau Matatini, one of the organisers, with the University of Otago launched a scholarship for masters in mental health.

Dementia is also a concern among Māori and I was interested to read about Dr. Margaret Dudley's current study with the aim of developing more effective assessment tools and care for Māori with dementia. This ties in well with the conference during which I am speaking at the end of this month: Tackling Dementia is Everybody's business - Mā wai e āwhina te mate wareware - mā tātou katoa and my presentation on my professional experience of Artistic Practices with People with Dementia. You can take a look at the programme here. 

Hui E! events 

After two very popular hui in Wellington and Christchurch, we are delighted to be hosting this hui with Oxfam New Zealand in Auckland on the government's recently announced Indicators Aotearoa New Zealand or Ngā Tūtohu Aotearoa – a new set of environmental, social, cultural and economic indicators, which will provide a 'well-being lens' to government to track New Zealand's wellbeing and success. Stats NZ is keen to continue to have a conversation with New Zealand and the community sector as the project continues. 

Our speakers will be:

• Eleisha Hawkins, Director of the Office of the Government Statistician and Chief Executive,
• John Morris, Senior Advisor Indicators Aotearoa New Zealand, and
• Athena Sommerfield, Analyst, Māori Partnership and Design, Indicators Aotearoa New Zealand from Stats NZ  Tatauranga Aotearoa

• Jo Tyndall, New Zealand Climate Change Ambassador
• John Morris, Senior Advisor Indicators Aotearoa New Zealand from Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa

• the workshop will begin at 8.30am and finish at 4pm, with breaks for morning/afternoon tea and lunch 
• The workshop will only run with a minimum of 12 participants and a maximum of 16 participants
• Although you will receive an A5-size workbook to use and take away with you, please bring additional paper and writing materials. 

Sector News 

New Zealand's draft Third National Action Plan 2018-20, which has been developed as part of New Zealand's involvement in the Open Government Partnership, has been released for public comment. This Plan responds to three themes that emerged as conversation progressed with civil society on how to make government more open and transparent: participation in democracy; public participation to deliver policy and services, and transparency and accountability.

You can read and give feedback on the draft plan here until 5pm on 17 October. Officials and the Expert Advisory Panel will consider all feedback and provide a summary of the comments with advice to the Government on how to finalise the National Action Plan 2018-20, before it is lodged with the Open Government Partnership Secretariat. 

Hui E! looks forward to following the Plan right through until the next one is due to ensure you all have a voice. Please provide any feedback through the links above.

Between late May and early September, the team at the Social Investment Agency met and listened to New Zealanders to find out what they think about the government's proposed investing for social wellbeing approach, and the Data Protection and Use Policy. The formal engagement on these two topics, including online surveys ended on Friday 7th September and the team has now made an analysis available of the input and insights from the first half of their engagement hui, predominantly with NGO/service providers, regional government agency staff and a number of government agencies at a national level. Check it out here.

A second summary engagement update (part B) will follow in early October and cover engagement from 4th August to 7th September with a range of people who use social services, Māori and Pacific organisations, special interest groups, District Health Boards, and the remaining NGO/regional agency and national government agency hui. 

Timeline – what's next in the process? 

September 7 – Engagement ends.
September - October – Development of an investing for social wellbeing approach to be presented to Cabinet.
Late November – SIA will publish a summary of the main themes that have emerged from our engagement.
End of 2018  – Government will consider a final investing for social wellbeing approach. The final approach online will be published online.
March - May 2019  – Public engagement on the draft Data Protection and Use Policy to inform the final version. Final to be presented back to Cabinet.
Mid 2019 – SIA will publish a summary of how they have treated feedback gathered throughout the engagement process including how it has helped shape the final approach and Policy. 

Sometimes, people find out their manager or co-worker is engaging in activities that are illegal, corrupt or pose a serious threat to public safety. The Protected Disclosures Act 2000 aims to encourage people to ‘speak up’ in these circumstances and protect them from losing their jobs or getting mistreated. However, a review by the State Services Commission, has found that the Act is not working as well as it should. It is seen as weak and confusing to navigate. The Government has identified five options for change and would like to encourage all organisations across the voluntary and community sector to share their views on the benefits and risks of different proposals.

Why would the voluntary and community sector be interested?
 
The Act applies to the public, private and not-for-profit sector. However, only public sector organisations are required to have effective procedures in place for employees to disclose concerns about possible wrongdoing. The Government is considering changing this by introducing a new obligation for all organisations to have effective procedures in place that enable people to speak up freely and without fear. The State Services Commission would like to understand the impact this change would have on your organisation. They would like to get your views on the following:

• What do you think the impact of this requirement will be on small charities?
• How would new obligations work alongside existing requirements (e.g. health and safety and employment relations)?
• What support would help organisations in your sector fulfil their obligations?

How to have your say:
 
The consultation period will run from Monday 29 October to Friday 7 December 2018. There are two key ways to get involved:

• Go online to www.havemysay.govt.nz to read more about the proposals and make your submission.
• Attend a workshop convened by the State Services Commission and hosted by Hui E! on 21 November 2018, between 10.30am and 12pm, at the Community Hub on level 4 of 120 Featherston Street in Wellington. This will provide an opportunity to explore the proposals in more detail with SSC officials working on the reforms.     

If you have any questions in the meantime, you can email info@HaveMySay.govt.nz or take a look at two 1-pagers providing information about the Review (“the Review Factsheet”) and the current legislation (“Guide to the Current Act”). More info is also available on the Proactive Release section of SSC’s website which includes previous briefings to the Minister and the summary of the targeted consultation report here.

MoneyTalks (0800 345 123) is a free financial helpline for individuals, family, and whānau and set up by the National Building Financial Capability Charitable Trust, now rebranded as FinCap. They provide budgeting advice or put you in touch with a local budgeting service and are available 8am-8pm weekdays and 10am to 2pm on Saturdays. Please share this with your communities and networks who may benefit from this service. More info at www.moneytalks.co.nz

FinCap is the refreshed and revitalised national voice of New Zealand’s 200 financial capability and budgeting services, and supports those community-based organisations, and promotes the needs of low income consumers. Read more about the launch in this press release.

Although the not for profit sector generates a quarter of its income from philanthropy, and employs more than 4% of the total workforce, the professional training for those who raise the $4 billion a year is woefully inadequate according to one of New Zealand’s leading fundraising experts. Read more about Foresee Communications' Pathway to Fundraising Excellence course in an attempt to upskill existing charity fundraisers and demonstrate a career pathway that has been designed with the New Zealand fundraising environment at its core. 

Upcoming Events and Conferences

Lunchtime Seminar with CTU Economist Bill Rosenberg
12 – 1pm, Monday 8 October
Council of Trade Unions office, Level 5, Education House (rear building) 178 Willis St
 
How well does New Zealand’s tax system perform in reducing inequality? What would be the effect of some likely changes to it discussed in the interim report of the Tax Working Group, released last week?
 
New Zealand’s personal income tax system is very weak in reducing inequality compared to other OECD countries. So is our transfer (income support) system. Together they’re near the bottom of the OECD. Each system is about half as effective as the most effective in the OECD. The inequality-reducing power of the tax and transfer system on market income inequality has steadily declined for New Zealand over the last three decades, says the MSD’s Household Incomes Report.
 
Much needs to be done to make our tax and transfer systems more capable of reducing New Zealand’s high level of income inequality. The Tax Working Group could recommend some useful options.
 
Read more in Bill Rosenberg’s October Economic Bulletin:
https://www.union.org.nz/economicbulletin203/
The interim report of the Tax Working Group is available here:
https://taxworkinggroup.govt.nz/resources/tax-working-group-publishes-interim-report
Submissions on the report are open now until 1 November:
https://taxworkinggroup.govt.nz/your-submissions
 
Please forward this message among your Wellington union networks. RSVP to nickh@nzctu.org.nz

We also invite the community to attend the following events where Tax Working Group members will speak about its interim report and impacts for New Zealand: 

Wellington: 11 October 5.30pm hosted by LEANZ Wellington
Auckland/Wellington: 27 and 28 November, The Future of Tax in New Zealand – Tax Working Group 2018 Public Symposium, hosted by Auckland University and Victoria University of Wellington
Auckland: The Future of Tax Workshop: Insight from the TWG, 10 October, 7.30am, hosted by Financial Services Council (although this one is for a charge)

Charities Services will be holding its Annual Meeting this Thursday at Fale o Samoa, in Auckland. You can follow it online on their Facebook page from 12.30pm or videos will be published shortly after the meeting on the Charities Services website and their YouTube page. 

The forum – hosted by Community Networks Wellington (CNW) in partnership with Wellington City Council – focuses on four priorities identified by CNW members:

• Mental health and addictions
• Housing and homelessness
• Social isolation
• Poverty and financial inequality

Over two days (17 and 18 October), community organisations and local and central government agencies will work together to gain an overview of the current situation, identify key themes, and discuss solutions.

A post-forum report will document the thinking, conclusions and next steps. Click here for more details. 

"Effective and Humane": Restorative and Māori Justice Approaches to the Prison Crisis is an international conference being held from 24-25 October 2018 on how the theory and practice of restorative justice might inform the direction and practice of penal policy in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Held at Pipitea Campus in downtown Wellington, this event will bring scholars and practitioners who have employed restorative approaches in the prison sector, especially in the European context, to engage in dialogue with New Zealand academics, and policy and practice professionals. This gathering, co-hosted by the Diana Unwin Chair in Restorative Justice and the Brian Picot Chair in Ethical Leadership, will provide an interdisciplinary platform for thinking creatively about how restorative justice and kaupapa Māori can offer fresh approaches in Corrections and prisoner reintegration. Click here for more details and to register. 

Join Garth Nowland-Foreman, the "Governance Guru" from LEAD Centre for Not for Profit Leadership for a 1-day workshop for people who find themselves on a non-profit board.

Informative and practical training on the ins and outs of not-for-profit governance, including the roles and responsibilities of board members, legal obligations, risks, and how to add value as a board member. You will get a hands-on experience of useful tools and processes to help deepen the governance practice of your organisation. Scholarships available. Click here for more info and to register.

As per prior years, Victoria University’s Professional and Executive Development are continuing its NGO discount scheme. Basically there are two spaces available at a 50% discount on most of the courses throughout the year.

Discounts are offered on a first come first serve basis. Courses are wide ranging and would be suitable for all organisations large or small. You can contact their office at 04 463 6556 to enrol or email profdev@vuw.ac.nz for assistance.

October Courses:

9 October – Trainer’s Toolkit: Essential Skills (7 places remaining)

15 October – Project Coordination Skills for Administrators (14 places remaining)

16 October – Conflict Resolution Essentials (8 places remaining)

18 October – Moving into Management (14 places remaining)

18 October – Influencing and Persuasion Skills (10 places remaining)

18 October – Managing Stakeholders: A systems approach (12 places remaining)

VUW Professional Development reserves the right to postpone or cancel courses with insufficient registration.

Global Issues that affect the sector

It is no surprise that many countries focus on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal # 6 on clean water and sanitation but how can we make sure we reach the targets set for 2030? In this piece, Marcos Mendiburu, Social Development Specialist, Open Government Partnerships, explores how governments and civil society organizations can leverage organizations like OGP to advance SDG 6. Read more here.

As communicated just before summer, this year's Civil Society rotation process confirmed Danny Sriskandarajah, former Secretary General and CEO of Civicus, as one of two new members of the OGP Steering Committee.  Danny was due to formally join the Steering Committee next month.  As many of you might have seen, Danny was just appointed Chief Executive of Oxfam GB, an exciting new role for which he is uniquely suited.  Regrettably, the demands of this new role mean he will no longer be able to join us.  We trust, however, that Danny will continue to be an open government champion and wish him all the best.  

Following this development, the Selection Committee reconvened and agreed that the vacancy be filled by Lucy McTernan. Just before summer Lucy was appointed as a non-voting, additional member of the CS team on the Steering Committee. The Civil Society Steering Committee members confirmed Lucy as the newest full member of the Steering Committee on 12 September 2018.  

Lucy has a 25 year career in the Scottish voluntary sector, most recently as acting Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, and previously as CEO of Citizens Advice Scotland. She has also worked as an adviser to the Scottish Government, and as a consultant on governance matters. She served on the grant giving committees of the Big Lottery Fund for seven years and as trustee for human rights and childcare organisations.  Lucy is civil society co-chair of the Scottish Open Government Partnership (one of the first fifteen local members of OGP), and is currently doing PhD research with the University of York.  Lucy's experience and background will strengthen the CS team and the Steering Committee at large, and we are thrilled to have her with us.  

Please join us in warmly congratulating Danny on his new role, and Lucy on her membership of the Civil Society Steering Committee.