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Namaste,

We hope you are keeping well and safe. We are especially thinking of our friends and whanāu (including some of our team) in Auckland, Northland and the Waikato at the moment, who are doing it tough to keep the rest of us safe. Kia Kaha – We are with you!

A friendly reminder that tomorrow Saturday 16 October is Super Saturday – a national day of action to boost vaccination numbers across the motu. If you’re already fully vaccinated, nice one! We encourage you to support others in your networks to do the same. Visit the COVID-19 website for a list of walk-in or drive-through vaccination centres in your region and let’s all do our part to keep Aotearoa New Zealand safe!

Keep scrolling to learn more about what we’ve been working on in the past month and what’s on the schedule for October. Don’t forget to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter for more regular updates.

Ngā mihi nui & Stay Safe,

The IACT team

IACT Project Update

This week we hosted a small Te Toto Kei Roto hui in the Tauranga Moana area, which explored ways organisations could work together to support belonging and inclusion for both Tangata Whenua and Tangata Te Tiriti. Thank you to all who attended!

The 12 participants agreed that there is a genuine commitment to work collaboratively amongst community-based organisations across the region, but there are also significant blocks in the way. Three future forward actions were identified:

• Develop a shared vision for collaborative practice around creating new value that isn’t limited by individual organisations
• Engage communities in planning the path forward that builds on past successes
• Explore ways to become treaty-aligned in their organisational principles and practice

Our next regional hui…

• Media As Allies, Thursday 11 November, 5pm – 7:30pm. If you are interested in attending, send us an email.

We are always keen to hear from you if there is conversation in your community that you would like us to facilitate or even co-facilitate with us. Feel free to reach out with your ideas! Make sure you keep an eye on our Events page on our website for regular event updates.

Looking ahead…

For most of this year we have been conducting a series of local and regional hui, focusing on joining up local conversations within and across regions; and engaging local partners in defining the issues that are important to their communities.

This month our team has been working on organising a larger, nationwide hui, which we are planning to host at the end of the November (Alert Levels dependent), called Tāhono: He Wānanga Tuhonohono – Wayfinding for Belonging.

The aim of this event is to keep moving forward with our plan to create a national strategy for belonging and inclusion. The hui will help cement cross-sector working groups or Constellations and help them agree on some action plans for the coming year.

In the News

New ‘Community Voices’ web series launches

On Thursday 30 September we launched a new webinar series called Community Voices, where we team up with special guests for informal discussions on belonging and inclusion issues relevant to Aotearoa New Zealand communities. The topics will be related to our three focus areas, as well as current events/issues in the public sphere.

Our first webinar topic was ‘How does media reporting/framing impact the mental health and wellbeing of different communities?

It was hosted by Aram Wu, one of our Project Facilitators and we were joined by special guests representing a variety of communities;

• Samson Samasoni (freelance Pasifika journalist)
• Remy Waldteudfel (Youth Services at Palmerston North Youth Space)
• Eva Chen (founder of Wellbeing Charitable Trust)
• Amitesh Singh (Chair of NZ Fiji Families Wellbeing Trust)

What resulted was an informative and robust discussion on the impact media reporting has had on different communities including ethnic minorities and youth, and the possible solutions for reducing impact and harm on communities.

A big thank you to our guests for taking the time to join us for this kōrero!

Click HERE to watch the full webinar.

Below are details of our upcoming Community Voices discussions. There is no need to register, just tune in to our Facebook page for the Live stream. You will also be able to ask questions during the discussion.

Community Voices #2: The role of Te Tiriti education in creating an inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand

In this kōrero we will bring together individuals and organisations who are working to promote understanding of Te Tiriti and New Zealand’s past. This discussion is related to one of our three focus areas: Te Toto Kei Roto (a Treaty that resonates with us all).

• When: Thursday 28 October
• Time: 3pm – 4pm
• Where: Facebook Live
• Who: special guests announced soon

Community Voices #3: Exploring the Te Tiriti journey

In this kōrero we will amplify the voices of people who are actively participating in the Te Tiriti journey, with the hope that their whakaaro will inspire others to do the same. This discussion is also related to one of our three focus areas: Te Toto Kei Roto (a Treaty that resonates with us all).

• When: Thursday 4 November
• Time: 3pm – 4pm
• Where: Facebook Live
• Who: special guests announced soon

Like Bodies, Like Minds story series

During Mental Health Awareness Week (27 September – 3 October), we came across a thought provoking collection of stories that explore body image and mental health. One in particular caught our attention – the one about musician TJ Zimba’s experience of depression as a result of racism at school.

He was interviewed by freelance writer and journalist Angela Barnett and the story was complimented by a beautiful drawing by artist and illustrator, Ruby Jones (*image credit above*).

All 7 stories were published on Stuff, and were funded by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand’s Nōku te Ao: Like Minds Media Grant and the YWCA.

Here’s the kaupapa of the project as told by Angela & Ruby:

“In sharing these seven stories, Ruby and I hope to reduce shame around mental health and body image and increase understanding of life inside someone else’s skin. The project encourages people to look at one another, and our own bodies, with gentle eyes and zero assumptions, because the question to ask is never “what’s wrong with me and my body/skin/size/abilities/orientation”, but what’s wrong with cultural structures that think there’s a wrong or right way to exist in a body.”

Read and view the Like Bodies, Like Minds story series

IACT in Action

September AWEsome Conversation with Anjum

Learn, laugh and be inspired by this conversation hosted by Jolie Willis of the Australasian Women in Emergencies Network (AWE Network).

This kōrero was part of their AWEsome Conversation series and delves into Anjum’s learnings as a woman in leadership, her key messages for emergency managers and what led her to where she is now. A truly inspiring watch for aspiring women leaders, activists and advocates!

Watch the AWEsome Conversation

Opportunities

Job Vacancy: Project Manager for Mahi Tika