Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono | UPDATE #23

Lumelang,

Work is continuing at speed for IACT, with Sara completing her report on our conversations. Today we are excited to be releasing that, along with a literature review. Our strategy will be based on this work, and a strong team has been brought together to work on it, led by Tim. We are also moving ahead with our thinking around the constellations, which we will be setting up next year.

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Report from the Conversations on Belonging & Inclusion

During 2020, Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono asked people to share with us their feelings of belonging: when they feel like they belong, what stops them from feeling that way and what they’d like to see changed. We are grateful to all the people who told us about their experiences and ideas, whether online or in face to face conversation.

Our data analyst, Sara Hewitson, went through all this material, grouped together common ideas and themes. She has put together a report which shares the results, and we thank her for the high quality of her work. It is from this report that we will be developing our strategy for belonging and inclusion.

Click here to review the IACT Full Report

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Literature review: Diversity, Belonging and Inclusion in Aotearoa New Zealand

So that we could understand the work that had been done before this project, we asked a research team at the University of Waikato to review the research literature for us. The Capturing the Diversity Dividend Aotearoa New Zealand (CaDDANZ) team went through various reports from the last five years. The reports covered what people have said about well-being, belonging, and inclusion in six communities: rainbow, youth, disabilities, elderly, tangata whenua and ethnic. We would particularly like to thank Dr Rogena Stirling and Kyle K. H. Tan for bringing this together. You can read their summary on our website.

Click here to read the Literature Review

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Progress on developing the strategy

We're well underway with thinking through and developing the strategy for belonging and inclusion. Tim and Anjum have been working together to review the research reports and put together a clear framework to help inform how we move forward together.

The strategy is going to be primarily hosted online on a new, accessible website. We've engaged a team of experts to help us make sure that the strategy and the website is as accessible as possible.

The team includes Meghan, designer; Trent, developer; and Chandra, accessibility consultant from Access Advisors. We asked them to share a little about themselves below.

Meghan Geliza Jackson - Art Director and Creative Strategist

Meghan is a multi-passionate creative working in the advertising and design industries for 14 years, with skills straddling a few disciplines – art direction, copywriting, creative strategy and project management. Her inherent strength is strategy: wading through complexity to guide the sense-making and execution that follows, always with the needs of the audience in mind. For the past few years she's enjoyed working with not just commercial clients but also government, not-for-profit, social enterprise, social change and social good projects, some notably becoming finalists or winning the Best Design Awards. Notable projects include support for greater inclusivity of the LGBTQI community, women in leadership, behaviour change campaigns and websites to support diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Find out more about Meghan via LinkedIn.

Trent Morgan - Web Developer & Artist

For the last decade Trent has worked as a front-end web developer on projects across public, private and not-for-profit sectors. With a background in fine arts, he has also completed a number of interactive public artworks. A design-led process is central to his work as both a web developer and an artist. Trent lives in Whangārei with his wife and 2 young children.

Dr Chandra Harrison - Managing Director - Access Advisors

Chandra’s first paying job in digital accessibility, 20 years ago, was an evaluation of a low vision reading aid for people with low tech literacy. Continuing the theme she moved to the UK to do a PhD in emotional web experience while doing accessibility consultancy for an EU funded project. She also lectured at a couple of universities on Human Computer Interaction, worked in digital agencies in London and did some contracting for the likes of Qualcomm, Nokia, Vodafone, Deustch Bank and the BBC, not necessarily all at the same time, but sometimes. Chandra was also the Accessibility representative and President of the UK User Experience Professionals Association for many years. Chandra returned home to NZ in late 2014. Since coming home Chandra has worked with a variety of companies and is now the Managing Director of Digital Accessibility for Access Advisors, a consultancy initiated by BLVZ in 2017, helping organisations understand and implement digital accessibility. Find out more about Access Advisors on their website and about Chandra on LinkedIn.

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Thank you to Sara Hewitson

We say a sad farewell to Sara Hewitson. Sara joined the project in January this year and has played an integral role with her expertise in the qualitative and quantitative research for this project. She has tirelessly worked through so much data, analysing lines and lines of text from all the conversations.

She played a key role as our communications contact and worked with a number of media groups around the country.

We absolutely would not have got to this next stage without her, and the IACT team thank her deeply for all her work, while wishing her all the very best in her future endeavours and wonderful life journey.

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Women's Studies Journal interview

Here is an article recently published in the Women's Studies Journal, based on an interview that Anjum Rahman held last year on issues around feminism and race:

Click here to download a pdf version of the article

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Mapping directory underway

We are currently putting together a mapping directory of groups and organisations working in the Belonging and Inclusion space which will be uploaded to our website in due course. If you would like to be included in this directory, please send through your organisation's contact details to Talie at kiaora@inclusiveaotearoa.nz .

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Hiring soon

We will be looking to hire more staff, so please keep an eye out for a notice in December when we are ready to provide more information.

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Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono | UPDATE #22

Kia ora,

Progress towards setting up Constellations

The main focus of the third phase of this project is on setting up three Constellations. Each Constellation will be a collaborative network of people and organisations working together around a focus area. There’s a lot of development work and some key decisions needed before we can begin to seed and set up the constellations - so we are getting into that work now.

The first piece of work is deciding what the three focus areas will be, so we are developing the process for making this decision. The choice of focus areas will be informed by the conversations run by IACT and the Strategy developed from those.

Beginning in late November/early December, we will be holding a series of advisory meetings to discuss this research and understand more about which of the areas identified in the research will be a good fit for starting Constellations. The outcome of the decision making process will be shared in early 2021.

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Welcome to Tim Foote

The team would like to welcome Tim Foote who has joined the team as our Strategic and Practice Advisor.

Tim has been working with and learning about interpersonal communication, connection and conflict for over a decade. He supports, designs, facilitates and leads dynamic, responsive processes and projects that support people, communities and organisations to transform how they communicate and connect. Tim specialises in supporting people to identify and solve problems or complex interactions authentically and collaboratively.

Professionally, Tim is a mediator, facilitator, professional supervisor, and consultant. He mostly works with social good and impact-oriented organisations, as well as charities, corporates and local and national government. He is known for his work creating large scale community led change projects including Wellington Conversations | Kia whai take i Pōneke (2019/2020), a city wide event series backed by Wellington City Council to deepen neighbourhood connectedness throughout the city. Currently Tim is primarily working with individuals and organisations around New Zealand that work with people and communities – supporting them to understand and improve their practices, frameworks and tools.

Tim holds a Masters in Peace and Conflict Resolution and is an Advanced Accredited Mediator with Resolution Institute. He is a professional member of Resolution Institute NZ, Restorative Practices Aotearoa, and the Australian Clinical Supervision Association. Outside of work, Tim is a father, neighbour, gardener, musician, and a volunteer in the art and community sectors. He grew up in Vanuatu and Australia to Kiwi/Australian parents and has spent time living in France and Canada (Quebec). Tim has been living in Wellington with his family since 2014.

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Ponsonby Primary School

This month Ponsonby Primary School invited Meng Foon and Anjum Rahman to both speak and discuss unconscious bias and how we as adults and educators can recognise and act positively to address this notion around unconscious bias. A presentation on this discussion will be available on their website. The principal Sanjay Rama, recommended to teachers and parents, if they have the time to watch, there is some very strong messages portrayed.

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Paris Peace Forum

Anjum Rahman will be part of a panel at the Paris Peace Forum, talking about the Christchurch Call. The session is at 9pm (NZT) on 13 November and will be online. If you are interested in participating you will need to to register to attend the forum on their website here.

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Whatua Te Muka Tāngata
Weaving the Bonds of Humanity Leadership Development Opportunity for Third Culture Youth

What: A three-day residential programme or wānanga
Where: Ōrākei Marae
Start: Friday 11th Dec @ 2pm Finish: Sunday 13th Dec @ 2pm
Who: 18 to 30 years olds from any ethnic minority groups and of migrant/refugee background
Cost: Free of Charge

We know that instilling a deep sense of 'belonging' is essential to positive social and economic outcomes for migrant and refugee background communities. The Whatua Te Muka Tāngata initiative is based on using the Treaty of Waitangi and the incredible cultural tradition of welcoming that exists with the Māori culture to overcome this challenge for our growing diverse communities. We all have a role to play in this space. Our goal is to help you to fulfil your potential here.

The Opportunity: We would love for you to join us for a two-night/three-day programme or wānanga to connect with and build friendships with Māori young people and youth from diverse third cultures. This programme is designed to create connections and learning opportunities through specially designed and facilitated cultural activities and protocols. We will all share stories and explore concepts that exist within our cultures as well as within Te Ao Māori. We believe that storytelling is a powerful way of connecting, enhancing mana, and strengthening cohesion between us.

What you will gain: You will have the chance to be welcomed to Aotearoa by tangata whenua (the people of the land) and will have a tūrangawaewae (place where one has the right to stand), which we hope will serve as an anchor for you to know you are respected and valued as people of Aotearoa. You will build relationships through getting to know other third culture kids and rangatahi Maori in a safe place.

Our Vision: To welcome communities to weave and bind together the diverse threads of humanity through storytelling, identity and belonging to support social cohesion and well-being in our communities.

Next Steps: Please complete this Expression of Interest Form to register with us. We will be holding some community meetings to answer questions and for you to meet some of the team and find out more. If you would like us to come to your community, please get in touch to arrange. For more information please call: Tim on 0211998077 or email heaokotahinz@gmail.com

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Hiring soon

We will be looking to hire more staff, so please keep an eye out for a notice in December when we are ready to provide more information.

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Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono | UPDATE #21

Mālō e lelei,

The road trip has rolled to an end, and what a trip it's been! We spent the month of September in Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Taupo, Rotorua, Christchurch, North Canterbury, Marlborough. and back to back hui in Auckland.

With the conclusion of the road trip, the project is transitioning: from phase one to phase two, from moving around the country in person or virtually to a strategising and design mode, and from a research team to a constellation team.

We would like to thank everyone who has helped in this phase - the participants, volunteers, networkers, facilitators, notetakers, and the funders who have put their trust in this project so that we could get to this point.

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Thank you to Nona Morris

As we come to the next phase of our project we say a sad farewell to Nona Morris. Nona joined the project in September last year, and has played an integral role in setting up the plan for our road trip this year, scoping the project, organising trial conversations, and travelling around the country with Anjum. She kept in touch with volunteers, has written and sent out these newsletters, and so much more. She brought an umatched level of enthusiasm and energy to the project as well as a lovely sense of humour. We absolutely would not have got to this next stage without her, and the IACT team thank her deeply for all her work, while wishing her all the best for the next stage in her varied and wonderful life journey.

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The last of the road trips

September, our very last month of conversations, saw Anjum and Nona nearly constantly on the road. At the beginning of the month, we headed to Whakatane for packed-room conversations. From there, we held conversations in Gisborne and also caught up with Race Relations Commissioner/Kaihautū Whakawhanaungatanga‑ā‑Iwi Meng Foon. The next stop was Napier. Our thanks to Brian Hight who helped helped put the word out about the conversations and organised space for us to meet. We ended that particular road trip with a stop in Taupo.

With Race Relations commissioner, Meng Foon in Gisborne; welcome to our first Napier session at EIT!

The next road trip took us from Christchurch to Marlborough. Our gratitude to Cathy Harrison for organising our first session with the young men and staff of a Canterbury boys college. The students were well-spoken, thoughtful and a delight to meet.

Before going to Woodend the following day, we took time to visit the Al-Noor mosque. For Anjum, it was the first time she had been inside since the attacks. There was a lovely gentleman who showed us all around the mosque, told us where he was when it happened and what he witnessed, and described how the mosque community was moving forward. It was a moving experience.

Above - with Cathy Harrison, Christchurch; students and staff of a Canterbury boys college (right).

An emotional visit to Al-Noor Mosque in Christchurch.

Woodend in North Canterbury was our next stop. A shout out to Denise Wiggins for bringing together a group of individuals, including both recent arrivals and long term residents, for organising the venue, and for providing a delicious supper. The next leg of the journey was stop and start with all the roadworks, but we did get out for a stretch and a bite to eat along the beautiful shoreline of Kaikoura. Our Blenheim sessions were small, but packed with information. Thanks to Brother Zayd and Sister Nisha for your kind hospitality and making our visit to your city such a special time. Our final session in the South Island was held in Picton, in the Little Theatre, a lovely space with a community vibe.

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The Auckland Hui

The Auckland Hui, held over the weekend of 26-27 September, was a Covid-laced challenge. We had waited with bated breath to see if it could go ahead, and the Level 2 announcement was only made days before. Talie had to move at double speed to pull off not one hui, but two separate hui over two days because of the restrictions imposed by Covid, including tables with a maximum of four participants, strict protocols around food and beverage service, and masks available to all. Despite the barriers presented by Covid, the two days were packed with fascinating conversations. Thanks to our facilitators, note takers and our volunteer, Leilani Schmidt-Geen, who competently managed the front-of-house registration table.

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The data analysis is in full swing

Sara is in full data analysis mode. Data collection officially closed on the 1st of October. The next stage involves the quantitative and qualitative analysis of thousands of lines of data.

This process includes reviewing all conversations and analysing verbatim into key themes across the three questions posed: when do you feel like you belong; what's stopping you from feeling like you belong; and what needs to change so that you feel like you belong.

The final report will be published copyright-free on the IACT website by the beginning of 2021. We will send out a newsletter informing you of its publication, and we welcome you to download it and use it to develop your own projects and programmes.

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Check out Anjum's Auckland lecture

Anjum was invited to participate in the University of Auckland Winter Lecture Series for 2020. The theme for this year was 'Sex, gender and identity in Aotearoa New Zealand: Contemporary problems and what to do about them'.

Anjum chose to speak about 'Discrimination within Gender: Dealing with Bigotry and Racism'. Due to Covid, the lecture had to be online only.

If you would like to watch the other excellent lectures in this series, please see: Auckland University Winter Lecture Series.

Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono | UPDATE #20

Kamusta,

Covid restrictions are back, but Anjum and Nona were fortunate with the timing and were able to fit another road trip in before the lockdown in Auckland and country wide Level 2 was put into place. This time, they covered the eastern region between Christchurch and Dunedin and locations through Southland. Sara is continuing the extensive data analysis work, and Talie is busy reorganising and replanning the road trip, the hui, and the zoom conversations based on the new restrictions.

Unfortunately, our Christchurch hui had to be cancelled to ensure we were putting health and safety first, but as always, we are ready to hold Zoom conversations whenever needed by those who planned to attend the hui. We are still looking at Tauranga, Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay road trips, as well as crossing our fingers for an Auckland hui, while keeping a close eye on Covid levels.

Do check out our media page on our website for a range of presentations and media conversations. We wish all of you and your whānau good health and peace in these unsure times. We will come out stronger and more resilient from these experiences if we hold together as a community.

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Christchurch Hui Cancelled

Our Christchurch hui has been cancelled due to the level 2 restrictions on large group gatherings which make it difficult to have the small group conversations we run at the larger hui. But we want to ensure you have the opportunity to participate in a conversation. There will be scheduled Zoom events that you can join, or if you want to schedule a conversation for yourself or your group that is outside the scheduled events, please do not hesitate to contact Talie.

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Tauranga Conversations: Wed, 26 August

We are hosting small group conversations in Tauranga, with the necessary social distancing requirements, attention to disinfecting shared surfaces, and recommendations to use masks. We welcome your participation. There will be two sessions held on the day, and registration buttons are below.

Venue: The Kollective, 145 17th Avenue, Tauranga
Sessions: 10:30 am - 12 pm; 5:30 pm - 7 pm

If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact Talie.

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Whakatane/ Hawke’s Bay/ Taupo conversations

After the Tauranga event, we are hosting group conversations in Whakatane, Hawke’s Bay Area and Taupo.

Mon 31 August 1pm : Whakatane
Mon 31 August 6pm: Whakatane
Tue 1 September 1pm: Gisborne
Tue 1 September 6pm: Gisborne
Wed 2 September 6pm: Napier / Hastings
Thu 3 September 930am: Napier / Hastings
Thu 3 September 1pm: Napier / Hastings
Fri 4 September: 10am Taupo
Fri 4 September: 1pm Taupo

If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact Talie.

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Stories from the road

From early to mid-August, Anjum and Nona visited sites in Mid-Canterbury, Otago and Southland. The first day was packed with a conversation in Ashburton at the Mid-Canterbury Community House, followed by a conversation with the wonderful women of the Fale Pacifica o Aoraki Trust in Timaru. Our thanks to Adi Avnit and Ofa Boyle for organising these respective events.

On our way to Dunedin, we stopped for a walk at Moeraki Boulders. The tide was high and the evening sun cast a beautiful light on the boulders bathing in the surf, Anjum's jandals took an independent swim, and we felt re-energised and ready for the next bit of driving.

In Dunedin, we met with several groups over the course of two days. A massive thank you to Jasmine Wilson who brought together a diverse range of participants from a variety of sectors and assisted us with a myriad of logistical tasks. Next was an insightful conversation in Balclutha, with a rural group brought together by Gloria McHutchon. Gore's senior centre and public library provided spaces for us the next morning and afternoon for conversations, and then we headed to Invercargill.

At this point, the Covid restrictions were announced and the decision was made to cancel the Christchurch Hui. Two more sessions were held, in Invercargill and then in Queenstown, before we concluded this road trip.

Thank you to Meggy Bartlett-McBride of the Southland Multicultural Council who brought together members from a variety of ethnic communities to engage with us, and to Marie Day from the Lakes District Council for helping us with the Queenstown community groups and also the use of a venue. We appreciated the community members who came along on a particularly cold night to join a conversation.

Conversation group in Dunedin.

Moeraki Boulders.

Conversation with Assistant Librarian Megan in the Gore public library.

Meeting with Dr. Mai Tamimi and Dr. Mohammed Rizwan.

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Auckland Hui: Saturday, 26 September

We are going ahead with the planning for the Auckland Hui, with the understanding that it is a Covid-dependent event. Should the health risk to the community continue, we will move to Zoom events.

Please note that we have postponed the hui from our originally advertised date to Saturday, 26th September.

Please save the date and pass along this information to your networks.

Date: Saturday, 26 September 2020
Venue: Auckland venue available upon registration
Time: 2 - 5 pm
If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact Talie.

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Check out our media page!

Do check out our media page on our website. Anjum Rahman has been very active in the past month with speaking engagements on a range of topics, from online hate to media advice to the issues of racism. There are also various media interviews.

Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono | Update #19

Ni sa bula vinaka,

The days have been just chokka and all in a good way. Anjum and Nona finished an excellent road trip around Northland, the team conducted their first hui under the brilliant and efficient organisation skills of Talie, and then Anjum and Nona completed another road trip covering the western region between Wellington and Te Kuiti.

Sara is steadily working on sorting, compiling and analysing the pages and pages of data that come out of each conversation. We are now prepping for our next big event, the Christchurch hui. We will be running another South Island road trip just prior to the Christchurch hui. Details about this road trip are below.

And as always, we are ready to hold Zoom conversations whenever needed by those who cannot attend an in-person conversation. We have met so many wonderful and insightful people in the course of these road trips and look forward to meeting many more of you.

We hope you are all staying healthy this winter and avoiding the flus and other bugs going around. We continue to be grateful that Covid-19 has been controlled in New Zealand, and truly appreciate the opportunity we have been given to be doing this work in person.

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Christchurch Hui: Sat, 15th Aug 2020 (2-5pm)

Are you based in the Christchurch area? Would you like to join our conversation? Do you know individuals or organisations we should contact about coming to the hui?

The Christchurch Hui is an opportunity to share experiences and ideas around what belonging feels like, what hinders this, and what needs to change.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email Talie or call: 021 972 294.

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The 2nd South Island Road Trip

Our second South Island road trip kicks off on Friday, 7 Aug 2020. We will start south of Christchurch and move south to Otago. In particular, we will be running five different session times for conversations at the Community House in Dunedin.

The schedule for this road trip is as follows - follow the links to register for an event:

Fri 07 Aug, 10.30am: Ashburton
Fri 07 Aug, 230pm: Timaru
Sat 08 Aug, 1230pm: Dunedin
Sat 08 Aug, 3pm: Dunedin
Mon 10 Aug, 930am: Dunedin
Mon 10 Aug, 12pm: Dunedin
Mon 10 Aug, 3pm: Dunedin

More dates …

To register your attendance, or if you can help to put a group together in the towns listed below, please email Talie or call 021 972294.

Tue 11 Aug : Gore (times to be confirmed)
Wed 12 Aug: Invercargill (times to be confirmed)
Thu 13 Aug: Queenstown (times to be confirmed)
Fri 14 Aug: Queenstown (times to be confirmed)

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GiveaLittle

It was suggested that we set up a GiveaLittle page on our website for those who would like to contribute towards this project. Though we have wonderful support from funders, there will continue to be financial requirements to keep this project floating and moving forward.

The GiveaLittle button is now live on our website: Your donation will be used to support costs associated with holding conversations across New Zealand; development of the Strategy for Belonging and Inclusion; and implementation of key initiatives to support our vision.

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Aotearoa 2020Vision

Have a look at this campaign which has been designed to create space for you, our community, to share in a discussion about what your vision is for Aotearoa. Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono has contributed to this campaign, and we encourage you to check out their page.

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Stories from the road

Anjum and Nona spent nearly two weeks travelling through Northland. The first stop, Whangarei, was full to the brim with conversations that took place over two days. A huge thank you to our wonderful hosts, Charlotte and Dave, who looked after us in Whangarei.

Our next stop was Kaikohe, where we met with a large group at the Far North chapter of He Waka Eke Noa, an initiative headed up by the amazing Jane Beamsley, who has put her heart and soul into this vital mahi. We continued our journey and met with several groups in Kerikeri. A massive thank you to our lovely hosts Lex and Peter Littler, who opened their home to us in Kerikeri.

We had an excellent visit in Kaitaia and again met with a variety of individuals that shared their insights about living in that area. Thank you to the Community Centre who let us use their space. On our way to Dargaville, we took a fascinating detour to Broadwood where we wished we had more time to spend to hear more about the enormous success they are having with creating a strong sense of belonging in their children.

After a morning in Dargaville, we headed to Auckland. Big thanks to Dixie Dolejs for putting us up in Auckland. We were glad to get home, though the turnaround time was short because next up was our first hui.

Whangarei mental health team

Kerikeri Baha'i Centre

Our short but sweet stop in Broadwood

Public health team in Kerikeri

In early July, Anjum attended a hui at Orākei marae, where she participated in a discussion around the kaupapa: how Māori rangatahi can be uplifted through building a greater sense of connection and belonging among those new to our shores.

Our hui in Wellington, held on 11th July, was an excellent start to running large events to hold conversations. Our Events Coordinator, Talie, outdid herself putting on a smooth and polished event that everyone enjoyed tremendously. Our appreciation goes out to our many facilitators and notetakers, to our volunteers Leilani, Adam and Michael, and to Karen Below, our on-the-floor counsellor. All of them did an outstanding job in helping the hui run seamlessly. And thank you to all our participants who took time out of their Saturday to share their stories and insights.

Some of the participants and volunteers at our Wellington Hui.

Our most recent road trip began in Wellington, with a great stop in Masterton where we met a diverse group of people at the multicultural centre.

Our next stop was Palmerston North, where friends and relatives kindly hosted us. Our Palmerston North days were jam-packed, as was our next stop in Whanganui where the Council room was overflowing with participants. We were very excited at the enthusiasm and the turn out of participants, which ran into two separate sessions.

We were fortunate to have a personal tour of the local Quaker community to learn how they run an intentional egalitarian community around their faith principles. Following Whanganui, we had stops in New Plymouth and Te Kuiti, and on the way, celebrated Anjum's birthday at a beautiful west coast beach.

We are back in Hamilton for a couple of weeks, with our next road trip planning underway. Again, we are so grateful to all the participants who have so generously given their time and shared their experiences for this important mahi.

Multicultural Centre in Masterton

With a local councillor in Whanganui

Touring the Quaker Community in Whangarei with Michael and Merilyn Payne

Happy birthday Anjum!

Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono | Update #18

Hola,
We are so proud of the way the Covid-19 crisis was handled in this country, thanks to the united way people came together to smash this pandemic within our borders. We know from our many conversations that it was not an easy time for many individuals, and we wish you the very best in your transition to life outside of lockdown.  



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The exciting news from us is that the road trip is back on! Anjum and Nona are heading to Northland to hold conversations with individuals and groups in the region.  After the Northland trip, we will head to Wellington to hold a hui, and we welcome your interest in joining us if you are in the area.

Please read below for details about the hui.  

This doesn't mean the Zoom conversations are over - we will continue with these in the periods we are not on the road. More information on these conversations is below.  

We thank all of you who have participated and helped us find more participants for the conversations. Your contributions are invaluable. 

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Northland Road Trip

Our Northland road trip kicks off next week. We will start up the eastern side - beginning in Whangarei, moving north to the Bay of Islands, and then to Kerikeri, Kaitaia, before coming down the west coast through Opononi and Dargaville.

If there are contacts in any of these areas that you can suggest we reach out to, please email Talie or call 021 972 294.

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Wellington Hui: Sat, 11th July 2020

Our Wellington Hui is planned for Saturday, 11th July 2020, 2pm- 5pm
Are you based in the Wellington area? Would you like to join our conversation? Do you know individuals or organisations who we should contact about coming to the hui?

The Wellington Hui is an opportunity to share experiences and ideas around what belonging feels like, what hinders this, and what needs to change.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email Talie or call 021 972 294.

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More Zoom conversations scheduled

The online conversations have been really successful and we will continue to hold these when we are not travelling on the road trip. If you haven't participated in a conversation, please consider doing so. We want to hear from all of you. Every one of your voices is important in this work.

We are using Zoom to host our online events. If you haven't used Zoom before, it’s easy to use and can be downloaded here. View upcoming Zoom events on our events page, or email Talie to book a conversation for you or your group.

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Our online survey is still running

We’ve set up an online survey that asks our three questions around belonging – and allows you to submit answers at any time from home. Survey responses are completely anonymous. You can respond by typing or by voice recording.

We’d really love your help in completing our survey and sharing it with others. The more specifics or examples around your experiences and ideas you can give us, the more useful the data. There is no such thing as saying or writing too much!

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Two more hui planned

We have dates locked in for two more hui:

• Christchurch: Saturday, 15th August 2020

• Auckland: Saturday, 12th September 2020

Save the dates!

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Earth Beat Aotearoa

In 2014, a group of friends founded Earth Beat to provide a platform for transformation and celebration that will inspire and empower new ways of living. Earth Beat is for everyone, including all who are involved in the production of the festival. Through hosting transformational, co-creative events, they aim to nurture and nourish the mauri of Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa, the land and the people.

Earth Beat Aotearoa envision a world where life is not only sustainable but regenerative; a world where we focus on potential rather than problems, where individual contributions are aligned with the greater good, and where we live in harmony with the natural rhythm of our bodies and the beat of the Earth.

This June, Earth Beat Aotearoa is running the Human Potential Series. There are many speakers and topics, and all that have already taken place are available to watch on the website below. Anjum Rahman will be presenting in the last week of June. You can watch Anjum's presentation live on on June 27th at 4pm NZST by using the link below.

The event will also be on Zoom and the first 100 attendees will be able to ask live questions on the Zoom call. If you require further information, please contact Earth Beat. 

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Anti-racism events go global

George Floyd's tragic and unnecessary murder has unleashed a tidal wave of anger, pain and suffering from centuries of overt and systemic racism that target people of colour in so many parts of the world. The world has also witnessed a determination from millions of people that things must change.

Our project is aligned with the goals of anti-racism causes across the globe and within Aotearoa New Zealand. Through the conversations we have held so far this year, race-based discrimination has been a recurring barrier to belonging that many of our participants have expressed. It is our hope that our project will contribute to the elimination of this barrier in our country.

In keeping with this global outpouring, Anjum Rahman participated in an online webinar series, Te Tiriti Based Futures: Anti-racism 2020. This innovative online Tiriti-based, anti-racism and decolonisation event in Aotearoa covered a range of topics including institutional racism and anti-racism, decolonisation, and transforming our constitution. Many of the sessions from the open-access webinars are freely posted on-line, where they are a permanent resource for anti-racist activism and Tiriti education.

Watch Anjum's webinar, "Acceptable Discrimination: the use of language to side-step the consequences of racism:

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Positive Impact Stories

During Alert Levels 3 & 4, the Student Volunteer Army offered a grocery delivery service. They delivered groceries nationwide to those who could not easily pop to the supermarket due to age, health or circumstance. They continued offering this service in Level 2.

In addition they provided a ‘chat and unpack’ service when making a grocery order, and launched a tech support initiative in which their services could be requested through an online form. Well done to the team of volunteers for their support throughout the lockdown period. If you are interested in what they do or would like to participate, contact Eriko Kobayashi or visit their website.

Andrés Proaño is an IT professional who is using his skills to make a difference. He got in touch with migrants who lost their jobs because of Covid-1.

These individuals, because of their visa status, were not eligible for the wage subsidy nor for other government assistance, but at the same time, they were not able to return home because flights to their countries were not running. They are still struggling, and need assistance.

Andrés started a website to help them find resources and more information. He is also trying to find places that will host them for a few days as some are struggling to pay for accommodation. If you or anyone you know can help with this, please let Andrés know at: 0284279253.

Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono | Update #17

Nǐ hǎo,

With the next announcement about lockdown status, we are grateful that things continue to become safer in New Zealand. But, for the time being, our work with IACT will continue online for a little while longer. We will make our decision about going back on the road as soon as the risk to others is as low as it can be.

To date, we have held dozens of conversations using Zoom, reaching people in about 25 locations around New Zealand. A big thank you to all who gave us a couple hours of their day to participate in a conversation. The conversations have been fascinating, insightful and we treasure the stories you have shared with us.

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We still want to hear from you

If you have participated in a conversation, we would really appreciate if you could encourage your networks to join one. If you are on our mailing list, but haven't participated in a conversation, please consider doing so. We want to hear from all of you. Every one of your voices is important in this work.

We are using Zoom to host our online events. It’s an easy tool to use and allows us to talk with you via video call. We can host group events or one-to-one. Just let us know which you prefer. If you haven't used Zoom before, it’s easy to use and can be downloaded here.

There are upcoming conversations that anyone can join by visiting our events page. There are upcoming events that anyone can join. These events will be published on our Facebook page.

If you're not on Facebook, just email Talie.

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Our online survey is live!

Prefer to answer our key questions about belonging via an survey? We’ve set up an online survey that asks the same three questions around belonging – and allows you to submit answers at any time from home. Survey responses are completely anonymous. You can respond by typing or by voice recording. We’d really love your help in completing our survey and sharing it with others.

Click here to start survey

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Road trip planning has restarted

With the removal of some restrictions and Level 2 is coming up in a couple of days, we have reignited our road trip planning. Over the next two weeks, while everyone is shifting back into public spaces, we will be laying down plans to start the road trip, beginning with visits around the North Island by the end of May/beginning of June.

Please contact Talie if you can help assemble a group of up to 8 individuals who would be willing to participate in a conversation.

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Thank you to our campaign promoters

A big thanks to ActionStation and Volunteering NZ for their help in running campaigns to bring in more conversation participants. We appreciate the time you put in to give us greater visibility across New Zealand.

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A shout out to...

Multicultural Whangarei for supporting our conversations by including our details in their newsletter and website, and to Eastern Bay Villages for getting the word out through their mailout - thank you!

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A Lockdown Positive Impact Story

Image credit: Belong Aotearoa

The refugee and migrant families involved across Auckland's Belong Aotearoa "Safari Playgroups" are some of the most isolated, with a lack of resources to access support services. So in the early stage of lockdown, the Safari team moved playgroups online, and worked on building the capacity of their families to engage.

Taking into account the varying levels of IT access, limitations around play resources, and the need for processes to build capabilities to engage online, Belong Aotearoa's Safari team developed and delivered Safari play kits, essential supplies, and internet data (particularly for those with only a phone to access the internet) and then moved families from online messaging apps to more interactive online platforms.

This has helped families adapt to new technology, stay connected and improve their families’ wellbeing. The Safari team have been able to translate that face-to-face unique support successfully online despite the barriers of language and technology, and have been working with 137 enrolled families over the lockdown period.

Ka Pai to the team – this is a wonderful example of innovation and compassion to build a socially inclusive space during the weeks of lockdown.

Inclusive Aotearoa Collective | Update # 16

Talofa lava, 

New Zealand is setting a global example in cooperation to defeat a life or death threat. Our appreciation goes out to everyone for pulling together and doing what is necessary to make lockdown work. 

Meanwhile, our project is finding its space in the digital domain, with online conversations being held most working days.

Even if we can't meet you in person, we enjoy getting to know you through Zoom, and hearing about your ideas and experiences around your sense of belonging.  

So please tell your networks about our online conversations and encourage them to join in.  

Keep up the good work everyone!  Our lockdown efforts are proving to be a success!

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We want to hear from you

Our online conversations about Belonging and Inclusion have been full of interest and insight, but we want to hear from all of you. Every one of your voices is important in this work.

We are using Zoom to host our online events. It’s an easy tool to use and allows us to talk with you via video call. We can host group events or one-to-one. Just let us know which you prefer.

Not used Zoom before?
It’s easy to use (and perfect for keeping in touch during Level 4 restrictions) and can be downloaded here.

There are upcoming events that anyone can join. These events will be published on our Facebook page. Please take a look at our upcoming events and join us. Or visit our events page for more information. If you're not on Facebook, just email Talie.

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Our online survey is live!

Prefer to answer key questions about belonging via a survey? We’ve set up an online survey that asks the same three questions around belonging – and allows you to submit answers at any time from home. Survey responses are completely anonymous. You can respond by typing or by voice recording. We’d really love your help in completing our survey and sharing it with others.

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Come hang with us on Tues mornings!

We have been getting together every Tuesday morning at 10 am during Level 4 restrictions to hang out, chat, check in with each other. It's been great to get to know those of you who have joined us, and we'd love to meet more of you.

It's social, completely informal, and it's been a fun way to connect. If you would like to join us, use this link and and we'll get you connected to our online Zoom space. Looking forward to meeting you there!

If we can help you, please reach out

We are all available and happy to support in whatever ways we can. You are welcome to reach out to any of us:

Anjum
Nona
Talie
Sara

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Positive Impact Stories

Tell us your positive impact stories during lockdown and we'll share them here.

Inclusive Aotearoa Collective | Update # 15

Kia ora koutou, Greetings, Namaste, Bonjour, Shalom, Hamjambo, Hola, Talofa lava, Nihau, Konichiwa & As-Salaam-Alaikum,  

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COVID-19 update

The first week of COVID-19 Level 4 restrictions is nearing and every one of us has experienced that differently. For some, adjusting to those sudden changes can be likened to stages in the grieving process. 


Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance – all of these may be felt, in no prescribed order, and in a way that makes the immediate changes necessary quite difficult to comprehend or manage. Our thoughts and aroha are with you all.

But we all have this: we have a common goal. To pull our country through to the other side of the COVID-19 threat, and enable a place where we re-form and reconnect. 

In the last few weeks we have seen beautiful examples of love and compassion; people reaching out to strangers to care and comfort; and those who may ordinarily feel isolated taken into the fold of their local community. 

Now, more than ever, that sense of belonging and inclusion is key. That freedom to thrive and be appreciated for who you are is crucial as we move through the next weeks of self-isolation.  

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Join our Virtual Road Trip 



We are continuing with our Conversations about Belonging and Inclusion. Taking them online, we’re holding a virtual road trip that will head into local regions and towns in New Zealand, bringing in voices from across the country to talk about what belonging feels like what hinders this, and what needs to change.

We’ll be using Zoom to host our online events

It’s an easy tool to use and allows us to talk with you via video call. We can host group events or one-to-one. Just let us know.   

Not used Zoom before? It’s easy to use (and perfect for keeping in touch during Level 4 restrictions) and can be downloaded here.  

Our upcoming events

All are welcome and anyone can join us! These events will be published on our Facebook page. Please take a look at our upcoming events and join us. Or visit our events page for more information.

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Our online survey is live!

Prefer to answer key questions about belonging via a survey?  We’ve set up an online survey that asks the same three questions around belonging – and allows you to submit answers at any time from home.   Survey responses are completely anonymous. We’d really love your helping in completing our survey and sharing it with others.   

Click here to start the survey

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Zoom Hang-out Space

While we are in Level 4 restrictions, we welcome any and all to join us every Tuesday morning at 10 am for a social virtual coffee hour. Let's connect, talk about coping during lockdown, the positives, the concerns, and looking forward.

If you would like to join us, head to our Facebook page and register for the next Zoom Hang Out Space. All four of us will be there.

Need to talk?

We are all available and happy to support in whatever way we can. You are welcome to reach out to any of us via email:
Anjum
Nona
Talie
Sara

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What's happening in your locale to connect to your community?

Tell us your positive impact stories and we'll share them here. Are you hosting zoom parties? Dropping off home-cooked food to someone in need? Shopping for a friend or neighbour? Putting a bear in your window? Online exercising with friends?

This month’s good news story …

Timi Barabas moved to New Zealand from Hungary when she was 15. Now a Year 13 student at Rototuna High School, Timi has spent the last two years working as an activist for compassion.

Her response to Covid-19 was to set up a Facebook page advocating kindness. Through this page, Timi has assembled a team of youth who are actively outreaching to elderly care facilities in the city to find out who would like a phone or letter-writing buddy from a list of local volunteers they collected.

Timi also regularly posts information about other ways to help out during the Covid-19 crisis.

If you are in Hamilton, please join Timi's Facebook page – or check out her ideas of what you can put online for your local community.

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"In every crisis, doubt or confusion, take the higher path - the path of compassion, courage, understanding and love." - Amit Ray

Inclusive Aotearoa Collective | Update # 14

Kia ora koutou, Greetings, Namaste, Bonjour, Shalom, Hamjambo, Hola, Nihau, Konichiwa & As-Salaam-Alaikum,

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With COVID-19 announcements both here and internationally, the last few days have been difficult with substantial change for everyone across the globe. We’ve had to adjust to the way we live and work, where we go, and how we connect. Our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones, are unwell or struggling with job losses and immense uncertainty. 

It’s a time when confusion and fear can be our first calling card. But it’s also when belonging and inclusion are needed more than ever. 

Through these uncertain times, let’s remember one very important fact about who we are: Our country is recognised internationally for responding to troubling times with love and cohesion. Please, let’s continue to showcase that to world. 

So, let’s talk. Let’s embrace our goals of belonging and inclusion – but do so in a way that keeps us all safe and helps Aotearoa New Zealand protect its people and shores. Our larger events, such as the upcoming Christchurch Hui, will be postponed. In the interim, we’ll run our conversations online. We’d love you to join us and we’ll be in touch about this. Local conversations with individuals or smaller groups will be held in a way that makes you feel safe and comfortable.  

We’re all in this together. Let’s link arms in a different way. Kia kaha.

Ngā mihi nui,

Anjum, Nona, Sara and Talie

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PLEASE CHECK OUT THIS ONLINE EVENT!

Te Tiriti Based Futures: Anti-racism 2020 Te Tiriti-based Futures: Anti-racism 2020 is an online and offline 10-day event that Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono is partnering with, in which both domestic and international presenters and panels will discuss and explore Tiriti-based futures, institutional racism and anti-racism, decolonisation, and transforming our constitution. Overseas presenters will also discuss lessons for Aotearoa from their experiences with these broader issues.

Start date: 21 March 2020, Race Relations Day 2020

There is a fascinating line-up of presenters over the course of the 10 days, and it is easy to register. Just use the link below. Among the many presenters, IACT's Anjum Rahman will be speaking:

22 March 2020, 1:30 p.m.

Anjum will be speaking in a webinar entitled: Islamophobia - Acceptable Discrimination: The use of language to side-step the consequences of racism The open-access webinars will be posted on-line, where they will become permanent resources for anti-racist activism and Tiriti education.

Please register for the webinars here.