A view from our President, Tony Mayow
Whether one accepts or rejects the thesis that Auckland’s reorganisation was designed under the assumption it would be inherited by John Banks, there can be no doubt that the first Council election result has presented a scenario only the bold would have predicted just one year ago. (more…)
A view from our President, Tony Mayow
This issue’s focus on local government brings together a number of concerns.
I’ve written and talked a lot about the connections between local government with community development and social services. I’ve made no secret about my passion for the central, positive role that good local government can play in supporting communities, and about the grave concerns that have been raised over the past 18 months about government’s intentions for it. (more…)
A view from our President, Tony Mayow.
This New Dialogue issue is one outcomes of the incredibly successful Community Economic Development Conference held in Waitakere in February this year. Some 300 people came together to share experience and debate the concepts of social enterprise and community economic development, in an atmosphere of excitement, innovation and collegial support.
By common agreement, it was one of the ‘buzziest’ conferences ever, marked by intensive informal networking, and highly informative and entertaining presentations from a wide array of guest speakers—both NZ and International.
Jade Tang is the Art Director and Connector for the yMedia Challenge.
yMedia is a social enterprise that works to connect students, industry and not-for-profit organisations to develop and implement new media initiatives for collective growth.
Now in its fourth year of development, yMedia has established an eight week challenge, which provides not-for-profit organisations the opportunity to increase their knowledge and use of information communication technology, with tertiary students implementing live new media projects, allowing them to gain tangible experience, while being supported by an industry professional.
It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. Alan Cohen.
This is both my first time writing the Executive Director’s view and my last. My four months acting in the role draw to a close now and after handing the baton back to Tina and briefing her on what is current, I will be leaving NZFVWO for new pastures. But more of that later.
Social enterprise is alive and well in New Zealand, and I was amazed with what some organisations were doing when I heard them speak at the Community Economic development Conference in February. It may not be for everyone, but it does offer the likes of the Federation and other national umbrella organisations a chance to move out of the box and to look at ways of earning income without the constraints of a government contract, or the uncertainties of ongoing philanthropic funding.
There is a growing interest in the use of social lending tools in New Zealand and, thanks to the Ian Axford (New Zealand) Public Policy Fellowship, an American social lending practitioner is here. Laura Benedict, a 2010 Axford Fellow, heads up the commercial lending department at the US’s largest non-profit community development financial institution: Self-Help.
Social lending covers a broad swath—loans to non-profits, affordable housing, anti-loan shark programmes, and small business development for minorities and women. This article focuses on ways social lending can be relevant to your organisation.
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Reflections from Di Jennings and Lindsay Jeffs, CED Conference Organisers.
At the Community Economic Development (CED) Conference held in Waitakere, Auckland in February this year, leading practitioners from Scotland, England, Canada, Australia and New Zealand made presentations on social enterprise development, social lending, community banking, asset development and creative approaches to community building. The conference catch cry was “people, place and prosperity”.