OVTRK Update December 2017

HAPPY HOLYDAYS everyone!

Following the election the OVTRK Organising Group and the Greater Christchurch Partnership (GCP) committee have now finalised our Working Agreement.

This is part of the OVTRK commitment to creating meaningful communication conduits for Third Sector voices so that they shall be heard in deliberations on Strategy and Policy in Greater Christchurch.

The recent OVTRK Matariki Forum presentations from Helen Leahy on Whanau Ora framework and from people in TSOs on environmental, social, cultural and economic well-beings, and links between them, have been most useful.

Commitment to an ecological Tiriti o Waitangi-based multicultural future remains our guiding framework.

During the next two weeks we hope to have more to share - watch this space!

Collating resources on Valuing TSOs is continuing - particularly in conversation with Dr Suzanne Vallance, whose generosity we really appreciate.

Sue's proposed research draws upon literature from systems thinking, social capital, community development and collaborative governance to identify, evaluate and facilitate the development of 'soft infrastructure' that enables different ways of ‘working together’. Innovative examples of working together include brokers, working groups, charters, MoUs, programmes and bespoke governance bodies.

Feedback from TSOs about the interface between Social Enterprise and the Third Sector as well as about citizenship and Treaty-based development all raises further points for discussion!

We continue to promote the need for independent and affordable shared spaces for Third Sector organisations around Greater Christchurch – including in the central city. The EnviroHub has almost completed its scoping report

     - see the Sector Report & Actions

which has been updated today!

Do remember we love your feedback to help shine light on the broad Third Sector - making connections for us and our children after us! Do encourage TSOs large and small to make us all visible on the Registry embracing interdependence and maximum autonomy for each of our organisations and those involved in them.

NOTE: We have been asked to pass on to you that the Long Term Plans for ECan and for the CCC are open for submission and that the feedback received on the draft concept for Cathedral Square and surrounding areas can now be viewed at : engage.regeneratechristchurch.nz .

OVTRK Update August 2017

To keep you in the loop at this (nearly) Spring, busy time in the lead up to the election the OVTRK Organising Group has been following up from the:

Report from 2017 FORUM on June 29

Celebrating Matariki and the Voices of the Third Sector
and
making connections for us and our children after us

We have updated the <onevoicetereokotahi.blogspot.> with a "new"

• summary of One Voice Te Reo Kotahi (OVTRK)

and

• backgrounder About OVTRK

We have also followed up with the Greater Christchurch Partnership (GCP) Group
and are working to build the GCP/OVTRK relationship. We should have a document for circulation later in September.....

Finally, for your consideration, the Sector Report & Actions has been updated today.

Do remember to send any contributions.... and we love your feedback!

Report from 2017 FORUM on June 29

Celebrating Matariki and the Voices of the Third Sector

and

making connections for us and our children after us

In spite of several apologies, due to several major events coinciding with the Forum, 66 people gathered to reflect together on our Third Sector combined successes and challenges, and in the achieving of links between the four well-beings (economic, social, environmental and cultural).

After sharing kai, we heard four wonderful presentations from each of these four well-beings presenters, summarising themes emerging from the Third Sector Organisations (TSOs) involved in OVTRK.

Here, with an introduction of the presenters, are the links to those:

Open Forum - Celebrating Matariki and the Voices of the Third Sector

The One Voice Te Reo Kotahi (OVTRK) Organising Group would like to invite you to join us at our 2017 open Forum:

Celebrating Matariki and the Voices of the Third Sector

6.30-9pm on Thursday 29 June
at Ara Institute, Coventry St, Te Puna Wanaka Whare Kai
Bus routes at metroinfo.co.nz. Parking map here.

Please bring a plate of kai to share

An opportunity to reflect together on our combined successes and challenges in achieving the links between the four wellbeings (economic, social, environmental and cultural).

After sharing kai, as a starter for the evening conversation, we've invited a speaker from each of these four wellbeings to summarise some themes they see emerging from the Third Sector. They'll be drawing from the voices they hear in the sector, including yours.

If you wish to contribute to the summary, please send your thoughts for environmental to Colleen Philip: colleenphilip@paradise.net.nz, social to Sharon Torstonson: Sharon@sewn.org.nz, cultural to Maria Fresia: maria.fresia@interpret.org.nz, economic to Margaret Jefferies: Margaret@lyttelton.net.nz.

Then we can decide together what next…..

OVTRK aims to ensure that Third Sector Organisations (TSOs) are valued in the creation of positive plans for the future of Greater Christchurch. Our current focus is

• advocating for the value of TSOs - see the Valuing TSOs Project.
• promoting an ecological, Tiriti o Waitangi-based multicultural future
• creating meaningful communication conduits for Third Sector voices so that they shall be heard, including in the earthquake Regeneration phase

Many of us have been referring to the research developed by Chrys Horn (et al) – see the full Report here. That Report identified some priorities on pages 29&30 which we considered at our 2016 Matariki Forum and at the 23 May 2017 Forum organised by SEWN on resourcing the Third Sector. We welcome feedback - see Sector Report & Actions for that received since the 2016 Forum.

…. from Max Harris THE NEW ZEALAND PROJECT Bridget Williams Books (2017):

Today, perhaps projecting a little based on my own experience [open heart surgery], I think a different kind of heart needs repairing: the heart of the country. This repair is about all of us. We’ve stumbled and fallen. Our heart’s connective tissue has been weakened. And we need the pulse of our social conscience to start beating harder again. So ……. What are we waiting for?

Do help us get the message out – here is a link to a simplified publicity flier for your noticeboard!

More information is available from the OVTRK Team - email <tsovoices@gmail.com>

What would help your group or organisation?

Keeping a non-profit or third sector organisation ticking over and carrying out its mahi can be a challenge. We've all got ideas of what might help. Perhaps you'd like to see funders and/or central and local government:

• Think about sector capacity and find ways to communicate this.
• Give full consideration to concerns regarding under-resourcing of the sector relative to the demands made of it.
• Increase the length of funding periods and recognise the opportunity these present for groups to take a more strategic approach to their work.
• Fund more positions and fewer projects, to allow greater flexibility for organisations to meet changing community needs
• Continue to support the Leadership in Communities initiative run by the Leadership Lab.
• Recognise the importance of providing affordable accommodation to ensure Third Sector Organisations can meet current and future needs
• Make space available in libraries, or schools for Third Sector groups to hot desk or timeshare, and meet in libraries.
• Provide access to services and support such as photocopying, broadband, computers, meeting rooms, graphics assistance, or financial and legal assistance for community groups and individuals working to set groups up, building on support already provided.
• Ensure indoor community meeting space is required in all new housing developments.
• Facilitate governance conversations with local community groups around local developments to give groups and local government more capacity to prepare and adapt.
• Are these actions feasible? What are funders and government already doing that reflect these actions? How can the sector, funders and central and local government work together to achieve these to the full extent possible?

Come along and join SEWN at a forum to discuss these questions with Christchurch City Council, Rata Foundation, Wayne Francis Trust, and Dept Internal Affairs. We hope that by the end of the forum we'll all have a better idea of what's already happening, what's possible, and how we can get there.

Tuesday 23 May, 12 noon - 3pm,
Oxford Tce Baptist Church Lounge,
286 Oxford Tce, Christchurch.

There will be finger food and refreshments available throughout the meeting, RSVP to Carmel, admin@sewn.org.nz (Remember to let us know if you have any special dietary or other requirements.)

Many thanks to the speakers from Rata, CCC, Wayne Francis and DIA for being willing to come along and give us perspectives from the funding and government sectors.

The action points above are taken from "Third Sector/Not-for-Profit Sector Recovery in Post-Earthquake Christchurch", commissioned by CERA and researched and written by Dr Chrys Horn, Sarah Wylie, and Jane Mountier. Hard copies are available from Christchurch Community House, or you can find it on the SEWN website - http://ccoss.org.nz/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Third-Sector-Recovery-Report-2016.pdf

We look forward to seeing you on Tues 23rd!

Sharon Torstonson
Kaituiora

Social Equity & Wellbeing Network (SEWN)
Ph 366 2050

OVTRK Update April/May 2017

Who is who on the Organising Group (April 2017)

Tangata Whenua

Rex Gibson Co-Chair with Ariana Wilson, Karaitiana Tickell, Anita Panirau, Richard Tankersley and Allen Gibbs.

Tangata Tiriti

Katherine Peet Co-Chair with Andrew Scott, Gina Payne, Nigel Rushton, Becca Bouffandeau, Sally Carlton, Martin Luff/Danny Squires and SelaFaletolu-Fasi

- with technical support from Dave Evans

If you would like to contribute to the planning of our work, please let us know at tsovoices@gmail.com we would appreciate your contributions.

Third Sector Forum

Kia ora koutou

This is a heads-up for a 'must-attend' event coming soon.

Late last year a report on the post-quake recovery needs of the Third/Not-For-Profit sector was released. (http://ccoss.org.nz/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Third-Sector-Recovery-Report-2016.pdf) Many of us in the sector contributed our time, perspectives and knowledge to the research in the hope that we could influence some changes to help strengthen our sector.

The report came up with over 30 Action Points, and now is the time to figure out how to make these actions happen. This forum is aimed at establishing what's already happening that supports the actions. We'll be hearing from some of the stakeholders identified in the report - funders and central/local government, and discussing with them what they're doing now that aligns with the actions. There will also be opportunities to identify what else is already happening in our own sector, and start to tease out 'what next'.

Keep an eye out for more information coming out soon, and in the meantime make sure you keep Tues 23 May, 12 noon - 3pm free.

OVTRK Update + Any update from your TSO before 15 February?

This update to TSOs on the OVTRK Register is to alert your TSO to the opportunity to send your OVTRK Organising Group any update from you for 15 February - see below?

It also highlights some recent developments in the Third Sector

• ECO Canterbury Regional Hub - for environment and conservation interested organisations. Discussion forum afternoon of Saturday 18 February 2017 Venue WEA, 59 Gloucester St, Christchurch

Fill in the Doodle poll "ECO Cant Regional Hub - discussion forum" if you can or cannot attend. Please fill your name and response and don't forget to "save". The link to the poll is: http://doodle.com/poll/y5qbvqyk6bfahhqz

    PROPOSED AGENDA Saturday for mid - late afternoon 18 February 2017
   1. Hub activities
    (i) Calendar of Environmental Activities: the format and action on this?
    (ii) Need for a physical Environment Centre?
    (iii) Research: needs for this or what is being done
    (iv)What do we want from the local government "network offer"
    2. Opportunity for Networking Action -
    Seven Rivers Seven Weeks - Walk for the Planet
    https://www.facebook.com/walk4theplanet/
    3. Panel discussion
     (i) Democratic Consultation and representation...there is strong concern of how organisations are being manipulated in so-called consultations Democracy is being lost...there is corruption of the democratic process.
    (ii) Urban and Red Zone issues What is really happening with Regenerate Christchurch and environment conservation organisation issues? And other urban issues.
    (iii) Ecologic economics - we need a systems change - we cannot go on the way we are.
    (iv) Water issues in Canterbury - overview/update