Meri Kirihimete from Powerdigm – Dec 2025
As I reflect on the year, what comes to mind first is the times I have travelled across the Motu – Tauranga, Dunedin, Auckland, Nelson, Rotorua, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch – connecting with many of you in person. The challenges and successes you have shared with me have been invaluable in shaping Powerdigm’s direction.
Across our mahi in 2025, we’ve seen clear themes emerging for organisations working toward community-led and systems-level change:
- Measurement & impact: Many organisations are facing new expectations around evidence and accountability and need simple, practical ways to demonstrate change.
- System-change realities: True system change remains challenging. Collaboration across sectors is uneven, and alignment takes time.
- Capability gaps: Facilitation confidence, data literacy, and the ability to use evidence meaningfully continue to be common development needs.
- Where we’ve seen success: The biggest shifts this year came when organisations focused on what things were within their control and influence, and used simple tools and approaches to understand, measure and grow their impact.
This year, our consultancy collective has partnered with a range of government agencies, NGO’s and philanthropic organisations, supporting teams to grow and demonstrate their impact, strengthen governance and policy, and develop internal Te Tiriti capability and strategy.
In 2026, we’ll continue to champion practical tools, relational leadership, and evidence-informed decision-making to support this important mahi.
I hope the holidays give you space to rest, recharge, and celebrate the good. Meri Kirihimete, and I look forward to reconnecting in the new year.
– Donna Provoost, Director
Community-led practice in action – Nov 2025
As we hurtle towards the end of the year, we’re highlighting learning, connection and what happens when we put practice into action. Many of you are navigating change in your local contexts, and we continue to see how community-led approaches create space for communities to shape their own responses.
This month we’re sharing a wide mix of opportunities to support this way of working, so I’ll keep this intro brief. We have one more pānui before we break for summer, and we’d love to include any stories of change you’re open to sharing as part of a collaborative end-of-year edition.
Ngā mihi mō tō koutou mahi,
– Aaron Hawkins, Director, Inspiring Communities
Weaving our strengths and connections – Oct 2025
It’s been an energising time here at Inspiring Communities as our strategic refresh continues to take shape, strengthening how we support CLD learning and practice across Aotearoa.
Upcoming highlights include our AI for Community webinar, Tūhono Impact workshop on measuring what matters, and a thoughtful new blog from Donna Provoost on making the invisible visible in social impact.
Our Te Tiriti and Trauma-informed Practice sessions are both now full, but there’s always our online module CLD 101 to help build your foundational knowledge, and spaces available in next year’s Micro-credential in CLD Facilitation cohort to strengthen your own practice. And if budget allows, why not share your local story on the world stage at World Community Development Conference 2026 in Glasgow?
Ngā mihi nui,
– Aaron Hawkins, Director, Inspiring Communities
Making the invisible visible – Oct 2025
It’s been a busy season of kōrero! From launching our new Tūhono Impact tool to presenting at Whakamanawa 2025 earlier this year, and now gearing up to join Volunteering NZ’s Changemakers Hui, I’ve been privileged to connect with so many of you exploring how we measure and make sense of our mahi.
We all know social impact is more than just the visible outcomes, it’s also the deeper shifts in confidence, belonging, and connection that really make our communities stronger. That’s why I wrote a recent blog unpacking what social impact really means, and how we can better capture the invisible impacts that matter most. Whether you’re deep into demonstrating your social impact already or just starting out, Tūhono Impact offers a practical way to reflect, track and share your story in ways that resonate with your values and your community.
If you haven’t yet explored the tool, webinar, or upcoming workshop, now’s the time! And if your organisation is ready to go further in telling your impact story, or needs support with strategy, design or facilitation – we’d love to help.
– Donna Provoost, Director
Learning, leading and local change – Sept2025
This month we’ve been celebrating te reo Māori as part of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. More than a language, te reo carries whakapapa, wairua and ways of being. It’s also been a great excuse to test our tongues and reconnect with the kaupapa that guides us.
In this pānui, you’ll find an upcoming Community Building Block focused on bringing Te Tiriti principles to life in CLD, alongside recordings of our Tūhono Impact webinar and kōrero from our Child Rich Communities whānau. Our regular offerings continue too, including CLD 101 and the Micro-credential programme.
And of course, I’d be remiss not to give you a gentle nudge toward your local ballot box. Voting is open now. Have your say in the places and decisions that shape your community.
– Aaron Hawkins, Director, Inspiring Communities
Rooted in Community: Introducing Tūhono Impact – Aug 2025
We’re so excited to introduce Tūhono Impact! A new, free resource developed by Powerdigm to help you understand, measure, and share the impact of your mahi.
Across Aotearoa, many organisations are navigating the uncertainty of new expectations around social investment and impact measurement. Tūhono Impact was developed to respond to that, providing a practical, values-based tool to support organisations to stay connected to their purpose, voice, and community. This approach is unique to Aotearoa.
It isn’t just a framework; it’s a practical, DIY resource co-developed with kaupapa Māori and community organisations, evaluators, and researchers. It includes worksheets, examples, and reflection prompts to help you assess, improve, and confidently share your impact story.
Check it out, spread the word across your networks and jump online to walk through the tool with us in our upcoming webinar!
🔗 Visit the website: tuhonoimpact.nz
The Power of Rangatahi-Led Community Change
“Take care of our children. Take care of what they hear, see, and feel. For how the children grow, so will the shape of Aotearoa.” – Dame Whina Cooper
Building child-rich communities means focusing our engagement and collaboration on the potential of our tamariki and rangatahi. Across the motu, many are passionate about building resilient communities for and with our young people, knowing that connection to each other and to place is essential. Tangata whenua have long understood this, offering rich lessons for community development.
In times of rapid and often challenging change, our mokopuna need strength and resilience to meet what lies ahead. Strong connections, mana motuhake, and a sense of being empowered and valued foster resilience and hauora. When we help these flourish in our mokopuna, we all benefit.
This pānui is packed with resources, stories, and events – including our next online kōrero, Learning Cluster updates, a free toolkit, and a trauma‑informed CLD workshop. Dive in, explore, and see what sparks your thinking and mahi!
Building stronger, connected communities – Aug 2025
Kia ora e te whānau,
There’s power in having the right tools and using your voice, and this month’s pānui reflect both. From our upcoming trauma-informed workshop and practical resources like the Tūhono Impact launch, to our online kōrero on community-led change for tamariki and rangatahi, we’re supporting the mahi happening across the motu.
As local elections approach, I also offer my own reflections on why your voice, and your vote, matter more than ever. Read on, learn more, and be part of shaping thriving, connected communities.
– Aaron Hawkins, Director, Inspiring Communities
Growing CLD practice! From local stories to global connections – July 2025
Kia ora e te whānau,
As I approach a year in this role, I’ve been reflecting on the rich learning, connection, and momentum we’ve seen throughout Aotearoa. I’ll share more on that next month, but for now, I want to acknowledge the many of you who are continuing to grow practice, share knowledge, and hold space for community voice.
That energy is reflected in the opportunities emerging across our community-led development landscape. From local workshops to global conferences, there’s plenty happening. This month we’re highlighting some of our upcoming events, with stories and insights that speak to the real impact of community-led approaches in action.
We’re steadily building out our CLD offerings to support individuals, teams, and whole organisation. If you’re looking to strengthen capability or would like a sounding board for your next steps, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re here to help.
– Aaron Hawkins, Director, Inspiring Communities
Matariki Mā Puanga, celebrate together – June 2025
Kia ora e te whānau,
As Matariki and Puanga rise, we enter a time to reflect, reconnect, and reimagine. This year’s theme, Matariki mā Puanga, speaks directly to the heart of community-led development, reminding us that while regional stories and practices differ, it’s this diversity that enriches our shared identity and strengthens our collective wellbeing. At Inspiring Communities, we see this every day in the many ways communities are leading responses to the challenges and opportunities they face.