Building skills in Community-Led Development (CLD)
Take the next step in your community-led development journey with these offerings, designed for anyone who is ready to explore CLD more deeply. There are no prerequisites, and you do not need to be in a formal “community-led development” role. Many people join us from a wide range of contexts, including local groups, councils, funders, social services, neighbourhood initiatives, and organisations working alongside communities.
This stage focuses on expanding your understanding and confidence. Explore workshops and resources that introduce practical tools for facilitation, leadership, strategic thinking, and effective community engagement. Whether you are leading a project, supporting collaboration, or simply looking for new ways to work alongside community, these opportunities will help you strengthen your impact and bring your mahi to the next level.
CLD Skills Workshops
Trauma-responsive community development with Dr Nicola Atwool
Tuesday 4 August, 9:00am – 12:30pm
Join us for a deeper online workshop exploring trauma-responsive community development, led by Dr. Nicola Atwool, a respected voice in the field. This session is designed for community practitioners, kaimahi, and anyone passionate about creating resilient, inclusive environments that support healing, trust, and empowerment.
Trauma-responsive community development recognises the widespread impact of trauma on individuals and communities. It aims to foster safe, supportive environments by integrating an understanding of trauma into policies, practices, and relationships — supporting healing and resilience at every level.
Throughout this workshop, we will explore practical strategies tailored to the Aotearoa context, with a particular focus on the cultural dimensions of trauma and trauma-responsive practice. Participants will gain insights into how to incorporate trauma awareness into their work, foster trust, and build environments that promote wellbeing.
Building Skills for Community-Led Development
Building Skills for Community-Led Practice is a 2.5-hour interactive online workshop designed as a practical next step for anyone exploring community-led approaches.
Building on the ideas introduced in the Foundations of Community-Led Development module (though not a prerequisite), this session helps participants develop practical tools for strengths-based engagement, stakeholder mapping, and asking powerful questions that unlock local potential.
You’ll connect with others from across the motu who are also filling their kete with community-led practice skills, and leave with fresh ideas and practical steps you can apply in your own context.
This workshop has now passed, but we’ll be offering more opportunities in the future. Email kiaora@inspiringcommunities.org.nz to register your interest and be the first to hear about upcoming dates.
Inspiring Communities’ suite of CLD skills workshops are designed to strengthen your community-led practice and local connections in a dynamic group environment. These can be delivered in place or online for groups or teams.
These CLD training opportunities are based on our core principles of collaboration, diversity and local leadership where everyone is enabled to apply their strengths. Our workshops offer you insights in the many tools the CLD way of working can offer to support and strengthen your mahi in your community. Each workshop is led by one of our skilled facilitators working across a variety of community-led projects.
If you are interested in finding out more about our workshop options for groups and teams, please contact our team at kiaora@inspiringcommunities.org.nz.
Online workshop
2.5 hours
Cost involved
Community Building Blocks
Walking Alongside Rangatahi
Wednesday 1 July, 9:30am – 11:00pm
Join Stacey Rose and Anna Parker for a Community Building Block session focused on walking alongside rangatahi in ways that are relational, respectful, and grounded in positive youth development practice. This online workshop explores the principles that guide positive youth development and what it means to genuinely engage with young people by genuinely walking the journey with them, all the while creating opportunities and spaces for rangatahi to be heard.
You’ll come away with practical insights you can apply in your own community mahi, along with a deeper understanding of how strong, trusting relationships support wellbeing and growth for young people in our communities.
Our community building block sessions are short online workshops, where we meet and collaborate with others from around the motu and take away some new skills/tools to apply in our practice.
Facilitated online by one of Inspiring Communities’ team, we explore a community-focused way of working collaboratively and build on the foundations of community-led action to strengthen resilience and create positive changes in your community that will last.
These are interactive sessions, where we interact, collaborate and kōrero. Please come with the refreshments you need, your video on (sound off) and encourage your workmates to register too, rather than sharing a computer/login for the session.
Online workshop
1.5 hours
Free
Whaowhia te kete mātauranga. Fill the basket of knowledge.
We honour all those communities and organisations who have shared their practice and wisdom with us to create these training and development opportunities. We hope this kete of tools affirms what you already know and do, and expands your learning about the diverse ways Aotearoa communities can – and are – creating positive change.
Should you be unable to attend, please refer to our Cancellation Policy