Mokopuna and Whānau-led Change

Kia ora e te whānau, 

We hope you are all settling back into the mahi wherever you are across the motu, nourished and rested after a long summer, and ready to focus on what matters most for the flourishing of our mokopuna.

In 2026, Child Rich Communities is supporting our Learning Cluster sites to continue co-learning and deepening our collective understanding of what it takes to create positive change for whānau, rangatahi and tamariki. Through shared stories, reflection and practice-based learning, we’ll keep exploring how communities can move decision-making closer to whānau, grow local leadership, and support wellbeing in ways grounded in place and relationships.

This year also marks an important milestone as we begin to wrap up this chapter of Child Rich Communities in June. Since 2015, the kaupapa has grown through partnerships, shared learning and community-led action, from Bright Spots and national hui to webinars, regional gatherings and our recent Learning Cluster journey. Over the coming months we’ll be sharing reflections and key learnings from this incredible journey. If you or your community are interested in carrying this kaupapa forward, we would love to hear from you.

– Louise Petzold, Child Rich Communities Project lead – March 2026