Building accessible and resilient communities – Feb 2026

Kia ora e te whānau, 

Recent climate events continue to remind us of something communities have always known. Resilient responses start locally. New research from Environment Hubs Aotearoa on climate resilience highlights the critical role of connected communities, mana whenua, and trusted local organisations in disaster response and recovery. As conversations continue around civil defence settings and system preparedness, community-led, locally grounded action remains essential to building resilience across the whole system.

At Inspiring Communities, our focus is on supporting this work by strengthening local capability, enabling connection, and sharing practical learning that helps communities and organisations act with confidence. Through our consulting arm, Powerdigm, we also work alongside organisations seeking to implement locally led approaches in practice, providing strategy, advisory, and implementation support tailored to their unique contexts.

These conversations are also unfolding internationally. The upcoming World Community Development Conference will highlight the importance of collective, community-led responses to complex global challenges, while the International Association for Community Development (IACD) is hosting a webinar, Building Resilient Communities, sharing international insights into how community development practice is supporting disaster preparedness and response.

– Aaron Hawkins, Director, Inspiring Communities – Feb 2026