Strong local relationships, participation and community voice matter more than ever

Kia ora koutou,

It’s been incredibly encouraging to see the response so far to our call for presenter proposals for Hapori Aotearoa 2027. It’s a reminder that the people doing the work are often the best people to teach it.

We’re particularly keen to hear from grassroots community groups, local initiatives and practitioners whose stories don’t always make it onto the conference stage. We also know that getting to a conference isn’t always straightforward, which is why we’re committed to reducing barriers for presenters and ensuring the programme reflects the diversity of people and communities leading change across Aotearoa.

I’m also looking forward to attending the Tamarack Institute’s Community Change Summit in Canada this October. Thanks to the support of the Todd Foundation, I’ll have the opportunity to learn alongside community practitioners from around the world and bring those ideas home to share with the wider community-led development sector in Aotearoa.

In the meantime, we’ve got some great events coming up, new stories to share and plenty of opportunities to connect. Dive in.

Ngā mihi,

– Aaron Hawkins, Inspiring Communities Director