New charitable model set to address inequity

A new charitable funding model is set to help address inequity across one of the country’s largest population centres.

Under the framework, significant new funding could be made available over the next five years to support hundreds of initiatives and organisations that can contribute towards positive long-term change in West Auckland.  The funding would be sourced from profits made in the retail and hospitality sectors by West Auckland-based social enterprise The Trusts and is contingent on the organisation meeting its current financial projections over the period.

Thousands of Maori and Pasifika, former refugee communities, Middle Eastern, Latin American and African migrants as well as those living in some of the region’s most socially deprived areas are among those identified as needing priority funding. In a recent survey of over 200 charities and community groups throughout West Auckland, (27%) saw social issues or trends having the biggest impact on the community in the future, followed by economic factors (21%) and the environment (17%).

CEO of The Trusts Allan Pollard says the research shows there was a genuine concern for rangatahi (youth) and a need to focus on fostering greater social connection within their community. “Our community group leaders were almost unanimous in their feedback that more needs to be done to support rangatahi who are experiencing isolation and disconnection. In addition to economic factors, climate change and kaitiakitanga (guardianship of the sky, land and sea) were key concerns for the majority of respondents,” he says.

Pollard says the January floods and Cyclone Gabrielle had a devastating effect on many areas in West Auckland and the damage has had a lasting economic and environmental impact on the area. Respondents were eager for our organisation to support local initiatives to reduce emissions and waste, mitigate climate change and educate those in the community on how to live more sustainably.