Charity film making group appoints new leader

July 6, 2017 – Press Release

Charity film making group appoints new leader

Film for Change Aotearoa is pleased to announce it has a new chief executive.

The organization, which is dedicated to making films for charities, officially appointed Helena Henare Coolen to the role in June.

Helena is a passionate social entrepreneur who left the lucrative corporate world two years ago to embark on a career focused on social change. She has voluntarily supported a number of not-for-profit organisations as well as setting up her own social enterprise 'The Steampunk Food Van'. This incorporated a pay-it-forward business model in providing meals for people living on the street or in poverty.

Helena says she is “pinching herself with excitement that she has been given the opportunity to lead Film For Change and work alongside a team of amazing committed volunteers."

Outgoing CEO Helen Anderson says she is delighted to welcome Helena to the team.

“I look forward to working with her as I step back to a new role as the chair of the Film for Change Aotearoa Trust Board,” Helen says.

Since beginning in September 2013, Film For Change spent a lot of time, especially in its first year, making short films for charities and community organisations for free.

It slowly recruited volunteers over that year, mostly through Meetup.com, and officially launched itself to the public in August 2014.

“At this historic event we screened the first few films we’d made, and achieved a big goal for us – getting filmmakers and charities in the same room,” Helen says.

“From then we moved from exciting moment to exciting moment – our first paid job, our first office, buying our first camera, getting a Wellington Community Airport Award and so on.

Helen says it is “pretty amazing” that in nearly four years FFC now has 75 active volunteers and that nearly 100 short films have been made.

“We’ve grown from a fun hobby to a real movement and community.”

“I am really excited to hand over the leadership role to Helena, she is an amazing woman with a huge heart and wealth of skills and experiences to offer.”

If you have a message you want to share, Film For Change volunteers are Aotearoa’s finest storytellers, so get in touch with Helena on 0211393884.

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