Media Release

Note: Embargo to 11am

Tuesday April 9 2019

Local Social Impact Hub to Meet Global Public & Private Sector Need

A new social impact hub Wai-Atamai’, is being launched in West Auckland today. Borne out of the social movement of Te Whānau o Waipareira, Wai Atamai aims to consult on local, national and global projects to create positive change and outcomes for local communities.

Wai-Atamai is a multi-disciplinary hub, which has been five years in the making and is the first of its kind in New Zealand. The hub will be officially launched by Whānau Ora Minister, Peeni Henare at Whānau House, Henderson at 11am.

“All communities want to determine their own destiny. We saw Māori being researched on, programs being implemented, yet the problems were never fixed,” says Awerangi Tamihere, Wai-Atamai Director Social Impact and Innovation.

“We chose to build Wai-Atamai from the ground up as an engine room for aspirations, self-management and self-determination. Think of it as an ‘in a community, by a community, for a community’ solution.

“Now we have the ability to compete not only locally, but nationally and internationally on any social impact project.”

The impact of businesses, organisations and even political policy can be assessed by the Wai-Atamai consultancy team using its expertise in social impact analysis. Health, education, social services, business and the creative arts are among the areas that Wai-Atamai focuses on.

The hub unites four specialist teams: research and evaluation, strategic design and innovation, change management and transformation and digital content design and production.

It intends to co-partner with the public and private sector organisations on projects requiring collective impact analysis, change management strategies, innovation mentoring and customised tools that enable positive sustainable outcomes.

Over the past few years Wai-Atamai has partnered with government, private organisations and not-for-profit partners in assignments that include:

• Pioneering the first ‘for Māori by Māori’ social impact forecast report in New Zealand.

• Developing an aspirational index after studying the catalysts to health and wellbeing of three generations of whānau.

• Designing an outcomes measurement programme for integrated service delivery teams.

• Transforming a management culture attitudinally and behaviourally from funder to provider.

• Incubating collective impact programmes targeting whānau health.

• Establishing the first New Zealand wide social impact network that is globally affiliated.

• Designing the brand and visual content of an intergenerational whānau leadership programme.

• Producing the first social impact short film in New Zealand.

• Collating the first social innovation journal for Wai-Atamai to share thought leadership, best practice and innovative ideas to tackle complex issues faced by vulnerable communities.

Organisations supporting the launch today include the Ministry of Māori Development, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Development, Department of Statistics, Crown Research Institute of Environmental Science & Research, Auckland Council, Massey University, Te Runanga o Ngāti Whātua, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, urban Māori Authorities and partners, Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, KPMG, Oxfam, Procare Health and private sector organisations.

Ends

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