Nelson Community and Whanau Network Meeting
Wednesday 9 April 2014, Trafalgar Pavilion, Nelson, 12 noon – 1.30pm
Present:
Karen Driver NEC, Marina Gosnell Budget Service, Shary Dalrymple Manuka House, Nicola Harwood Library, Barbara
Greene Barnados, Joy Shackleton Tahunanui Comm. Centre, Mike Gibson Foodbank, Liam Butler Workstar, Birgit
Baeder L.I.F.E, Kathryn Schlater Nayland Adult Comm. Ed, Claire Dowdall FACS/MSD, Judy Robinson Tahunanui
Comm. Centre, Kindra Douglas Victory CC, Caroline Budge Age Concern, Rosalie Grant Budget Service, Stephen
Styles Q-youth/VN, Jessica (illegible) NMC, Marie Johnstone VN et. al., Shirley Stephenson Foodbank/BUWT, Marie
Elliot Electoral Comm., Mike Williams FreshFM, Sharah-Jane Macmillan SASH, Kim Ngawhika Whakatu Marae, Rosina
Cornelisson Impact Church, Bernadette Power White House, Jon Luff White House, Jacquetta Bell CWTAS, Patrick
Doherty Neighbourhood Connections, Evey McAuliffe NMC, Susan Moore-Lavo NCC, Kimaya Crawford DIA, Kath Allen
DSS, Cr Pete Rainey NCC, Kim McDonald NS Nelson, Cameron Forbes ALS, Lewis Martin BUWT, Gayle Petch KVS, L?
Campbell L.I.F.E., Pip Bowman Attendance Serv., Carrie Mozena Women’s Centre, Ann Martin Te Awhina Marae,
Trudy Perrett BUWT, Gary Blomfield BUWT, Dennis Ready CAB, Deanne Kilpatrick NTYWC/SF, Rachael Large NCC,
Mary Curnow NCC, Kaye Latham DIA, Brigid Ryan NZNIY, Gwen Daly Dover PND, Katy Steele VN, Jacqui Irwin VN, (+
some others, >60 in total)
Apologies: Fiona Bryan Kidpower, Rev Charles Tyrell, Elizabeth Owens.
Notices:
No notices today – on table or in Community News & Views, here: http://www.volunteernelson.org.nz/communitynews/share-your-news/
Facilitator and introductions: Katy Steele VN, Welcomed everyone and led introductions, then introduced
Deirdre Ryan, Manager at Wellbeing North Canterbury.
Introduced Deirdre.
Speaker: Deirdre Ryan, Manager Wellbeing North Canterbury (WNC)
See the attached slide show. The talk covered:
 About WNC
 Where it started
 Transition
 Where we are now
Themes Covered in Questions/Discussion:
Funding: They have funding from MSD – multiple contracts, DHB, DIA, MOE, MSD
EAGALA = equine assisted therapy, structured treatment, mental health, not much funding yet, possibly own
income streams.
PHO counsellors use meeting space, rental helps offset costs. Running like a business model, we have to do that
now.
‘Profit’ is how we make a difference in the community.
The time xchange is like time banking. A funded role that came out of a post-earthquake initiative.
Alcohol and drug counsellor was there all along – employed by Well-being, plus room hire for adults.
Backroom services: they negotiate a fee. WNC are the fund holders, do accountability, budget control in
collaboration with the group. Increasing requests for financial services(treasurer) eg payroll, not able to do that
yet, where they hold the money, moving to where payroll could be brought in to WNC.
CIR fund assisted via the CIR mentor, EQ consultants. Capability Investment Resource funding, MSD fund, part of
investing for outcomes. Effective and efficient funding, for effective service delivery, though only for MSD
services and there is a Government push for collaborative applications with a range of organisations.
There is a meeting 3pm today to talk more about this, for anyone who has more questions and on how to progress
these ideas here.
WNC Keeping community base + business model, have an advisory group for specific services. Local management
group for strengthening families etc.
Nelson Community and Whanau notes, 9 April 2014 - page 1
Nelson Community and Whanau Network Meeting
Break 12.50 pm
1.10pm – More Questions
Services under an umbrella - Do organisations lose their autonomy, those with national affiliations?
A: In 2005, it was all one organisation, but services ran separately with no other affiliation, like mini confederate
pods.
Now provide backroom services, do they maintain identity? Yes they do.
Want the community to have choice about services, but support other services to get on with their work.
Cluster of related services, which could be replicated elsewhere.
Consolidating community groups, 1200 in Nelson area, usually consolidate when financial deficit situation, could it
be managed more on ROI approach in positive times. Results Based Accountability (RBA) leads this approach.
A. RBA creates the common ground for those who want something better, it has been over simplified, but this
approach creates opportunity and incredible things can come from it.
Skills for trustees – how important is it to have understanding or passion for the work?
WNC board of trustees include a retired school counsellor interested in learning, plus DHB HR background person
with community development, a retired principal with strong links to the Council, an academic person
passionate about governance processes, a Hurunui District Councillor with background in community sector, and
a past finance person who is very valuable, previously there was a late treasurer who was commercial with no
background in the community sector. A mix is good.
Relationship with funders – funding projects rather than the organisation. Have to be clear about funding
relationships, help funders understand the sector. And issue is how to be collectively heard. Have the
conversations with funders and the sector. Strong message to collaborate, this is what WNC is doing.
RBA could help as coming together and evidence of positive outcomes and what each contributes.
How to recruit well skilled board? Advertise, and interview. Take v seriously, Process in the trust deed happy to
share that. Good orientation. They are volunteers: apply, get interviewed, rigorous process, clear about what
we need.
Turnover income? Annual about $1.6 million. Was $1.2 million three years ago.
How could this model be applied here? Some groups agreeing and others joining? WNC have been called corporates,
but it is a community organisation. Start with the strengths, with capability, depends on the community. Ask
how can we do things differently? You do have to watch not being seen to take over.
Over arching constitution, MOU? Backroom services brought in MOU with clarity of responsibility, conflict resolution
etc. They have agreements.
Population base ? about 74,000 approximately combined, perhaps a bit more. Widespread and mainly rural.
Mix of controlling funds? Some organisations hold funds? WNC is the fund holder, held separately do accountability
for them in association, application in WNC name but clear about role, WNC does accountability. Take a fee
for RBA work.
What did you learn from EQs? All bets were off, everything changed, don’t assume anything before continues.
What’s happening is assisting with EQ projects, organisations have had to talk more with each other. Three
powerful collaborations as a result, might not have otherwise, eg. Canterbury Family Violence, 40 partners
involved to address post earth quake spike in violence, gave impetus to do things differently. Geographically
thinking differently, think collectively as wider Canterbury (less parochial).
Katy summed up – We don’t necessarily need a crisis to precipitate positive change. It appears to be well worth
doing. Regularly groups contact Volunteer Nelson about governance issues, so many small organisations. It will
be good to have some conversations about better ways to work together; there are only so many trustees to go
around. It is important to the success of an organisation. We will get in touch to see if there’s an interest to
explore more and will follow up with an email and survey to assess interest and keep everyone informed of
developments. The WNC Trust Deed will be shared via mail out of these notes.
Nelson Community and Whanau notes, 9 April 2014 - page 2
Nelson Community and Whanau Network Meeting
Annual Plan submission on Community Assistance process
Katy asked for the mandate of the meeting to lodge a submission on behalf of the Nelson Community & Whanau
Network. There was general support for this approach.
Meeting closed at 1.30 pm
NOTE: New meeting day (Wednesday) AND venue (above) for Nelson Community and Whanau Network
The Nelson Community and Whanau network’s meeting day is now (usually) the second Wednesday of every month,
unless special circumstances apply i.e. 21 May 2014 and 17 September 2014.
FOR YOUR DIARY: Nelson Community & Whanau Meeting Dates for 2014
 Wednesday 21 May (one week later)
 Wednesday 17 September (one week later)
 Wednesday 11 June
 Wednesday 8 October
 Wednesday 9 July
 Wednesday 12 November
 Wednesday 13 August
 Wednesday 10 December
VENUE: Now confirmed as the Trafalgar Pavilion, Trafalgar Park. Enter from Trafalgar St either at the Trafalgar
Park Main Gate or Hathaway Terrace. There is ample parking within the Park grounds. Go up the ramp and the
Pavilion is upstairs (map above). Thanks to the Nelson City Council for funding the venue hire.
New Venue for Nelson Community and Whanau Network Meetings
Trafalgar Pavilion, Trafalgar Park (NOT the Trafalgar Centre!!)
Pavilion is at ‘A’; enter off Trafalgar St or Hathaway Terrace by Trailways
NEXT MEETING: Wednesday 21 May 2014, one week later than usual, at the new venue –
Trafalgar Pavilion, Trafalgar Park.
Topics covered at follow up meeting, 3pm included:
 Recruitment of trustees
 Struggles around maintaining identity
 Next steps / champions
 Capacity for coordination and support for the process
 Trust Deed to be shared
 Vote of thanks to the Trust on behalf of the C&W Network
 Ted Talk: first follower https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCM-SA3GenQ
 Need to do a survey to find out who is keen to take these ideas further (VN to action)
 Mention at Combined C&W meeting in Motueka next day (done, Jacqui)
Nelson Community and Whanau notes, 9 April 2014 - page 3