Tamariki and rangatahi are valued, accepted, and empowered to lead fulfilled lives. This is the aim of the Otago Community Trust’s new funding pillar Thriving Children (tamariki) and Young People (rangatahi) in the refreshed strategic plan and it is the driving force behind my role as the Trust’s Community Engagement Advisor.

My role resulted from feedback from the child and youth sector who shared their desire for a stronger relationship with the Trust and new funding models that could improve outcomes for the region. When I started with the Trust in late June, I was charged with the task of engaging organisations who support and uplift our tamariki, rangatahi and whānau so the Trust could better understand the sector’s needs and how the Trust can best support those needs.

I have been busy meeting with organisations across the region, learning what you are already delivering but also learning about your aspirations and ideas. Recently, I sought feedback on the Trust’s draft strategy for children and young people. I am so grateful to everyone who took the time to provide feedback on our strategy, especially the rangatahi themselves. Your feedback has shaped our final strategy which will now guide how we fund and support the sector.

A key change we have made to the strategy, based on your feedback, is that it will now be called the Tamariki and Rangatahi Strategy. While the strategy targets all children and young people, you were very clear on the need to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi by using te reo in this way and the Trust wholeheartedly agrees. I am very excited to share the final strategy with you.

Click HERE to view Otago Community Trust's Tamariki and Rangatahi Strategy.

The next step for the Trust is to finalise a funding framework to resource the Tamariki and Rangatahi Strategy. We have some very exciting ideas on how we can fund the strategy and support organisations who work with tamariki and rangatahi. Again, we will be using what we have heard from you to inform our funding models and the Trust is committed to trying new approaches.

The Trust intends to be ready to release more information on how it will fund projects and services that empower tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau in the new year. But, we welcome you to get in touch in the meantime. If you haven’t had a chance to meet me yet or you have a new idea brewing, I would love to hear from you. 

 You can contact me on liz@oct.org.nz or 0800 10 12 40.