Philanthropy in Christchurch – Not Just About the Money

Perspectives
This makes it less expensive to fund. We just have to make sure we’re
striking a balance between cutting out bureaucracy and ensuring services
are still being delivered responsibly.
Some of our ideas and relationships are completely new and
experimental – but we have nothing to lose. It’s now or never!
Sister Clare Lyons of the Beatitudes Catholic Community delivers food parcels
with the help of volunteers in Aranui, Christchurch, March 2011.
Photographer: David Alexander 2011
As a result of this support, we are working with groups who are not
our usual alliances.
For example, the Wayne Francis Charitable Trust, Rotary, Ministry of
Youth Development, the Human Rights Commission, Todd Foundation,
Department of Internal Affairs and Vodafone NZ Foundation (through the
White Elephant Trust) are all working together to support the youth voice
in Canterbury through the Otautahi Youth Council.
Our role, at the Wayne Francis Charitable Trust, is to convene these
meetings; to bring the people together. The group is hoping to fund a
co-ordinator for the youth council, to support them, and to also give its
members media training so they have the skills to speak on behalf of the
young people of Christchurch.
Young people are going to benefit from our city and they need to be
considering their contribution, so it’s really valuable that they are heard.
This is also a great chance to build strong, healthy communities. So,
we’re listening to the people in a community, supporting young people,
and looking for evidence-based indicators to build our work on.
A new approach?
I think that Christchurch is almost fast-tracking all the stuff we
knew was of value, but which wasn’t necessarily happening before the
earthquakes. It’s sort of like a pressure cooker – if we don’t do it now,
we never will.
The quakes created an opportunity to deliver social services in a more
effective, efficient and cohesive way, with closer collaboration between
funders, community groups and social service providers.
For example, victims of domestic violence will soon be able to go
to police and access other social services through a one-stop shop in
a couple of hours. Before, a person had to go to multiple agencies to
get help.
Christchurch has seen amazing neighbourly support, social inclusion
and communities coming together. We keep hearing from people, “we
want that sense of community, but we don’t want the earthquakes!” I
think we’ve already got positive results and untraditional partnerships –
but this is definitely an opportunity to try new things, have new alliances
and new ideas.
Wouldn’t it be great if the credibility and strength of the philanthropic
sector is raised because of the effective work that is being done in
Christchurch?
It would be particularly great if this was recognised by the Government
– that philanthropy in Christchurch is about more than monuments.
We have a real opportunity to have a huge impact, with thoughtful
and effective outcomes.
Of course, it is also a great opportunity to promote corporate giving,
if businesses can see what good work we’re doing in Christchurch.
Hopefully, the results from the Otautahi Youth Council project will
be undeniably positive and if it works really well then its model (of youth
training) can be translated into other parts of New Zealand.
I would definitely like to see the voice of the young people in
Christchurch being heard and acknowledged, and something done
about it this year – why not? Not everything has to take forever!
Perspectives invites a grantmaker or philanthropist to give us, in their own
words, a personal perspective on giving.
A co-operatively built office in Christchurch, by Gap Filler a charitable trust in
Christchurch set up to temporarily fill vacant spaces, which collaborates with a
wide range of funders, volunteers and community groups.
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