Skip links

Community-Led Development Resources

Community-Led Development is about supporting community leaders and organisations to develop ideas and initiate projects that improves peoples lives.

If kindness is sown
Then kindness you shall receive!

Community-Led Development Organisations

Raglan Naturally is building relationships with these organisations.

Community Waikato

Community Waikato works alongside community organisations, trusts, Marae, and Maaori organisations in the Waikato, to build thriving communities.

website

Inspiring Communities

Ka tautoko, ka whakatipu te whakawhanake ā-hapori o Aotearoa.
Supporting and growing Community-Led Development practices and outcomes across Aotearoa New Zealand.

website

Community Networks Aotearoa

THE NETWORK OF NETWORKS
The umbrella organisation for local, regional and national Community Networks in Aotearoa | New Zealand.

website

Community Matters

Helping build successful communities.

website

Open Waikato

Supporting businesses and communities to grow.

website

Training

Training available for community organisations and groups:

We plan our training around what is currently required, focusing on what you need right now to best meet the needs of your communities.

Raglan Naturally Treaty Workshops

dates

Raglan Naturally Governance Training

dates

Five Principles

  • Building visions and priorities with those who live, work, care, play, and invest in that place – the principle of ahi kaa*.
  • Tailor-making solutions from the ‘ground up’ and reflecting local aspirations, needs and conditions.
  • Growing a shared sense of optimism and collective caring for people, place and the future ahead.

*Ahi Kaa is a fundamental traditional Māori cultural concept meaning ‘site of burning fires’. In contemporary times, Ahi Kaa is used to refer to people who uphold a particular purpose within the community. That is, they are the ‘keepers of the home fires’ be that at home, on the marae or within a particular organisation or movement.

  • Acknowledging everyone has a contribution to make – with attention to involve groups often ignored.
  • Valuing local people as ‘experts’ in their place.
  • Proactively engaging local voices and ideas.
  • Building action plans built on existing community strengths, assets and resources.
  • Encouraging and supporting local people with energy to do things, and connecting them up with others who can help.
  • Involving all those who have a stake in creating visions and aspirations, plans and activities and working/doing together.
  • Fostering new connections between diverse people, organisations and sectors to unlock resources and enable new thinking.
  • Creating strong local relationships and linkages – at street/neighbourhood level, between local groups, agencies, businesses and also with organisations based outside the local area.
  • Intentionally strengthening, growing and joining up local leadership.
  • Recognising and celebrating local leadership and achievements.
  • Making change visible and communicating progress within communities.
  • Holding an intentional vision/goal with a flexible ‘doing’ framework.
  • Not waiting for the ‘perfect’ plan or ‘complete’ analysis – they don’t exist.
  • Being prepared to take action, acknowledging uncertainty and adapting as things progress.
  • Proactively sharing experiences, learnings, and results within and across communities.
  • Understanding that ongoing small steps collectively contribute to larger transformational change.
  • Making links and encouraging systems changes (policy, funding, practice etc) for lasting impact within communities.

Community-led Development is a way of working together in place to create and achieve locally owned visions and goals.