Looking Back
Education at Kōtare

Remembering Moana Jackson (two-part series); What would our priorities be if we were delivering Budget 2022?; Mothering, parenting and political activism; What’s facing us as we head into 2022? Contextual analysis; Organising with social change in mind; The rise of right-wing and confused populist activism in Aotearoa: Our response?; Building relationships, common analysis and hope: A short online course for social and ecological practitioner and community activists.

This was an opportunity for those working in community-based organisations to try and pin down exactly how and why having a ‘friendly’ government can affect our work so much, and to consider ways we might better organise to meet, mitigate and address the challenges which arise.

A third workshop in the series run by experienced facilitators and community development workers Cissy Rock & Sue Bradford. Participants had the opportunity to learn more about emotional intelligence, leadership, roles in a group and various forms of facilitation; working with conflict; setting up kaupapa-based organisations that last the distance; and some particular tools of collective analysis.

This workshop on one of the most critical issues of our time brought together people from a mix of organisations involved in different parts of the housing struggle, including those working with homeless people and emergency and transitional housing, renters’ groups, state housing action and advocacy, community-based and tangata whenua housing rōpu, and those interested in collective forms of housing and home ownership. Participants shared knowledge and perspectives from these different bases; explored the history of housing in Aotearoa with colonisation in mind; and shared ideas about a diversity of ways forward, ranging from small, immediate reforms through to big picture solutions.Workshops aimed at groups working in particular sectors or across sectors.

Over two days, participants from a range of different community groups and sectors undertook collective analysis of the political, economic, social, ecological and Tiriti/Māori context post-election, exploring the implications for actions and priorities in the year ahead.

This exciting workshop involved facilitation and resourcing from a number of amazing artists and activists including Fiona Jack, Tia Reihana, Balahmohan Shingade, Erena Shingade, James Kururangi Tapsell and Catherine Delahunty. It was wonderful reminder of the power of learning from each other while making and doing as well as through talking. As Catherine said at the time, ‘The transformation of our relationships for justice and a decolonised future requires creativity, and this workshop gave us a taste of the possible.’

Focused on people and groups working with unemployed people and beneficiaries, and bringing together participants from both younger and older generations of mahi in this area, we spent time exploring what could be learned from our organising history, considering the current context and strengthening understandings and relationships between organisations.

Using a mix of sociodrama, discussion and practical exercises Cissy Rock & Sue Bradford facilitated this workshop which explored issues around setting up and maintaining groups, locating power, coping with challenging people & situations as well as facilitation skills.

These explored – Opportunities for action in the time of covid; Solidarity not charity: Welfare, poverty, housing and jobs; Organising for climate justice and the impacts of the pandemic; Becoming a traitor to white supremacy and what this means in the context of Black Lives Matter and the ongoing struggle to challenge colonisation in Aotearoa NZ.

Included consideration of what has happened since the Welfare Expert Advisory Group reported back, and of the various possibilities being put forward around Basic Income/Universal Basic Income.

Topics included a three-part series on economics – work, money and the environment; facilitation tools; art for climate justice; steps towards a Tiriti-based future; ‘Is there such a thing as left populism?’; climate justice organising – session led by school student climate strikers; writing for transformational change; housing and homelessness – strategies and analysis; crafting for justice.