This week I had the incredible opportunity to attend a meeting at Te Hōnonga a Iwi where I got to learn about the model that the organisation adopts to cultivate positive change in our community and beyond.
Te Hōnonga a Iwi is a business-led, integrated, sustainable urban restoration of 10,000 m2 unused riparian site in Rosedale park using bio-organic land care and social equity principles.
I first got involved with the organisation a couple of years ago when I went with my school’s tree-planting team to help their restoration efforts. Since then, I have taken on the role of youth business activator, where I work with local business to identify the ways they can contribute to a more sustainable future for the Upper Harbour Community.
What really inspires me about Te Hōnonga is the social cohesion the organisation is able to create through the inclusion of diverse stakeholder groups. In Te Hōnonga, there is an intentional effort to include neurodiversity, people of different ages and abilities, as well as various cultural groups such as the local Chinese Community. This intersectionality between different groups, ideas, and backgrounds has helped cultivate a genuine sense of belonging that contributes to the social sustainability of both the organisation itself, and the community it serves.
Furthermore, central to the organisation success are mutually beneficial partnerships with local small and medium enterprises. Currently, Te Hōnonga is working with 46 stakeholders, ranging from household names in the business world to local schools and retirement villages. This stakeholder-driven model enables the involvement of those who will be impacted most by changes in the community in efforts to cultivate positive change for that very community. I think this stakeholder involvement reflects the kind of intersectoral and intergenerational cooperation that will be needed to tackle big challenges coming ahead, such as climate change.
If you want to learn more about Te Hōnonga a Iwi or become a volunteer yourself, please visit their website at: https://www.restoringrosedalepark.org.nz/
