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WWP Business Plan

The WWP Business Plan sets out our priority projects for the next 12 months. The plan follows the same general format as the 2024-25 plan and continues the same theory of change which we developed last year to describe how the WWP works, and what value looks like for us.The plan builds on the review of the WWP completed earlier this year. A key conclusion of the review was that in order to further succeed, the WWP needs to scale ‘up and out’- engaging better with organisations who it can par...

WWP: Next Steps

The WWP is now in its fifth year of implementation. As a ‘project’ the WWP exists only as long as it has supporting funders. Our major funding source was provide via a 5-year agreement between the WEL Energy Trust and the Waikato Regional Council, and we are now in the fifth year of that agreement. Following the completion of our review (above), while we are confident that the project has achieved its objectives so far, we need to plan for the next iteration of the WWP and potential changes....

Kai Challenge Update

Since March, the Waikato Kai Challenge has seen steady momentum in its lived experience workstream. In partnership with ThinkPlace and Tuakana Teina, we are currently working towards a Memorandum of Understanding with a community partner to guide a collaborative storytelling project centred on food security and wellbeing.The first community to participate has been confirmed, and early conversations are underway to identify a second. These lived experience insights will inform a set of co-designe...

Advocacy - Enabling Housing and Wellbeing Through Smarter Water Infrastructure

The Waikato Wellbeing Project has recently provided feedback to Hamilton City and Waikato District Councils on their proposal to establish a joint Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) for water services. On 6 May, Harvey gave evidence at Hamilton City’s hearing for the CCO proposal (below). Our submission and evidence was reported on by the Waikato Times, which you can read here: Waters CCO debate bubbles on despite majority submitter support | Waikato Times...

Lots of Little Fires Update

Lots of Little Fires, as always, have been burning deep in our Waikato communities and Muredach and Joe have been capturing the magic of two incredible kaupapa over the past two months. Both these stories are now in edit and we look forward to releasing the first by the end of this month of May. Firstly, we have ‘The Serve’.THE SERVE … free healthy kai, 365 days a year, served to our food poor and homeless communities by a team of over 100 volunteers.What’s it all about?The Serve has bee...

Te Ara Poutama Update

In alignment with our 2025-26 Business Plan, we regularly monitor quarterly topical and place-specific updates on key wellbeing issues in the Waikato region.Overall outlookIn the March quarter of 2025, Waikato's socio-economic landscape is characterised by cautious optimism. While economic activity and confidence are improving, retail and employment levels remain below historic highs. As Waikato continues to evolve, understanding the region’s social and economic dynamics is essential for foste...

Plea to treat Hamilton streeties as ‘humans’ (Published by Waikato Times 4 April 2025)

Treating streeties as “humans” and taking a more positive approach to their use of Garden Place has been suggested by community organisation advocates at a city council committee meeting.But several councillors responded by speaking out strongly against streeties’ bad behaviour in Garden Place and the CBD, and one pushed back at suggestions the wider community bore some responsibility for problems.During a public forum at the meeting on Thursday, trustees from Frankton-...

Hungry kids in an agricultural powerhouse (Published by Waikato Times 4 April 2025)

Ernie Newman is a semi-retired consultant living in the Waikato, with an extensive background in the grocery, telecommunications, and business advocacy sectors.OPINION: While looking at the recent issues around school lunches, it was encouraging to come across the Waikato Wellbeing Project’s report ‘Want Amongst Plenty’ which measures food insecurity in the Waikato and considers possible remedies. Its conclusion is that 9-10% of Waikato households. including 10-12% of Waikato children...

WWP: 2024 in Hindsight

Every year, the WWP reports to the Kaitiaki Advisory Board, WRC the WEL Energy Trust and our valued stakeholders on our performance and achievements over the past 12 months. The report gives an aggregated summary, as well as a detailed breakdown of the performance of each of our major programmes of work, measured against our 2024/25 Business Plan.Overall, we are very pleased with the progress made in 2024, especially given the scale of the task we have taken on, our small size and limited mandat...

WWP Review

At its Annual Plan hearings and deliberations in early 2024, the WEL Trust resolved to continue funding the Waikato Wellbeing Project, subject to “a robust review of future funding models and project deliveries.”We contracted Natalie Richards of Versus (www.versus.co.nz ) to undertake the review, which was completed in February 2025. The review was conducted in late 2024 using a qualitative data collection approach. A total of 36 people participated in the review, including funders, capital ...

WEL Energy Trust Annual Plan

The WEL Energy Trust was the foundational funder of the Waikato Wellbeing Project through a 5-year Partnership and Funding Agreement with the Waikato Regional Council. We are now approaching the fifth year of funding under this agreement from the WEL Trust.Each year the Trust prepares an Annual Plan, which is open for public comment before making a final budget decision on 25 March. The draft 2025/26 Annual Plan can be viewed here (Draft-Annual-Plan.pdf).  You can make submission on the pla...

Kai Challenge Update- Foodshed Analysis

In December we shared the results of our baseline research on food in the Waikato region - Want Amongst Plenty. This report brought together, for the first time, a series of indicators regarding food security and insecurity in the Waikato region.The second in our series of research reports on Kai have now been completed. A foodshed analysis measures how much food the Waikato region produces, and how much food the people of the Waikato need for a good, healthy diet. The report was commissioned as...

Anna Casey-Cox: The need for Affordable Rentals

Hamilton City Councillor and SDG 1/2 Manu Taki, Dr. Anna Casey- Cox shares her thoughts about the importance of affordable rents- not only in terms of the need for safe and secure homes, but also the relationship between housing and kai security- which was highlighted by the WWP’s 2024 report Want Amongst Plenty.  For more information contact Anna at Anna.Casey-Cox@council.hcc.govt.nz...

Taurikura: A Story of Treaty Partnership and Thriving Together

A preview of our upcoming Lots of Little Fires Story....

Young Waikato Women’s Wellbeing Baseline Report and Event

WWP SDG 5 Manu Taki Riikka Anderson is the General Manager of YWCA Hamilton and is a champion for SDG 5 Gender Equality. No target for this important SDG was developed at the commencement of the WWP as there was inadequate baseline data on the wellbeing of different genders in the Waikato, including for woman.In partnership with WEL Trust, Trust Waikato and YWCA, we have co-funded research to better understand the key drivers of wellbeing in the Waikato for young woman and people identifying as ...

YWCA Hamilton launch report on Young Women's Wellbeing in Waikato

YWCA Hamilton has launched the Young Waikato Women’s Wellbeing Baseline Report, a study that highlights the wellbeing of young women and sex/gender diverse individuals in the region. The report, developed in partnership with Huber Social and co-funded by YWCA, Trust Waikato, WEL Energy Trust, and Waikato Wellbeing Project, aims to provide critical insights to drive meaningful change.The launch event will take place on Wednesday, 19 February, at The Link in Hamilton.YWCA Hamilton General Manage...

Mere Kirihimete

It has been a busy and positive year for the Waikato Wellbeing Project. We started the year with discussions with the WEL Energy Trust as part of their annual plan. Through these discussions, we were able to demonstrate the depth and breadth of support for the project and the positive outcomes achieved so far. These discussion helped to refine our 2024-25 Business Plan, which has guided our work programme and describe our ‘Theory of Change’ to funders and stakeholders. An updated 2025-26 Bus...

Introducing Hera Denton

In October we announced our Kai Challenge partnership with GoEco. The purpose of the partnership is to ensure that the WWP works with an organisation which is focused not only on better understanding why there is food scarcity in the Waikato but is at the front line of making a difference and is able to convene together other change leaders.The partnership will see the WWP contribute to funding a new Kai Challenge Lead for a fixed period, and we will share all our insights, stakeholder partnersh...

Treaty Principles Bill

The Treaty Principles Bill was introduced to Parliament in November 2024. It is now being considered by the Justice Select Committee. Submissions to the committee are open until 7 January 2025. You can make a submission to the Select Committee here.The Waikato Wellbeing Project has lodged a submission in opposition to the Bill and you can read our submission below. We have also supported a joint submission from Community Waikato, Creative Waikato, Go Eco, Diversity Counselling NZ, Seed Waikato, ...

Partnership with MAS Foundation

We are excited to announce, as part of the Waikato Kai Challenge, the formalisation of our partnership with the MAS Foundation. MAS Foundation is committed to improving health and wellbeing equity in Aotearoa New Zealand. The foundation’s vision is:Kia ora ngātahi ngā tamariki me ngā whānau i Aotearoa – Ola Manuia.Children and families flourishing together in Aotearoa New Zealand.…and the foundation’s purpose is:Kia whakapikia te ōritenga hauora, toira hoki.To improve health and wel...

Kai Challenge Report: Want Amongst Plenty

Our recently released report on food insecurity in the Waikato region, Want Amongst Plenty is now available online.  The report and associated resources can be downloaded here. If you would like a hard copy, please get in touch.The objective for the Waikato Kai Challenge programme is:To reduce the extent and risk of food insecurity in the Waikato region and in doing so increase the agency of those at risk of limited access to healthy food and with less need for charity....

Development of a Draft Knowledge Framework

Quanita is developing our knowledge programme for 2025 and refreshing the strategic framework underlying Te Ara Poutama.As part of the Kai Challenge workshop, an infographic was created to share key research findings and encourage stakeholders to collaborate in developing a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities for Kai in the region. This infographic served as a prototype to discuss the need for a structured knowledge framework to understand, measure, and enhance well-being ac...

Launch Event: Young Waikato Women’s Wellbeing Baseline Report

The Young Waikato Women’s Wellbeing Baseline Report presents a community wellbeing baseline for young women and sex/gender diverse people in the Waikato. This work is being led by YWCA Hamilton General Manager and WWP Manu Taki Riikka Anderson. The project has been co-funded by YWCA, Trust Waikato, WEL Energy Trust and Waikato Wellbeing Project. The work was undertaken by Huber Social.If you would like to know more about the findings of this research and see the full report, an event will be h...

Hauraki Opportunity

The online wellbeing survey opened on the 15th of October, with responses off to a good start.  As at mid-November, responses were at just over 400, with higher response rates expected as project partners share and promote the survey through social media channels and via community organisation partners.The project aims to reach 2,000 responses by 28 February 2025, with enough responses to reflect the ethnic, socio-economic and geographic diversity of the Hauraki rohe. The project team (whic...

Framing Food Insecurity in the Waikato Region

The Waikato Wellbeing Project has unveiled the first of three pivotal research reports aimed at tackling food insecurity and poverty in the region. Framing Food Insecurity in the Waikato, conducted by StrategEase, Kelvin Norgrove and Alan Johnson, is part of the Waikato Kai Challenge and Te Ara Poutama Knowledge Initiative.This foundational report provides crucial insights into the paradox of food insecurity in one of New Zealand’s most agriculturally rich regions. It sets the stage for action...