I would like extend a very warm welcome to Gwen Keel who has been appointed to Te Rātā Atawhai, the independent Charities Registration Board. Gwen replaces Simon Karipa who stepped down in November this year. Gwen has a breadth of experience in the not-for-profit sector and she has a particular interest and expertise in charities with a kaupapa Māori focus. We are delighted to have her join Te Rātā Atawhai and we look forward to working with her.

This month the Department of Internal Affairs’ Policy Group released their summary of submissions received as a result of the Modernisation of the Charities Act. Central to what we do is being a responsive regulator and we attended every one of the 27 community-based meetings, and listened to what you had to say. In addition, 29 submitters provided direct feedback about our services through the submission process.

Feedback is something we really value and it is important to us to hear from you about what we are doing well and what we can improve on. One thing you told us in the last year is that you want more face-to-face engagement and in 2020 we are doing just that. In our newsletter we have a link to a short survey asking what you would like out of that engagement so we can make it as useful as possible.

In this newsletter we also have an item about the Charities Aid Foundation’s (CAF) survey on the world’s most generous and giving countries. Every year the CAF releases its World Giving Index which provides insight into the scope and nature of giving around the world. The results for New Zealand in this latest survey are fantastic—we are the third most generous country in the world! What’s more, we are the only country that placed in the top ten in every category!

In keeping with this theme of generosity, our Sector Showcase hails from Oamaru and this charity is all about spreading Christmas cheer through putting together parcels for families in need. Have a read to find out more about the Oamaru Combined Churches Christmas Parcels Trust and the work they do to help make the lives of others that much brighter at Christmas time.

Finally, and with the summer break just around the corner, I wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge all of the wonderful work and the incredible achievements of charities over this past year. We know that charitable work never really stops, and for some of you it gets even busier over the holiday season. So, with this in mind, I want to thank you for your generosity in making a real difference to the lives of others and for enriching our communities, whanau, hāpu and iwi in so many ways. I hope you all get a chance to relax and enjoy the summer weather, wherever you may be. 

Meri Kirihimete! (Merry Christmas!)

Natasha Weight
General Manager

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Throughout her career Gwen has acquired significant experience in the not-for-profit sector, acting for many household name charities and sporting groups, and having been consistently involved in the charitable sector as a director, committee member and volunteer.

Gwen has a particular interest in kaupapa Maaori charities and the broader involvement of Maaori in the charitable sector. Gwen is a member of the Institute of Directors and was appointed to the Charities Registration Board on 9 December 2019 for a three-year period.

Modernising the Charities Act 2005 feedback released

In February 2019 the Department of Internal Affairs’ Policy Group released the discussion document Modernising the Charities Act 2005 for public consultation. The discussion document was accompanied by meetings and hui held around New Zealand, which were well-attended by people and organisations from the charitable sector, and those who work with them.

In all, more than 360 submitters shared their views on what works well and what can be improved. The Policy Group received a diverse range of views on how to ensure the Act is fit for purpose and supports charities to meet their obligations.

The Policy Group would like to thank everyone who shared their time, experiences and ideas as part of this consultation.

A summary of submissions is now available on the Department’s website at www.dia.govt.nz/charitiesact.

Next, the Policy Group will work through the issues raised during consultation. The Policy Group will continue to involve the charitable sector throughout this process and no legislative changes will be proposed without further consultation.

If you have any further questions, feel free to get in touch with the Department’s Policy Group via email at charitiesact@dia.govt.nz.

Christmas and New Year Office Hours

Charities Services will close for the holiday break at midday on Friday 20 December 2019 and re-open on Monday 6 January 2020.

Charities will still be able to log in and access their online accounts at any time to file their annual return or update their information.

Charities Services' noho marae

Every 18 months, the Charities Services team gets the opportunity to have a noho marae. A noho is an overnight stay at a marae and for us it’s a very special thing.

Last month we went to Ōrongomai Marae, which is located in Upper Hutt, Wellington. For some of us, this was our first time visiting this marae, while for others who had been there before, it felt more like returning home. Ōrongomai Marae is a community marae and offers manaaki (welcome) to everyone.

On arrival at the marae, the tangata whenua (local people) welcomed us with a call through a traditional pōwhiri (welcome ceremony) where we were guided by our fellow colleagues from Pou Ārahi, our advisory rōpū (group).

Over two very energising days, and an overnight stay where we slept beneath ancestral pou and whakairo (pillars and carvings), we got to nurture our skills and knowledge of tikanga Māori (Māori protocol) through learning about each other’s whakapapa (genealogy).We also learnt movements using rākau (wooden sticks) to learn about the wāhanga o te whare (parts of the meeting house), tried our hands at traditional weaving and Māori rongoā (plant medicine) and immersed ourselves in a lot of waiata (song) and dance.

As our stay ended, we were farewelled by poroporoaki (farewell ceremony) where we exchanged reflections and gratitude for our stay. And then, with humbled hearts and very full bellies, we departed the wharenui (meeting house) with a greater sense of whanaungatanga (belonging) to the marae, to te ao Māori (Māori world view) and to each other.

Photo: Waiata practice with Byron Taufao on guitar.

SECTOR SHOWCASE

Oamaru Combined Churches Christmas Parcels Trust

Photo: Parcels made by the Oamaru Combined Churches Christmas Parcels Trust.

As the holiday period approaches, most of us start to wind down. However, for some charities, they are approaching their busiest time of the year.

In this newsletter we are focused on giving — it’s a theme that’s rightly associated with the holiday season, so it’s fitting that we shine the spotlight on a charity that’s focussed on giving this Christmas.   

Mark and Adrienne Wylie have been coordinating the Oamaru Combined Churches Christmas Parcels Trust (the Trust) since 2012. What was initially known as the ‘Good Samaritan Club’ in the 1970s was taken over by the Oamaru Combined Churches and in 2017 the Oamaru Combined Churches Christmas Parcels Trust was established as a legal entity and registered as a charity. The Trustees are representatives of the Catholic, Anglican, and Presbyterian Churches, the Salvation Army, and includes a member of the local business community.

To put it simply, the Oamaru Combined Churches Christmas Parcels Trust aims to spread joy at Christmas time, but to reduce their work to a single sentence undermines the magnitude of the positive difference they make to their community.

Every year the Trust requests nominations for families who are experiencing hardship from various welfare, health and social agencies and schools in North Otago. Once the Trust receives the nominations they get to work putting together parcels for each nominated family. They aim to supply each family with the makings of a Christmas dinner, plus a gift for each member of the family.

Last year the Oamaru Combined Churches Christmas Parcels Trust provided 107 families with parcels. In total, 444 people were given the makings of a happy Christmas.

The Oamaru Combined Churches Christmas Parcels Trust receives around $7000 in funding each year but, as Mark notes, the value of goods and gifts donated would be worth several times that amount.

Photo: Oamaru Combined Churches Christmas Parcels Trust volunteers making parcels

Each year, in the week leading up to Christmas, approximately 30 volunteers work on assembling the parcels. Four days before Christmas the parcels are delivered to the families by the agencies and schools who made the nominations. This provides an opportunity for people from the agencies to interact with family members in an informal way.

Mark and Adrienne say that hearing the stories of how families react to receiving the parcels is the most rewarding part of the work they do. 

“Some of the people who delivered the parcels reported that families were very grateful, and in some cases were emotionally overwhelmed. We often encounter tears from people doing the delivery and hear of tears from the recipients when the parcels are delivered.” 

Christmas is a time of joy for most, however, for those who are suffering, this time of year can be tough. For those living in poverty, not having enough money to put presents under the tree or food on the table can be extremely stressful, something Christmas time shouldn’t be. The Oamaru Combined Churches Christmas Parcels Trust gives the makings of a happy Christmas to families that wouldn’t otherwise have one.

To find out more about the Oamaru Combined Churches Christmas Parcels Trust, or other registered charities in New Zealand, you can search the Charities Register.

QUICK NEWS OF INTEREST 

Kiwis are some of the most generous people in the world

Kiwis have come in third in the latest World Giving Index report. Every year the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) releases its World Giving Index which is intended to provide insight into the scope and nature of giving around the world.

This year, 2019, marks the tenth year CAF has collected data on giving and this year’s report highlights the biggest risers and fallers over the past decade, as well as the most (and the least) giving countries around the world.

Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the top three most giving countries, after the USA and Myanmar. What’s more, New Zealand is the only country to feature in the top ten of all three giving measures: Helping a stranger; donating money; and volunteering time. The number of adults in New Zealand who volunteer is more than twice the global average, with 41% of Kiwis engaging in voluntary work. Aotearoa New Zealand has scored consistently high over the last decade, a testament to the generosity of New Zealanders.

You can read the report here: CAF World Giving Index: Ten Years of Giving Trends

Face-to-face engagement in 2020: We want to hear from you!

Here at Charities Services a key part of our role is being responsive to the needs of the charitable sector by providing education to support you. This includes providing information and resources to make it easier for you to do your job. Our goal is to support charities to help themselves.

As part of our ongoing focus on being a responsive regulator, we are responding to the clear message we've received - that you want to see more of us. In 2020 we plan to increase the number of in-person engagement events that we hold and we would like to hear from you. What type of engagements would you like us to run? Would you like:

• One-on-one sessions helping with reporting and registration questions
• Presentations explaining requirements and responsibilities, allowing for questions
• Open days where you can have a chat with different people across the organisation?

Let us know! Please take 2 minutes to complete our short survey to tell us what engagement events you would like to see happen in 2020. 

We value all engagement, but we especially love being able to meet with you in person.

You can find the survey here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/CSengagement2020

2020 New Zealand Charity Reporting Awards

Has your charity done a particularly good job on financial reporting?

If so, you have the opportunity to be recognised in the 2020 New Zealand Charity Reporting Awards. The awards were established by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) in 2017 to recognise the efforts of registered charities that meet the financial reporting standards.

To find out more about the awards and information about how to enter visit our website.

Volunteering New Zealand survey 

Volunteering New Zealand (VNZ) has released a survey with the aim of gaining a national snapshot of the current state of volunteering in New Zealand. The survey is aimed at organisations that work with volunteers. You may be part of a senior management team, manager of volunteers, board members or paid staff member working alongside volunteers.

Your input will help VNZ identify key issues and trends arising in the sector. VNZ’s findings will be published later in 2020.  

Take 5 minutes to complete the survey here: https://volunteeringnz.typeform.com/to/b5qn6p

Email survey@volunteeringnz.org.nz if you have any questions.

A national strategy for community governance

To support and lift the capability of those in governance roles in the community, not-for-profit, and non-government sectors, the Centre for Social Impact is collaborating with a group of organisations, including Charities Services, to lead the development a national strategy for community governance.

The strategy will be developed around six outcome areas, which are outlined in the link below.  Working groups will be established for each of the six outcome areas, and will come together between February and April 2020. The aim is to have all actions identified and collated into the national strategy by July 2020 and implementation from then on.

More information is available here.

If you wish to be involved in the work in any of the outcome areas and/or can contribute your expertise in any other way, please contact info@csinz.org.

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