Partnering for Impact: Community Trust South at Waitangi

Recently some of our kaimahi and Trustees joined community trust representatives from across Aotearoa at the 2026 Combined Community Trust Conference, held in the historic setting of Waitangi.

Centred on the theme "Partnering for Impact - 2040 and Beyond," the conference provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on the role of community trusts in creating positive, long-term change for the communities they serve.

There could scarcely have been a more appropriate venue for these discussions than Waitangi. In 2040, Aotearoa will mark 200 years since the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, a partnership built on a vision of shared prosperity and collective responsibility. By that same milestone, Community Trusts will have accumulated more than 50 years of investment in communities throughout New Zealand.

Across keynote presentations, panel discussions, workshops and wānanga, our Trustees and kaimahi were encouraged to think deeply about what effective partnership looks like in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world. Discussions explored the opportunities and challenges facing the sector, while highlighting the importance of stewardship, collaboration and community-led impact.

Community Trust South was particularly proud to see our own Jess Domigan contribute to the programme, facilitating a wānanga feedback session that brought together key insights, tensions and opportunities emerging from discussions across the conference's three central themes: Resources, Stewardship and Legacy.

Our team have returned home with fresh perspectives, renewed inspiration and valuable insights that will help shape all our mahi now and into the future.