About us

The NZ Navigator Trust

The NZ Navigator Trust has an ambitious vision - to create a growing portfolio of digital spaces that provide easy access to a number of high quality tools and resources that equip community organisations and create a thriving charitable and community sector in Aotearoa New Zealand.

In 2013 we started work on an elegant, easy-to-use organisational self-assessment tool called NZ Navigator, never envisaging that a few years later we'd have a digital space with a number of websites focused on the development of community organisations in New Zealand.

Our approach to the rapid growth of this space has been: we will focus on whatever is most needed, based on whatever priorities spin out of our recent projects. We combine these wherever possible with emerging technological developments, and use the knowledge and skills that we have gained along the way. We also happen to really enjoy what we do.

Our guiding principles

• Simple - the resources are easy to use.
• Relevant - they make sense to people.
• Useful - they help people to solve a problem and/or to improve.
• Trusted - they are curated by the community for the community.

Who’s involved?

Marion Blake, MNZM: as a longtime advocate for the critical role of community in mental health and addictions, Marion (as Chief Executive of Platform Trust) initiated the work that culminated in NZ Navigator. Currently Chair of Northable Matapuna Hauora, Marion was Chair of the original NZ Navigator Governance Group and a Foundation Trustee of NZ Navigator Trust. She is also the Chair of the NZ Navigator Charitable Trust.

Barbara Wallace: As a member of the project team at the start of the NZ Navigator journey, Barbara's continuing engagement stems from her interest in helping create beautiful, easy-to-use websites and practical, time-saving resources for community sector organisations. Barbara is a foundation Trustee.

Rochelle Stewart-Allen: Rochelle joined NZ Navigator Trust in 2023. With her experiences leading NGOS, including Hui E! Community Aotearoa and ChangeMakers Resettlement Form, and her ongoing passion for supporting community organisations to thrive, Rochelle is delighted to be bringing her knowledge and skills to this mahi.

Phillipa Gaines: Phillipa was the project manager for the development of the NZ Navigator Tool and was also involved in the establishment of the NZ Navigator Trust. She has continued to take an interest in the NZ Navigator journey, culminating in her joining the Trust in 2023. She brings extensive experience working in the mental health and addiction sector, and is enthused by the emergence of new alliances and partnerships that explicitly include community organisations.

Working closely with community organisations

We believe in collaboration, in working with sector capability builders to promote and support community organisations; encouraging community organisations to share the tools, templates and case studies they have successfully designed in their own work; and by listening to and incorporating feedback from users.

The Trust itself grew out of a collaboration between community partners, Platform Trust and Bishop’s Action Foundation, successfully working alongside Department of Internal Affairs and Charities Services.

The NZ Navigator Trust is a core member of the Charities Sector Group. This group provides an opportunity for representatives of the charitable sector to interact directly with Charities Services to discuss priorities, issues and perspectives. 

Partnerships and alliances

The lines separating government, community, business, technologies and citizens are all starting to disappear. We realise that partnerships and alliances will be critical to the ongoing development of this digital space. If you are interested in sharing your time, resources and/or expertise with us in order to accelerate the innovation process, please contact us at info@nzntrust.org.nz.

 

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following organisations for their support of the digital hub. Our work is sustained by these funders and partners.