The Otago Community Trust is pleased to announce the first recipients of its new Tamariki & Rangatahi Capability Fund. The Tamariki & Rangatahi Capability Fund is a part of the Otago Community Trust’s funding suite to support its new dedicated Tamariki and Rangatahi Strategy.

Otago Community Trust chief executive Barbara Bridger highlights that the Capability Fund is designed to strengthen the tamariki and rangatahi (children and young people) sector, providing additional funding to organisations to specifically invest in capability development.

“When we talk about capability development, we are referring to investment in a range of areas which can include professional development, policy reviews, strategic planning activities, enhancing evaluation frameworks and in some instances cultural capability development.”

Otago Community Trust community engagement advisor Liz Harburg who has been responsible for overseeing the new Fund said all the applicants who received funding are all passionate about building the skills and abilities of youth focused organisations in Otago but many face challenges at a governance level, like succession and long-term strategic planning.

“Excitingly, some applications were focused on enhancing the skills of young people to allow them to play a greater role within the leadership and governance of their community organisation.”

A total of fifteen applicants applied to the newly established contestable fund and fourteen applicants were successful in receiving funding. One application was withdrawn as it did not fit the Fund criteria, said Harburg.

Megan Longman from Journeys Charitable Trust said due to the growth and evolution of Journeys the $2,255 capability fund grant approved for Journey’s is ideal timing.

"Due to the growth and evolution of Journeys we are now preparing to review and redevelop our strategic plan to ensure it is relevant for the next three to five years.”

“Having the ability to work with an external facilitator for this process will both grow our own governance capability and ensure our strategic plan to guide the coming years' operations will be high quality and fit for purpose. This will enhance our long-term sustainability and enable Journeys to best support the evolving needs of girls and women in Central Otago"

Quinette Tatupu from the Inspired Faith Church in Dunedin said the $8,000 capability fund grant will be dedicated to supporting our Ta'ita'i o Taeao project, which in English means ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’.

“Our focus is to develop our youth as a group as well as individual members of our organisation and expose them to more opportunities to share their ideas, knowledge, and skills, all the while building and increase their confidence to be the ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’.

“It is great that Otago Community Trust has this dedicated fund which allows us the opportunity to strengthen our young Pasifika leaders.”

In total Otago Community Trust approved $104,498 in the first Tamariki & Rangatahi Capability Fund funding round, which in response to feedback from the sector, were approved quicker than normal.

Otago Community Trust community engagement advisor Liz Harburg explained that applications closed at the end of September and were decided on at the Trust’s October board meeting.

“We hope that by having this quicker turnaround, we can better support organisations to plan and budget for their 2023 activities.”

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