Voice

The Hikurangi Foundation is looking to recruit an exceptional full-time Operations Manager to work closely with the Executive Director to manage, coordinate and develop all aspects of the organisation.

This will entail a wide range of responsibilities, managing a diverse set of relationships, and taking the initiative in any number of situations. This is a pivotal position that will require flexibility, optimism, ingenuity, and a high-level personal commitment to delivering positive change in New Zealand.

A full role description with details of how to apply can be found here: Operations Manager Role Description

Applications for this role will close at midnight on 23rd May. We aim to hold intreviews on the 29th May.

Please send any queries not answered in the role description to [email protected]

Hikurangi Executive Director Alex Hannant presents at the SBN Forum 2012

In March 2012, the Sustainable Business Network held an interactive forum to educate, inspire and enable businesses to further advance their sustainable development via current successful best practices, latest thinking, practical applications, discussions and audience contribution to the concept of shared value and collaborative business - designed to be a high-value learning event.

The forum was facilitated by Business Journalist Rod Oram, with a key note talk from Jonathan Watts, Asia Correspondent for the UK Guardian Newspaper and author of When a Billion Chinese Jump.

Other speakers included Hikurangi’s Executive Director Alex Hannant and Ngarimu Blair trustee of Ngati Whatua plus many fascinating presenters.

Following the forum the organisers collated a Forum resource pdf, pulling together presentations, context, outputs and some suggested further reading from the event. You can download the Forum resource here (852kb).

Alex Hannant, Executive Director of The Hikurangi Foundation

Since I first engaged with climate change I’ve been driven by a question – how do you generate, embed, and scale quality solutions to sync society within the physical limitations of the world we live in? How do you do this quickly and how do you do it well? It gets my hackles up when climate change is siloed as an environmental issue – I fundamentally see it as a social one. It’s an indicator that our current model is defunct and the harbinger of the biggest disruption that the 21st century will know. It exists because of us and will ultimately impact upon us – preach about it, ignore it or deny it; one way or another the world is changing – so we best get ahead of it.

If the issue is social in nature, so is the solution. And the answer to my question, as I see it, is that change comes through people – how they learn, how they interact, how they innovate, how they organise themselves, and how they act. In short, if you want a low-carbon society, don’t get too hung-up on the technology or regulation – what you really need is holistic and iterative approaches that enable new models of social leadership, collaboration and innovation to emerge. This is the focus of our work at the Hikurangi Foundation – incubating social innovation through three interconnected pillars.

The first pillar is about developing the skills and competencies required to conceive of and lead change. Some of this is traditional leadership territory – purpose, vision, awareness, resolve – but we also see a number of other attributes required by the 21st century world. Entrepreneurs of today need to facilitate creative interactions between strange bedfellows. They need a high degree of futures literacy to be at ease with uncertainty, see novelty and capture opportunities as they emerge. Systems thinking and managing complexity are par for the course – as is good, quick decision-making that makes equal use of intuition and logic. Managing people without organisational or hierarchical structures; harnessing the incredible power of communications technology; brokering partnerships and sealing hybrid deals; story-telling and inspiring others are all key competencies for high-performing people working in sustainability. And we need these people in all sectors.

The second pillar is about facilitating the platforms (spaces, events and processes) that enable people to build relationships, align their interests, pool their resources, and develop a basis for cooperative action. As humans, we’re very good at solving complicated but static problems. We’re less good at collective conundrums that shift, are emotional, and cannot be beaten with a microchip. Yet, ironically for master problem-solvers, we still conceive of communications very literally (particularly in large organisations). Control and hierarchy can mask cooperation to a certain extent but they’re no longer fit for purpose in meeting the long-term, systemic challenges we face. Good social process, whether it is ‘U-process’ or ‘unconferences’, enables people to reframe their thinking, build trust, and take ownership – all essential ingredients for social innovation. This work also enables self-organisation and efficient allocation of resources across communities, organisations and sectors.

The last pillar is about developing, validating and scaling solutions that have the potential to deliver big impact and change systems. We do this through a venture philanthropy model that supplies a tailored package of finance, skills, brokering, and long-term partnership. We are selective about which initiatives to work with but once on board, aim to be the partner that struggling social entrepreneurs dream about. Sally Osgood from Skoll says that social entrepreneurs do everything that entrepreneurs do but ‘backwards and in high heels’ because the support networks and systems don’t exist as they do in the private sector. We seek to bridge that gap. At the moment we’re supporting the establishment of New Zealand’s first community-owned wind-farm; scaling the design and build principles of New Zealand’s most energy efficient house, and piloting a PPP on-demand transport service for semi-rural communities – of which we have many. Once these experiments are made to work, they can be replicated and adapted with the benefit of hindsight.

So our model for low-carbon transition boils down to developing talent, facilitating good social process, and backing transformational ventures to the hilt – People, Platforms, and Projects. We don’t have any fixed ideas about how this will develop but that’s kind of the point. We’re keen to connect globally, feel free to get in touch!

Our strategy for 2012-15:
Can you see yourself as part of it?

Not just another corporate document, the Hikurangi Strategy 2012-2015 (137kb) is our blueprint for how we help accelerate progress towards a thriving and resilient low-carbon society.

Since 2008, Hikurangi has facilitated over 20 targeted and positive engagements on climate change in New Zealand. These engagements reached across regions, cultures and sectors, and were delivered in partnership with over 70 different organisations, communities, and institutions. Employing an incubator approach, Hikurangi has also demonstrated a new approach to catalysing social change.

Now we aim to strengthen our focus on being New Zealand’s incubator for low-carbon social innovation.

Our overarching approach is designed to develop and validate new solutions to unmet needs and neglected opportunities - we have built this approach around three interconnected pillars - People, Platforms, and Projects.

• ‘People’ is about developing the skills and competencies required to lead change and social innovation in a diverse, complex, and fast-moving world.
• ‘Platforms’ is about providing space and facilitating processes that build relationships, enable learning, and provides the basis for collaboration and shared value creation.
• ‘Projects’ is about incubating, validating and scaling solutions that have the potential to deliver big social and environmental impact - we do this through investing a combination of finance, skills, and mentoring. Individual and collective learning are essential ingredients throughout.

Throughout our work we will aim to accelerate the generation and adoption of sustainable solutions in five focus areas: Mobility, Living, Power, Enterprise and Land-use. Combined, we see these as the critical sectors that will enable our transition to thriving and resilient New Zealand.

Find out more. Hikurangi Strategy 2012-2015. 

Let us know what you think, and if you see opportunities to collaborate and do things better.  Email Executive Director Alex Hannant at [email protected].

Hikurangi's Alex Hannant at the SBN Forum

Hikurangi’s Executive Director Alex Hannant spoke at this year’s SBN Sustainability Forum in Auckland on 29 March, at Westpac on Takutai.

Alex spoke about Social Innovation: best practice from around the world and underlying principles.

Business journalist Rod Oram facilitated the day, with a key note talk from Jonathan Watts, author of When a Billion Chinese Jump.

The day was an invaluable opportunity to join leading NZ business thinkers, practitioners and facilitators, and the programme was designed to harness collective knowledge via co-creation sessions. Participants were able to either select the sessions that most interested them, or attend the whole day.  The forum offered practical and relevant insights into the latest sustainable business solutions, thinking on value creation and successfully collaborating to create measurable wealth within organisations.

Download the full programme here.

Download summarised presentations from the Forum here (852kb).

With support from Hikurangi and Downstage Theatre, The Dialogues with Tomorrow series bought together artists and scientists to have constructive dialogue on themes related to climate change, April - June, 2010.  Dialogues was the idea of Sophie Jerram and Dugal McKinnon, born out of a desire to bring a cultural perspective to the looming climate crisis.

With humanity’s collective problem-solving muscles being worked to their limits, Sophie and Dugal curated a speaker line-up comprising six artists and a cultural historian whose work strongly engaged with climate matters. These speakers were coupled with five interlocutors from a science or business background, to link the artists’ work to the empirical understandings of climate and economics, to respond to the artists’ explorations, and to explore how the artistic reflections enrich their science or business.  These dialogues were followed by a lively illuminating discussion to bring together the knowledge, ideas and reactions of the speakers.  The resulting conversations aimed to uncloud an over-simplified understanding of climate change, and succeeded in providing excellent food for thought.

The 2010 Dialogues series has now been published, you can order a copy by contacting: [email protected].  Or if you prefer e-books, you can read the fascinating and inspiring talks here.

Podcasts of the dialogues series for both 2010 and 2011 are available here.

The School for Social Entrepreneurs opens in March 2012 in Otahuhu, Auckland. At it’s core, the vision of the school is:
“For all New Zealand communities, particularly those experiencing significant disadvantage, to have the capacity to find and grow solutions to their own social and economic challenges.”

The school aims to support early-stage social entrepreneurs to build sustainable new social enterprises, social businesses and non-profit ventures. The School is seeking to identify 15 social entrepreneurs to become the first cohort of the 10 month Action Learning Programme (ALP), from March to November 2012, which is designed to accelerate and enhance their respective impact on their communities.

Most students will see the majority of their costs supported by scholarship, however the total cost of the course without scholarship support is $15,000.

For more information and application forms follow this link: http://www.nzcsi.org/Initiatives/2011-03-06/nzcsi-social-entrepreneurs-school.aspx

What are the views of young New Zealanders on the outlook for our environment?

TVNZ 7 Presents THE OUTLOOK FOR SOMEDAY Sustainability Film Challenge for Young People

This year over 600 young people aged from 6 to 24 years old took part in making a record 153 entries for The Outlook For Someday Sustainability Film Challenge 2011, now into it’s fifth year.

The 20 Winning Films from The Outlook for Someday will be broadcast over 5 programmes presented by actor Jared Turner on TVNZ 7. The films tackle subjects ranging from pollution and deforestation to the meaning of Kaitiaki and how to be a conscious shopper.

TVNZ 7 Presents The Outlook for Someday 2011 will be screened at 6.30pm each night from Monday 12 to Friday 16 December. Each programme will then be repeated the following day at 12.30pm.

TVNZ 7 is on both Freeview/TiVo (channel 7) and SKY/Telstra (channel 077).

The vote runs until 5pm on 18 December at The Outlook for Someday website: www.theoutlookforsomeday.net

Earlier this year The Outlook for Someday was endorsed by UNESCO as a project of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.

On 1 December the 20 Winning Films were honoured at The Someday Awards red-carpet ceremony, which was held for the first time at the Aotea Centre in Auckland’s THE EDGE performing arts and entertainment hub. Special Guests were actor Robyn Malcolm and Nikki Kaye, MP for Auckland Central.

A call for entries to the 2012 challenge will be made early in the New Year.

Entries come from individuals and teams from primary, intermediate and secondary schools and tertiary institutions. They are assessed by a Judging Team of media, education, government and business people.

A very fond farewell

I’m signing off on this newsletter knowing that it’s my last as Executive Director.

I don’t want to be overdramatic, but at the same time, I can’t say thank you enough to all the people I’ve gotten to work with over the last 3 years. You’ve shared more than a little bit of your inspiration and energy with me, and I get to say farewell to the Director’s chair with a genuine sense that what we’ve done together, really has made a difference.

My next adventure, is going to be a bit more of a physical challenge, as I aim to use NZ’s extraordinary outdoors as a backdrop for helping groups and businesses facilitate new projects and ideas. I promise not to spend all my time in the bush though. I will still be keeping in touch with the Hikurangi family and throwing in my two cents now and then.

In the meantime, I know Hikurangi will be in more than capable hands with our incoming Executive Director, Alex Hannant.

Until we meet again,

Liana

Say hello to the new kid on the block

Alex Hannant officially takes the reins of Hikurangi on 28 November.

Though UK-born and coming to us straight from London, Alex has spent plenty of time in NZ, having worked here for 7+ years and completed his Masters at Victoria University in 2005.

He will bring to Hikurangi impressive experience and perspective from his recent UK-based roles as Director at LEAD International and Head of Partnerships for the global Climate and Development Knowledge Network.

“I feel excited and privileged to be coming back to New Zealand to take up the role of Executive Director at the Hikurangi Foundation.” says Alex.

“These are interesting times; if you look around the world pretty much everywhere is experiencing rapid, unexpected and systemic change. Looking ahead I can see organisations like Hikurangi - who are both strategic and practical, entrepreneurial and socially-minded - playing an increasingly important role in making sure we stay ahead of the curve. New Zealand has an impressive track record in innovation, Hikurangi is here to build and support that culture, and accelerate the development of the ideas and talent that will benefit us all.”

Alex will be based in Wellington and looks forward to meeting the Hikurangi network in December and in the new year.

Insert your name here cycles Cape Reinga to Wellington

Or maybe Bluff to Picton is more your thing?

Mark your calendars, 14-21 April 2012 the inaugural Tour of New Zealand cycle race hits the road.

We’re more than a little excited, and not just because we’re looking forward to an epic adventure, and the bragging rights when we’ve finished. As race partners, if you sign up to ride, you can also raise funds to help Hikurangi in our work supporting cycling projects across NZ.

You need not be Lance Armstrong to enter (though if he calls we’re not turning him down). Your team gets to choose to cycle either the North or South island, and then you can tackle the 7 day course as a relay or ride every fabulous km; the only requirement is that teams have from 3-5 riders on the road at any one time.

And it’s not just all about soaking up the scenery while feeling the wind in your hair. Putting your ride to work for the greater good is easy. Tick the Hikurangi box on the sign up form and you’ll get your own fundraising web page so you can get people to sponsor your ride, plus we’ll send you a few suggestions on other simple fundraisers as well.

We’re aiming to have as many teams enter to support Hikurangi as possible, and we’re kicking it off with a couple of our own…

Rod Oram is on the hunt for 21 keen folk to each take on one day with him as he tackles the South Island. Plus, our own homegrown office lasses need another 21 cyclists, adventure lovers, NZ lovers, and people who want to get a little bit sweaty and then lounge around a bach for the night with a sense of self-satisfaction, to take on the North with them.

Interested, or want to come out and support us as we roll through your hometown? Email [email protected], or head to for race details and to sign up!

Climate hubs turn heads

We started up the climate hubs project two years ago with five community groups that we saw as having big potential to be hubs in their communities and make a little bit of funding go a long way on climate change. They didn’t dissapoint.

Our congrats go out to 350 Aotearoa, winners of the 2011 Sustainable Business Awards for Social Innovation, which were held on 8 November in Auckland!

350 Aotearoa was just one year old when it became a climate hub. Now with 3+ years under it’s belt it has established itself as a key part of the community climate change and NGO sectors. With a small core team, it amplifies its effects by working strategically to inspire and build the skills of potential community leaders to create and lead their own 350 projects in towns across NZ.

Meanwhile, issue #20 of Good magazine profiled Blueskin Bay Power and project manager Scott Willis as an Everday Hero. We couldn’t agree more.

Hikurangi has helped support Scott’s position as project manager for the past two years, allowing the Blueskin Bay community outside Dunedin to succesfully pursue building NZ’s first community owned cluster of 3-4 wind turbines. The turbines are on track for installation in early 2014 and will be able to supply the approx one thousand households in the community with all of their electricity (expected generation is 4.5million kW a year).

Not only is the project set to put Blueskin Bay in control of it’s own renewable energy, it has built a model for other communities to follow and has already worked to bring key people nationwide together to discuss spin-off projects on promoting renewables.

 
Liana Stupples

In recognition of our dedication to helping New Zealand communities create and sustain a network of rural and urban cycleways, The Hikurangi Foundation has been chosen as one of three recipient charities of the Tour of New Zealand fundraising cycle event, launched on a crisp evening on 18th May, at Parliament.

This is the biggest cycle team event ever hosted in New Zealand, and we’re excited about this amazing opportunity to work alongside partners and projects with the aim of realising the true potential of a national cycle network.

The Hikurangi Foundation will also assist event organisers with ensuring excellence in the event’s environmental sustainability, caring for New Zealand’s spectacular environment while we’re out there enjoying it!

You can read all about Hikurangi’s vision for cycleways and track record in this area here (450kb)

Read more about our Creating Cycleways Action Programme.