Wesley Community Action: Ground-up innovation enabled through trusted philanthropic partnership

Wesley Community Action was established in 1952 by Te Haahi Wēteriana (Methodist Church) to serve communities throughout the Wellington region, supporting people to create better lives for themselves and their whānau. This paper centres on a specific project that Lizzie Makalio and her son have created, which is supported by a partnership with the J R McKenzie Trust. Lizzie is deeply embedded in the community and with the support of the Trust is working with club members and their whānau to enable access to learning and tools for whānau wellbeing. A key initiative is Whanaufluence, where an online community of whānau from across different club patches are supported to access and share tools, discuss moments of change, watch online workshops and learn from each other’s life experiences.

In the video below, Lizzie reflects on her relationship with the J R McKenzie Trust  - the opportunity to host trustees in the community as a critical step in building understanding and connection, and the value of face-to-face reporting.

NB: This is a case study from The Philanthropic Landscape Volume II: Shifting Culture and Power through Mana-Enhancing Partnerships. Read the full report here.