Following on from our very popular Moving Forward Together workshops we have been supporting Communities of Practice with participants and local Sports Trusts.

This is where you get to meet up with like-minded people, to share research, new insights, hear about great case studies and solve problems together. Groups have formed in Wellington, Invercargill, Northland, Tertiary Institutions and more are set to form next year.

NZRA has been involved in facilitating these to set up. We now join the conversation whenever when we can and act as a link between the groups to share great ideas across the Communities and scaffold new learning and networks.

For example, the Dunedin Community of Practice meets bi-monthly to shares case-studies, new tools, hot button topics and facilitates discussion on Community-Led Development. It includes participants from local Councils, YMCA, Sports Trusts, and DIA, Venture Southland. They have a schedule face-to-face and on-line meetings with rotating facilitation.

The Wellington Community of Practice have identified their purpose as working together to develop community recreation projects of region wide interest so as to increase the impact of their work. At this stage it includes participants from Local Authorities and Sports Trust.

"The buy in and commitment from all was essential to keeping the network viable and purposeful. Also a climate of respect and trust - where we are safe to check in, discuss, tease out ideas. A sense of equity helps too." Daphne Pilaar, Wellington City Council.

If you're interested in starting one, get in touch. I'd love to talk with you.

Esther Bukholt - Community Recreation Programme Manager