Our Purpose

Our Purpose

To accelerate bold meaningful change, assisting BOP communities and the environment to flourish.

Research & Publications

BayTrust 2020 Annual Public Meeting Presentation

Click below to download and read

 

 

Evaluation of the Salvation Army Mentoring project  

Click below to download and read 

 

 

 

Sustainable Housing in the Bay of Plenty

Click below to download and read:

 

 

Research Project: Investing For Social Impact in the Bay of Plenty

A major research project into how best to support Bay of Plenty children in the first 1000 days of their lives, and how to engage youth in the region, has identified significant opportunities for BayTrust to invest strategically for the region’s future success.

“BayTrust provides around $2 million in grants to a wide range of community initiatives each year,” the Trust’s Community Development Advisor, Terri Eggleton, says.  “We want to make sure that our grants go to where they will have the greatest impact to help us build, strengthen and enhance our region’s communities.”

“Our strategic plan identified the first 1000 days and youth engagement as focus areas where investment by the Trust could make a difference. What we needed was quality information on where investment would have the biggest social impact.”

BayTrust, in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development and the Community Response Forum, commissioned research to identify opportunities. The research project combined local knowledge of what was happening for children and youth in the region with an expert review of national and international research on successful first 1000 days and youth engagement initiatives.

“There are many community leaders and organisations in our region doing great work with families and young people.  They were invited to contribute to the project and we were delighted with the very enthusiastic response,” Terri Eggleton says. “Everyone was keen to contribute to help us understand where we could make a difference, where services could be improved, and where there were opportunities for collaboration.”

The research was carried out by the Centre for Social Impact, founded by the ASB Community Trust.

“It was an advantage to us to be able to commission this work from the Centre for Social Impact.  The Centre draws on the years of experience ASB Community Trust has, as Australasia’s largest philanthropic funder, of strategic investment in innovative community initiatives.  This meant that they were able to understand what we needed, were in touch with what is happening nationally and internationally, and could provide us with an outcome that was really relevant to our needs.”

BayTrust, the Ministry of Social Development and the Community Forum are now considering how they will take the recommendations from the research forward.

“We have a wealth of information and insight. The challenge now is to put this into action, starting with sharing the reports with all the people and organisations in the community who contributed to this important work.  We want their feedback on what the report has identified and their thoughts on priorities for action.”

Download the individual reports:

  1. Summary and Recommendations (1.6MB .pdf)
  2. Opportunities For First 1000 Days (2.2MB .pdf)
  3. Positive Outcomes and Futures For Youth (1.3MB .pdf)
  4. Community Consultation Hui (14.4MB .pdf)
  5. Survey Details (2.0MB .pdf)

For further information please contact:

  • Terri Eggleton
  • Bay Trust Community Development Advisor
  • 07 928 1861

Investment for social impact in the Bay of Plenty

In undertaking this exploratory work with the Centre for Social Impact, BayTrust wanted to identify opportunities for:

  • strategic investment in supporting youth engagement and opportunities to make a positive impact in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. BayTrust has opportunities to provide traditional philanthropic funding as well as to be a funder using emergent models of funding (e.g. catalytic or venture philanthropy). Funding is also undertaken alongside opportunities for capacity building, collaboration, and knowledge brokering
  • working in partnership with other local and national organisations that are also interested in early years and youth priorities. This work was undertaken in close collaboration with the Ministry of Social Development. New or extended opportunities for collaboration may be useful to consider. It is also important not to duplicate services that may be funded or supported by other sources, including government funding
  • effective and strategic responses to projected population changes, needs, strengths and challenges. Regional population transitions and changing population age structures will have an impact on the communities served by BayTrust.

A snapshot of our region

  • Census 2013 data states that a total of 21,588 children under 5 years and 36,738 youth aged 15 to 24 years live in these districts. The proportion of Māori children and young people varies across the region. In Western Bay of Plenty, around one third of children and a quarter of the young people are Māori. In Eastern Bay of Plenty, this proportion more or less doubles, with 61% of children and 57% of young people being Māori . Rotorua has the highest number of children and young people in the region, with approximately half being Māori.
  • Compared to New Zealand as a whole, the BayTrust geographic area includes a higher proportion of high deprivation areas and a lower proportion of low deprivation areas. However, it is important to note that there are variations in deprivation across the BayTrust region. Similarly, although there is variation across geographic areas, overall the median income across the BayTrust area is lower for all people and for Māori than are the median income levels for all New Zealand and for all Māori.

Overview of priority areas

  • The first 1,000 days includes the period of pre-pregnancy and birth; infancy (birth to the first six months); and toddlerhood (six months to two years). Combined, these developmental periods build the foundation for a child’s ability to grow, learn and thrive.
  • Youth generally refers to young people aged 15 to 24 years. Youth marks the period of transition from childhood to adult independence, and can include significant points of change such as leaving school education, transition to other education, employment or training, and/or to parenthood. While some young people navigate smooth transitions to adulthood, other young people experience transitions that place them at increased risk of social exclusion, deprivation and negative life outcomes.
  • The risks faced by vulnerable youth and by vulnerable families in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life are complex. As such, the provision of effective youth engagement, and effective support to make a positive impact in the first 1,000 days, cannot be the sole responsibility of a single agency or organisation. There is national and international recognition that solutions need to be multifaceted and acknowledge the complementary roles of government agencies, philanthropic organisations, and community organisations.

Major opportunities identified for the Bay of Plenty

First 1000 days

What does the research identify?

  • When babies grow up in impoverished, abusive, neglectful and/or punitive environments, they are more likely to carry a significant burden (socially, physically and economically) and thus never reach their full potential.
  • When these early experiences and environments are enriching, supportive and positive, the majority of babies grow up well and go on to become positive contributing members of society, who feel loved, valued and a part of healthy whānau.
  • First 1000 days recommendations for the Bay of Plenty
  • Upskill existing community workers in the importance of the first 1,000 days, so that those already engaged in vulnerable communities can widen their own understandings and support the dissemination of information and education.
  • Prioritise intervening early, using the best available evidence, in the lives of mothers/families who face the “clusters” of challenges that make them the most vulnerable (e.g. age/education, housing, stressors). This must include practical solutions to practical problems, such as evidence-based parenting programmes which provide transport of the parent and child to co-related programmes.
  • Support the development of “baby friendly” environments (e.g. with areas to feed infants, and prioritised parking spaces) that are also welcoming and engaging to young parents, including through the use of technology and support for web-based learning services.

Youth engagement

What does the research identify?

  • Historically, much of the emphasis in youth programmes and solutions designed for youth has been on personal responsibility—“youth need to drink less, study harder and get a better attitude”.
  • While personal responsibility is important, evidence suggests that as youth grow and develop, their ability to make decisions is highly dependent on their context, experiences, peers, family, community influences, and opportunities. Most of the programmes that are successful for youth take a wider youth development and ecosystem approach because they acknowledge that an individual’s behaviours and positive outcomes are shaped by many factors in their environment.

Youth engagement recommendations for the Bay of Plenty

  • Support multi-component leadership programmes that have a positive youth development, academic and future goal-orientated emphasis with strong cultural components.
  • Support programmes for youth that provide opportunities to contribute to society and learn important employment, business and networking skills.
  • Build partnerships with local authorities, government and iwi to develop child and youth friendly policies as a basis for creating liveable and vibrant communities for children and young people to thrive and succeed.

Funding Pop up Content

Thank you for showing interest in applying for funding. We fund programmes and projects that work towards achieving our Outcomes and Priorities and contain the Attributes we require. These Outcomes, Priorities and Attributes are listed below.

Strengthened Whanau - Babies and Youth

Rationale: BayTrust recognises the importance of family and whanau as the basic unit in communities – when the family unit is strong, it follows that our communities will be healthy and strong. Our priorities in this area are:

​The first 1000 days of Child’s Life

The first 1000 days of a child’s life is the best time to make an investment into a child, and addressing the needs of a baby means effectively addressing the needs of the family. Evidence supports the value of investment into this phase of a child’s development as cost beneficial

Priorities:

  1. Programmes addressing the needs of families and children, e.g. parenting programmes, especially where addressing those identified at risk or with high needs;
  2. Programmes should have identified outcomes and a long term approach, be based on sound practice and show strong alignment to the effective interventions identified in our research.

Youth

BayTrust believes that when Youth are involved and engaged within their community – through a range of activities (work, sport, volunteerism, education) they are more likely to lead productive lives and become good citizens that will provide leadership for our communities in the future.

Priorities:

  1. Activities that support youth engagement;
  2. Youth support services and programmes that encourage youth to be productive members of the community, that are strengths based, have identified outcomes and a long term approach, are based on sound practice and can show strong alignment to the effective interventions identified in our research;
  3. That facilitate youth into post-secondary education, training or employment.

Vulnerable families and children

For a variety of reasons, some families, children and parents need assistance to reach their full potential, improve their lives, or recover from setbacks. Supporting family members to become strong will lead to strong communities.  

Priorities:

  1. Programmes addressing the needs of children, especially those who are at risk or vulnerable, to help them overcome difficulties and thrive
  2. Programmes or activities that support adults/parents who are vulnerable, at risk or disadvantaged
  3. Programmes should have identified outcomes and a long term approach, and be based on sound practice.

Inclusive Communities

Rationale: BayTrust has a role in fostering acceptance of community diversity and assisting those at a disadvantage to participate in and contribute to the community to the best of their ability. 

Priorities:

  1. Programmes that promote general health and wellbeing for those who are disadvantaged – through illness, inequality, age, disability or geographical situation;
  2. Effects of demographic changes on people and activities that focus on how to reduce the negative impacts of these changes, especially those that take a regional perspective;
  3. Activities that promote the acceptance of diversity within our communities

Safe communities

Rationale: Feeling safe within communities is necessary to personal wellbeing and enjoyment of our natural resources.

Priorities:

  1. Lifesaving, Coastguard, water survival and safety organisations and activities;
  2. Search and Rescue operations and organisations;
  3. Community Policing activities and organisations

Healthy Sustainable Housing

Rationale: We recognise the importance of healthy, sustainable housing in enabling people and families to lead healthy, productive lives.

Priorities:

  1. Programmes that address issues of sub-standard housing and or lack of social housing;
  2. Retrofitting insulation programmes where there is a community approach to the programme.

PROSPEROUS COMMUNITIES

Rationale: Community development encourages communities to address their own issues, build on their own strengths and natural advantages. This builds cohesion, enhances the lives of people within communities and increases their sense of belonging, wellbeing and happiness.  Economic vibrancy, prosperity and jobs that provide a sustainable wage or better, plus all year round employment are essential to retain citizens and enable communities to thrive.

Priorities:

  1. Community organisations and activities that facilitate community development at a community level, encourage community cohesion and pride, volunteerism and equity amongst citizens;
  2. Activities that seek to address economic challenges, or improve economic welfare; the creation of sustainable employment opportunities;
  3. Activities that encourage or support the creation and enhancement of social enterprises.

ACTIVE COMMUNITIES

Rationale: BayTrust recognises the benefit of sport and recreational activities in contributing to the overall health and wellbeing of community members, and the role sport plays in providing a mechanism for inclusion of individuals in a community. BayTrust believes the most strategic manner it can contribute to sport is through its involvement in the CoachForce programme which is delivered across 19 sporting codes across the BOP region by our strategic partner Sport BOP, and achieves recognisable community outcomes.

Priorities:

  1. CoachForce programme due to its wide coverage and identified community benefits;
  2. Other sports and recreational activities that are not supported by CoachForce where the activity is an important part of that community, is well supported by the community and is easily accessible to all.

VIBRANT & FUN COMMUNITIES

Rationale: BayTrust believes involvement in arts, culture and heritage, community activities and events enriches people’s lives and increases their sense of wellbeing and connectedness.

Priorities:

  1. Applications for community driven arts, cultural and heritage opportunities / activities that enrich the lives of communities through active participation and that ideally work in a collaborative manner reflecting community priorities e.g. community arts programmes.
  2. Contributions to capital costs (generally up to a maximum of 20%) for buildings or assets where they are of strong local significance or historical importance with considerable wider community benefit.
  3. Events up to $15,000 maximum where the majority of the below elements are present:
  • a free to the public component;
  • high community appeal (the event reflects the interests of a high % of the community);
  • outreach to schools or youth involvement;
  • local community involvement in the organisation and delivery of the event;
  • high volunteer involvement;
  • where BayTrust funding will make a material difference to the event;
  • that have material economic development spin offs.

Tū Māori mai

  1. Activities or programmes that promote a strong Māori cultural identity (including Te Reo and tikanga) and contribute to a range of positive outcomes,
  2. Activities or programmes that help build knowledge of local Māori histories that help build understanding and positive collective futures
  3. Contributions to capital projects on Marae (up to $15k).

STRONGER COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS

Rationale: We need strong community organisations and strong community leaders to deliver good quality programmes and activities that address community needs and aspirations.

Priorities:

  1. Activities that build the capacity and capability of community organisations or social enterprises, especially those that drive greater sustainability; support evaluative practices, service improvement and collaborative practices;
  2. Activities that support and enable community leaders;
  3. Activities that encourage and support volunteerism.

IMPROVED NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Rationale: The natural environment is fundamental to the sustainability and future of BOP.

Priorities:

  1. Community led natural environmental initiatives;
  2. Activities that promote community involvement in sustainability practices or raise awareness of environmental issues at a community level;
  3. Activities that recognise the natural environment as a cornerstone of sustainable communities and support those that show leadership within this space.

 

To help determine the likelihood of
funding success BayTrust will apply
its funding strategically by investing
in programmes and activities that
contain the following attributes:

1. Are BOP wide or BOP replicable, and are
       community led.

2. Contain measurable outcomes and
       embedded evaluative practices.

3. Build capacity and capability of
       community groups and individuals who
       are potential community leaders

4. Support those in the BOP who have the
       greatest need

5. Incorporate a Partnership approach

6. Foster Youth engagement and early child
       development

7. Deliver innovative solutions to social issues

Note: the more of these attributes that an application can demonstrate it meets, the more likelihood of funding and the greater the funding that can be accesses.

My progamme, activity or project aligns with the above > 

My progamme, activity or project does not Align with the above >