Introducing Israel Hawkins

Ngati Kahungunu and Ngati Tuwharetoa

Israel’s passion for serving people can leave one blown away.

He may not take himself too seriously (get ready for some laughs). But his mahi (work) has serious impact in the lives of people.

And the approach is unorthodox.

Starting about 20 years ago when Israel and some friends went to help people in slums in the Philippines, they experienced important lessons about the impact of their own worldview. And the impact of meaning well, yet never asking the people if the help was wanted.

They left, challenged with the way they would support whānau and community.

In 2008, Israel with Teresa Hawkins formed WERA Aotearoa Charitable Trust (WACT) from a deep desire to provide effective and relative services to communities throughout Aotearoa.

Leaving behind the mainstream, their methodologies and delivery have a powerful Māori approach. With community and relationship building at the front.

A transformative example of this is the establishment of Waka Whakamua Collective Impact Group is made up of 30 providers, businesses, churches and organisations focused on working together to deliver services supporting and strengthening youth, whanau and the wider community.

Connect with Israel via LinkedIn or [email protected].

In today’s episode you’ll learn

• Collective Impact: the history and the 5 principles.
• The Māori approach of inclusivity - going beyond mainstream.
• The missing first step of Collective Impact: Connection and agreement.
• The impact of preconceptions and judgements when jumping in to solve “issues”.
• The journey of establishing the Collective Impact Group - Waka Whakamua.
• Seeing value in what each person at the table brings.
• What happens when you combine Community Led Development Principles and Collective Impact Methodologies.
• Why the government wasn’t invited to Waka Whakamua.

Resources mentioned in this episode

• The Collective Process of Waka Whakamua
  
• Website: Waka Whakamua Collective Impact Group
  
• Website: Wera Aotearoa Charitable Trust (WACT)
  
• Article: Collective Impact, by John Kania & Mark Kramer
  

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