President’s message

Kia ora koutou

As I write this message many of you, your team members and colleagues who are Auckland-based will be facing a few days of working from home for the second time this year already. If the disruption of ‘yo-yo’ lockdowns is getting to you, remember that a chat with an Educate Plus colleague who ‘gets it’, is just an email or a phone call away. Please reach out to our friendly, efficient Chapter Manager, Kate Eatts, at manager.nz@educateplus.edu.au and Kate will happily point you in the direction of a fellow member who works in the same sector as you.

A welcome to all our new members who have joined the Educate Plus NZ Chapter whanau in the past four months or so. A reminder that the Member’s Resources section on the Educate Plus website contains a wealth of resources and information to support you whether you are a one-man-band or a fundraising, marketing or alumni relations specialist. We can’t recommend the recorded webinars and conference presentations highly enough. Also, if you are looking for information relating to the NZ Chapter, you’ll find our webpage here and the Facebook updates here.

As you progress through 2021, we’d love to hear of your ‘small wins’ that represent ‘big progress’ in your institution e.g. the surprise new contributor to your institution; the newly-introduced cost-effective system that’s making the world of difference to you and your team; the app you’ve discovered that’s saving time every day; the new marketing strategy that over-delivered on results and/or impact … you get the idea! If you’ve got a case of ‘small win, big progress’ to share, don’t be shy! Please get in touch with Kate Eatts or Committee member, Jennifer Roshan.

Don’t miss the ‘Upcoming Events’ section of this e-news for dates of upcoming networking events and opportunities to benefit from the expertise of our Chapter Partners. 

As always, our gratitude to our Chapter Partners who are all active members of the advancement sector in New Zealand. If you have a need for legal support (Duncan Cotterill), recruitment services (Execucare), fundraising consultancy (Giving Architects), admissions marketing support (Enquiry Tracker) or public notice data updates (NoticeMatch), please connect with them. Once again, Chapter Manager extraordinaire, Kate, or Committee member, Graeme Mullins, will happily provide an e-intro for you.

In closing, as we all face continuing uncertainty and disruption, I am reminded of the wise words of members of the ‘Healthy Headspace during 2021’ discussion panel at the recent Auckland networking event. The common thread of advice offered by Sarah Woodhams, Clive Pedley, Graeme Mullins and Naomi Wilde was to ‘take care of No.1’ that is, take regular screen breaks, ask for support, review your day-to-day situation and be prepared to make changes, be empathetic to the personal situations of your colleagues and, generally, be prepared to cut yourself (and your team members) some slack!

We look forward to connecting with you in-person within the next few weeks. In the meantime, take care of you and yours.

Ngā mihi māhana

Vicki Fowler
President, New Zealand Chapter

New prize for University of Otago’s sharpest accounting minds

Monday 01 March, 2021 – Otago University media release

A passion for the skills learnt in a University of Otago accounting degree led alumnus Christopher Walsh to set up a new scholarship in his company’s name.

The MoneyHub.co.nz Accounting prize provides a $2000 award for the top final year BCom Accounting student at Otago.

“I think the Otago accounting major is a great degree because you get a CA (Chartered Accountant) qualification out of it, and that can’t be underrated because it’s a professional qualification.

“This is just a start, but if someone can leave university with $2000, this will help them get off to a good start. It’s purely based on results, it’s not subjective,” Christopher says.

Originally from Invercargill, Christopher graduated with a BCom/LLB from the University in 2007. He worked in accounting and finance in New Zealand and London, then in web development, before launching MoneyHub in 2018.

Associate Professor Accountancy and Finance Helen Roberts says she would like to thank MoneyHub for the generous prize.

“Your support for our students is appreciated and the Department of Accountancy and Finance acknowledges the investment you are making in the next generation of Otago accountancy students. This is an investment that will keep on giving for generations to come.”

Otago Business School Dean and Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Robin Gauld says it was a pleasure to sign the deed of gift for the new prize in Auckland late last year.

“It’s great to see one of our former students giving back so generously to his university,” Professor Gauld says.  

Development and Alumni Relations Director Shelagh Murray says she is very grateful for MoneyHub’s commitment to Otago’s accounting students and the University. “Their generosity is what enables us to support the best and brightest at Otago,” Ms Murray says.

Chapter News

Thank you to everyone who attended our first networking event of the year on the 11th of February. It was an opportunity to set our intentions for the upcoming year, we met new members and introduced our newly-appointed Chapter Manager, Kate Eatts over coffee and a delicious breakfast. We had a lovely presentation to Carolyn Prebble (in recognition of her 2020 retirement from King’s School after three decades of dedicated service). Thanks to our panel for their Healthy Headspace discussion and their helpful tips for the year ahead. Please see photos of the event below and save the date in your diaries for our next meet-up in Christchurch on March 17.

A Word with our Chapter Partners

Giving Architects are a New Zealand Chapter partner and we are grateful for their continuing support. Giving Architects design and deliver sound giving solutions based on international best practice, awareness of local opportunities and proactive responses to a challenging fundraising environment. 

They develop innovative pathways that enable organisations to meet the needs that drive positive change for people and the planet. Giving Architects understands the needs, nuances, unique characteristics and cultural aspects of philanthropy and impact investment in New Zealand and Australia. 

They have an experienced team based across New Zealand and Australia and are committed to working to build a sustainable fundraising programme, to raise significant funds for a breakthrough project, or to design and deliver an impact investment.  

Contact Details

Thought Leadership

TED Talk ‘How great leaders inspire action’ by Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek has a simple but powerful model for inspirational leadership — starting with a golden circle and the question: “Why?” His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Wright brothers …

How do you explain when things don’t go as we assume? Or better, how do you explain when others are able to achieve things that seem to defy all of the assumptions? For example: Why is Apple so innovative? Year after year, after year, they’re more innovative than all their competition. And yet, they’re just a computer company. They’re just like everyone else. They have the same access to the same talent, the same agencies, the same consultants, the same media. Then why is it that they seem to have something different? Why is it that Martin Luther King led the Civil Rights Movement? He wasn’t the only man who suffered in pre-civil rights America, and he certainly wasn’t the only great orator of the day. Why him? And why is it that the Wright brothers were able to figure out controlled, powered man flight when there were certainly other teams who were better qualified, better funded — and they didn’t achieve powered man flight, and the Wright brothers beat them to it. There’s something else at play here. 

To watch, click on the play button.

Meet a Educate Plus Colleague

Jennifer Roshan    

Jennifer joined Howick College in Auckland in November 2018 as the Director of Community Development to establish the development office structure, its systems and processes, and in overseeing the office’s key functions of marketing and communication, alumni relations, trust funding and fundraising activities. From 2021, the International Students Department at Howick College will integrate with the Community Development Office with an aim to reach out and engage with the wider school community of parents, alumni, and keen supporters, both domestically and internationally.

Jennifer is also a member of the Educate Plus NZ Chapter Committee and understands the challenges and pressure our members may face from a state school perspective, so please do not hesitate to reach out to her.

Photo below with Mr Iva Ropati (Principal of Howick College) and Mr Christopher Luxon (Alumni of Howick College, Former CEO of Air NZ, and now National MP of Botany)

Small Wins, Big Progress

In 2021, we are keen on hearing and sharing our Educate Plus members’ success stories far and wide. Not only to highlight the amazing work you all do, but also inspire and re-confirm for other members that they are on the right path. 

One way of doing this is through our project ‘Small Wins, Big Progress’. Essentially, sharing your stories on any BIG significance that has occurred due to small progress steps being made. It could literally be anything!! We are not talking about huge amounts of money being raised, but instead the small things that make you smile and perhaps fist pump on the daily. 

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, or you know of someone who would be a perfect candidate, please get in touch with our Chapter Manager, Kate Eatts at manager.nz@educateplus.edu.au 

Continue doing amazing things!

Inspiration Corner

We all need a little encouragement every now and then. Kid President, knowing this, has put together a video you can play each morning as you wake up or to share with your friend who needs a kick in the right direction. Take a moment and spread some encouragement. “It’s everybody’s duty to give the world a reason to dance.”

PDs/SIGs and Upcoming Events

We have an exciting line up of SIGs, PDs and online webinars available for our members for the next two terms. We encourage everyone to join in. There is something for every profession in the Advancement sector and this is a great space to learn and share industry ideas. Face to face events in your local area are highlighted in green below: