We recently received the helpful update below from Arihia Little, part of the Community Partnerships Team at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). We wanted to pass this on, as many local organisations may not be aware of the support MBIE can offer.
Kia ora e te whānau,
As we head toward the end of the year, I want to take a moment to say a big thank you.
Thank you for the mahi you do in our hapori. Thank you for the way you tautoko whānau. Thank you for being that solid foundation for your communities.
If you’re taking time for end-of-year reflections and planning for the year ahead, I’d love the chance to sit in on those kōrero and see where MBIE can support you in 2026. Please feel free to reach out if that’s something you’d like to do.
A bit about MBIE and teams that support communities
- MBIE supports businesses, employees, consumers, and communities to operate successfully and fairly.
- We provide services that help people understand and engage with key systems:
- Employment New Zealand – know your rights and responsibilities at work
- Tenancy Services – support for renting, whether you’re a tenant or landlord
- Consumer Protection – understand your rights when buying goods or services
- Immigration New Zealand – for travel, study, work, or family migration
- Our goal is to make these systems fair, understandable, and accessible—so people can confidently engage with them.
Community Partnerships team
- We’re a small but mighty group of five, working across the motu to build trusted relationships with communities.
- Our purpose is simple but powerful: We build trusted partnerships to empower communities through accessible initiatives that educate, engage, and influence customer behaviour. We focus on equity, inclusion, and responsiveness—making sure our work reflects real needs and lived experiences.
Our team and focus areas:
- Autumn Servatkova (Wānaka) – Leads our Community Partnerships team.
- Karren Lagrimas (Auckland) – Leads our youth portfolio, partnering with youth organisations and a Youth Reference Group for meaningful two-way engagement.
- Nalee Bailey (Auckland) – Leads our Pacific portfolio, co-designing community-led approaches that centre Pacific voices, values, and traditions.
- Vivian You (Auckland) – Leads our migrant portfolio, building trusted partnerships and ensuring barrier-free, rights-based support.
- Arihia Little (Wellington) – Leads our Māori portfolio, uplifting whānau wellbeing through kōrero-driven, whanaungatanga-led partnerships.
Our Role
- We’re a two-way door—connecting communities and MBIE.
- We help people navigate systems like tenancy and employment, making them easier to understand.
- We turn policy into practical guidance and bring insights back to MBIE to inform future design.
How We Can Support You
- We engage with communities to hear what matters—like housing, employment, and rangatahi support—and share that with programme teams.
- We help communities access services and support whānau to understand their rights and responsibilities.
- We ensure community voices are heard inside MBIE—your feedback helps shape fairer, more inclusive services.
- Hosting a community event or want an info session on tenancy or employment rights? Email us: CommunityPartnerships@mbie.govt.nz
Community Engagement Team
- This team supports migrant communities on behalf of Immigration New Zealand.
- Made up of four Engagement Partners and two Senior Advisors, they help make immigration easier to understand and navigate.
- They run education sessions to protect migrants from misinformation and exploitation.
- They act as a bridge—bringing migrant community feedback into Immigration NZ to improve services.
- Want an info session on visas or immigration topics? Email: ImmigrationCommunityEngagement@mbie.govt.nz
Communities mean everything to us! We are here to walk alongside communities—not ahead of them so we are listening, learning, and leading together—with respect and purpose.
Ngā manaakitanga,
Arihia Little
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TEAM
Market Engagement
Customer, Design and Innovation
Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
Hīkina Whakatutuki | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE)
Imera E: CommunityPartnerships@mbie.govt.nz
