Over seven weeks, Angitū brought together 99 attendees from across the Western Bay of Plenty for a series of meaningful online conversations designed to strengthen understanding, relationships, and pathways forward.
Hosted by SociaLink’s Whakamana Tangata programme, the Angitū series recognised a challenge many marae experience: navigating the funding landscape can be complex, time-consuming, and difficult to understand when every funder has different priorities, criteria, and processes.
Rather than expecting marae to navigate these systems alone, Angitū created a space for direct connection, enabling marae to hear from funders firsthand, ask questions, and explore how different forms of support could align with their aspirations and priorities.
Across the series, we were privileged to hear from:
- Department of Internal Affairs – Oranga Marae & Lotteries Community
- TECT
- BayTrust
- Western Bay of Plenty District Council
- Tauranga City Council
What made Angitū particularly powerful was the two-way exchange of knowledge. Marae were able to share their realities, aspirations, and the kaupapa they are working towards, while funders gained a deeper understanding of the communities they seek to support.
Participants also reflected on the confidence and reassurance the series provided, with one sharing, “It’s quite a daunting process and this helps calm the nerves.” Others described the kaupapa as “Tino rawe te mahi”, recognising the value of bringing marae and funders together in one space to build understanding and strengthen relationships.
“This kaupapa created a valuable opportunity for local marae and funders to connect, build relationships, and explore the support available across our region. A huge mihi to all our funders, and to our wāhine toa Whakamana Tangata team, for bringing this kaupapa to life,” shares Andrea Jerry Ryan, SociaLink’s Kaiwhakawhanake Māori.
The connections formed through Angitū do not end with the final session. Whakamana Tangata will continue to support marae to explore opportunities, navigate funding pathways, and identify the right support to help bring their kaupapa to life.
Ngā mihi nui to every marae representative, funding partner, and speaker who contributed their time, generosity, and whakaaro. Together, we continue to strengthen relationships, remove barriers, and support the aspirations of our marae and hapori.
Interested in learning more about Whakamana Tangata or exploring how we can support your marae or kaupapa Māori organisation? Get in touch with our team at kairuruku@socialink.org.nz or click below for more information.
