by Kiri Beven, Funding and Grants, Project Employ projectemploy.nz

At Project Employ, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to participate meaningfully in the workforce. Employment is more than a job – it provides purpose, financial independence, and a sense of belonging.

Yet for people with intellectual disabilities or learning differences, sustainable employment remains a significant challenge. We exist to break down these barriers and make inclusive employment the norm, not the exception.

Since opening our doors in 2022, Project Employ has continued to make a meaningful impact on neurodiverse young adults and their families. Our work is strengthened by the incredible support of our local community. Every customer who visits Flourish Café directly contributes to the confidence, skill development, and future employment pathways of our trainees. Their daily support helps create real change and real opportunities.

From the very beginning, ANCAD has also walked alongside us, offering guidance, workshops, and practical support that has helped shape Project Employ into the strong, community-focused organisation it is today.

One of our most inspiring success stories is Kimiyo – a former Rangitoto College student, Kimiyo first joined Project Employ as a Gateway student and quickly showed determination, warmth, and potential. At Flourish Café Takapuna, she learned hands-on hospitality skills while building confidence in a supportive, inclusive environment.

With guidance from Job Coaches and encouragement from her peers, Kimiyo truly flourished. Her hard work earned her a paid internship with Air New Zealand, where she proved her reliability, teamwork, and positive attitude. This led to a three-month trial at JW Marriott, where she impressed managers with her work ethic and attention to detail.

Today, Kimiyo is proudly employed as a Food and Beverage Services Expert at JW Marriott. She continues to excel, inspire others, and demonstrate what’s possible when young people receive the right support, opportunities, and belief.

Kimiyo’s journey from Flourish Café to the frontline of Auckland’s hospitality sector shows the extraordinary impact of inclusive employment and how community support can transform lives.

Strengthening Readiness for Learning

by Deb Humphries (ANCAD)

The Creative Learning Centre (CLC) – School Programme pilot is a community‑led early intervention initiative focused on supporting the wellbeing of local intermediate students at risk from or currently excluded from school in the Eastern Bays.

In mid-March 2026, a 1 day a week (Tuesday) pilot programme began at Mairangi Arts Centre (MAC) with up to 10 students from Murrays Bay Intermediate. The school identifies students who would be best-suited to participate in the programme and provides teacher aide support.

The school programme pilot is being enabled through strategic collaboration between Mairangi Arts Centre (MAC), RESPECT, ANCAD, North Shore FVPN, Harbour Sport and Restore Hibiscus Bays. An innovative blend of arts, physical and environmental activities are supported as part of an overall relational, responsive, therapeutic approach with a semi-structured programme that gently links to curriculum areas identified by the schools.

A relatively high learner-adult ratio enables responsiveness to individual student needs through 1-1 time, with the programme team creating an environment where young people feel safe, heard, have fun, can be themselves and are connected with other supportive adults, activities and spaces in their community.

Programme Outcomes
Participants will develop a stronger sense of belonging within the group, helping reduce feelings of isolation. They will build a positive understanding of themselves, including greater emotional awareness and self-acceptance. From this foundation, they will strengthen their ability to form healthy relationships within the group and transfer these skills to wider social settings, such as school.

Programme Approach
This programme draws on the experiential learning model (ELM) developed by David A. Kolb and Ronald E. Fry, encouraging children to learn through doing, reflecting, and applying new skills in meaningful ways. Activities are designed to engage different learning styles, based on the VARK model (visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinaesthetic), ensuring accessibility and inclusion for all participants.

The programme is also grounded in Te Whare Tapa Whā, a holistic Māori model of wellbeing that recognises the importance of balancing emotional (hinengaro), physical (tinana), social (whānau), and spiritual (wairua) health. This integrated approach supports children’s overall wellbeing while building practical skills to manage anxiety.

Programme Values / Principles
The programme is guided by the use of whakataukī (Māori proverbs), which provide meaningful, culturally grounded wisdom to support learning and reflection. These sayings are used to introduce key themes, encourage discussion, and help children connect ideas about wellbeing, relationships, and resilience to everyday life.

Drawing from Whakataukī supports a values-based approach that emphasises connection, respect, and shared understanding. It also reinforces cultural identity and inclusiveness, helping participants engage with the programme in a way that is both relevant and meaningful.

Overall Pedagogy
The programme is underpinned by Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, recognising that children must feel safe, secure, and a sense of belonging before they can fully engage in learning and personal growth. Creating a supportive and predictable group environment is therefore a key foundation of the programme.

It also draws on William Schutz’s theory of three interpersonal needs. The programme intentionally supports:

• Inclusion – helping children feel accepted and part of the group before deeper engagement can occur (social level)
• Control – supporting children to develop a sense of agency and appropriate participation in group behaviour (balancing leadership and autonomy)
• Affection – fostering trust, connection, and positive interpersonal relationships within the group

Together, these frameworks guide how the group is structured and facilitated, ensuring children feel safe, connected, and able to build healthy relationships with themselves and others.

Tracking Impact and Demonstrating Success – Firming up our approach

An iterative, learning by doing, co-design approach involving both project delivery partners and students continues to shape and refine the CLC School Programme, with a plan, act, evaluate approach driving programme evolution and adaptions in real time.

Deb Humphries (ANCAD)

Even with boundless passion, youth-led initiatives often face a “sustainability gap.” It is common for a youth-led initiative to lose its momentum as people graduate and move on to another chapter of life; however, this was not the case for Bays Youth Council.

From the very beginning till now, ANCAD has always been a part of the journey, not only acting as an anchor but also a source of empowerment that allows the youth council to grow and build momentum. Because of ANCAD’s steady hand, the Youth Council’s capacity has grown exponentially. No longer just a consultative group of 5-8 youths but a group of 20 young individuals across year 9 to year 13 who are now leading and initiating events.

ANCAD provided a range of support such as a consistent framework of mentorship, networking opportunities and strategic support. Rather than directing Bays Youth Council to host certain initiatives, ANCAD empowered them to do what they believe will interest and benefit youth.

From the early initiatives such as clothes swap and beach clean-ups to the more recent events such as supporting the consultation of Auckland Mayoral Plan, ANCAD provides the strategic scaffolding that allows the young leaders to navigate the complexities of organising and hosting initiatives but also the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.

The recent consultation of Auckland Mayoral Plan at Summer spectacular showcased how important ANCAD’s support for Bays Youth Council has been. Infusing the plan with youth-led vibrancy, Bays Youth Council used lollies as votes and created engaging visuals to allow young people to gain an idea of the main aspects of the plan. Within the period of 4 hours, more than 80 individuals took the initiative to vote and take a lolly as a reward for themselves too!

Looking at the votes, transport and economic concerns are the main focus for many youths, with a combined 36 voters who believe Auckland Council should focus on these areas. Other voices that were captured highlighted the need to increase opportunities for young people. Some of the answers to the question “As youth, what do you want to see in our community?” were: “Uni student expo on specific subjects” / “Uni intro/prep guide”, “More youth performance opportunities,” “Safer/ more punctual public transport” and “Job market guide and what you can do.”

Today, Bays Youth Council continues to thrive under the support of ANCAD. Many initiatives are already being planned and executed for the coming month such as a potential collaboration with the Browns Bay Chinese Society to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year with the importance of sustainability in mind (the idea is to make dumplings from vege gardens and calculate how much carbon has been saved).

Thanks to ANCAD’s continuous support and their provision of a professional “safety net,” Bays Youth Council will continue to empower the community as well as mentor the next wave of young leaders.

By Eva Chen, ANCAD

NZ Ethnic Women’s Trust was established in 2001. For more than 20 years, the Trust has supported ethnic women and families across Aotearoa New Zealand. It is a well-established organisation with strong community trust and grassroots experience.

The Trust works closely with mums and families, especially migrants and former refugees who are new to New Zealand. It helps them feel connected, confident, and supported as they settle into a new country.

In 2024, the Trust joined the ANCAD Community Accounting Programme. This was not because the Trust was struggling, but because it wanted to strengthen its systems while continuing to grow.

As the Hamilton group expanded over the past two years, the Trust travelled regularly to visit families, support local leaders, and build capability. When the needs in Hamilton increased, representatives also visited the MSD Hamilton office to advocate for the community.

Because the Trust supports migrants and former refugees, the needs can be complex. Strong financial systems, clear reporting, and good governance are important when working with government agencies and funders.

ANCAD’s community accounting support and leadership programmes provided useful capability building in these areas.

ANCAD offered accounting mentors, university students, and practical advice. They helped with understanding financial reporting, governance processes, and accountability systems. This support was ongoing and relationship based.

The Trust was already doing strong community work on its own. ANCAD’s involvement added another layer of support, making the organisation more holistic and sustainable.

Financial management is now clearer, governance conversations are stronger, and the Trust feels more confident advocating for wider community needs.

Looking ahead, NZ Ethnic Women’s Trust will continue supporting families while strengthening its systems, ensuring long-term sustainability for the communities it serves.

By Eva Chen (ANCAD)

Although newly registered, the Centre has been working at grassroots level for over six years to support children and young people to stay connected with Chinese culture and to build belonging in Aotearoa.

Their commitment has nurtured the Chinese Cultural Group at Mt Albert Grammar School — performing at Unity Concerts in 2022, 2023, and 2024, and proudly progressing to Polyfest in 2025.

Beyond cultural performance, they run youth basketball sessions to encourage teamwork, confidence, and peer networks — helping young people “build your own family when you don’t have one in NZ.”

With support from ANCAD’s Community Accounting programme, they strengthened their finance systems using Xero, and subsequently secured Auckland Council funding for cultural “snack performances” this year.

Across the community, there is a growing sense of pride and connection emerging from the Centre’s programmes. Young people speak of how empowering it feels to celebrate and express their Chinese identity within mainstream community events, where they are welcomed, visible, and valued.

Parents echo this sentiment, noting that the environment their children enter each week is one where confidence is nurtured and leadership naturally begins to take shape.

Coaches and volunteers describe the basketball sessions as “whanaungatanga in action,” with friendships forming organically across different cultural backgrounds and young people discovering a shared sense of belonging.

Behind the scenes, the Centre has also taken significant steps to strengthen its governance and financial systems — work that is already paying off. With improved structures and accountability in place, the organisation is now better positioned to secure new funding and scale its programmes, ensuring these positive impacts can continue to grow across the wider community.

Cultural connectors working across our communities are consistently highlighting a few practices that make the biggest difference. First, it’s essential to meet people where they are — culturally, linguistically, and even geographically — recognising that true engagement starts with understanding the worlds they move in. Identity-building doesn’t happen in just one space, so supporting both arts and sports creates multiple pathways for young people to grow, express themselves, and belong. Another crucial investment is capability building: strengthening finance, governance, and strategic planning early on gives community groups the foundation they need for long-term success.

Just as important is giving young people opportunities to be visible; performances at events like Polyfest are incredibly empowering and help affirm cultural identity in ways that resonate far beyond the stage.

And finally, it’s vital to value the “informal families” that naturally emerge within community groups — often becoming the first place where new migrants feel at home, connected, and supported.

Those working closest with the young people describe a powerful journey unfolding before them. “When we first started, many of these children felt disconnected — unsure where they fit in Aotearoa. But through dance, through music, through sport, they have found pride and friendship.”

One leader shared that watching the group perform at Polyfest felt like a true milestone — not just for the children, but for the belief that their culture deserves a place on every stage in New Zealand. Another reflected on the deep sense of connection that has grown within the group over time: “Here, we build our own family. We show that belonging is something you create together.”

These lived experiences from the field capture the heart of what community spaces can make possible: confidence, cultural pride, and a homegrown sense of belonging.

By Eva Chen, ANCAD

Kauri Choir Inc. is a community organisation that supports Chinese seniors in North Auckland. The choir brings people together through singing, dancing, and performing at community events. These activities help seniors stay active, connected, and proud of their culture.

In 2025, Kauri Choir participated in the ANCAD Community Accounting Programme. Before this, the choir faced some challenges. The organisation was growing, but many committee members are Mandarin-speaking seniors, so language was sometimes a barrier when preparing documents. The group wanted to improve their funding application, understand compliance requirements, and plan for long-term sustainability.

Through ANCAD, the choir received support from Chartered Accountant mentors and university accounting students. The programme lasted six weeks and included structured sessions and meetings.

The support helped the choir improve its understanding of the New Zealand funding system. Importantly, much of the support was delivered in Mandarin, which made it easier for committee members to understand and participate confidently.

After completing the programme, Kauri Choir became more organised and confident. Financial processes are now clearer and more transparent. Committee members feel more comfortable discussing financial plans and making decisions. The choir has also expanded its community activities, including performing at retirement villages and organising larger celebrations for Chinese New Year.

With stronger governance and financial systems, Kauri Choir is now better prepared for future growth. The organisation can plan events more carefully, work with partners more professionally, and explore funding opportunities.

By strengthening its internal systems, Kauri Choir can continue supporting seniors and building stronger connections within the wider Auckland community.

By Erroll Gibson (Student volunteer)

While studying for a Bachelor of Accountancy at Massey University in Auckland, I had the opportunity to volunteer with ANCAD’s Community Accounting programme. I was interested in the programme because it offered the chance to gain practical accounting experience while contributing meaningfully to the community.

My father was a volunteer firefighter for almost fifty years, so from an early age I learned the impact that can be made from giving back to the local community.

Some community organisations face financial challenges or uncertainty, and the programme provides a space where they can receive guidance and support in understanding their financial situation. Being part of that process was both a valuable learning experience and a reminder of the real-world impact that accounting skills can have.

Through the Community Accounting programme, I worked with clients from a variety of backgrounds, each with their own financial questions and circumstances. Often, the most important part of the process was listening carefully to understand their situation and then helping them organise their financial information in a clear and practical way.

For many clients, accounting terminology and systems can feel confusing and sometimes overwhelming, so one of the key skills I developed was learning how to communicate accounting concepts in a way that was simple and approachable. This experience helped me realise that accounting is not just about numbers and technical knowledge, but also about supporting people and organisations to make informed decisions about their finances.

Volunteering in the programme also helped me build confidence in working with real financial information and interacting with clients in a professional setting. While studying accounting provides a strong technical foundation, working directly with community members added an important practical dimension to my learning. It allowed me to apply the knowledge I was developing in my degree while also gaining insight into the kinds of financial challenges organisations face in everyday life.

Another aspect I appreciated was the collaborative nature of the programme. Working as a team with other students and a Chartered Accountant mentor created a supportive learning environment where we could discuss different situations and learn from each other’s perspectives. This strengthened my technical understanding but also reinforced the importance of teamwork and communication in professional practice.

Looking back, my experience with the Community Accounting programme played an important role in preparing me for my career in accounting. The programme helped me develop confidence, communication, and leadership skills, as well as an appreciation for the broader social value of financial knowledge. Since completing my degree, I have started my career as an Assistant Auditor at Audit New Zealand, where I continue to build on many of the skills I developed through volunteering. My experience reminded me that accounting is ultimately about helping organisations understand financial information and make good decisions.

I am grateful for the opportunity the ANCAD Community Accounting programme provided me with in developing skills to support the community both in a practical and meaningful way. Thank you, Eva, the Chartered Accountant mentors, and the ANCAD team.

By Eva Chen

In late November 2025 we gathered for the Community Accounting Ceremony 2025 – a moment to celebrate the mahi, growth, and collective achievements throughout the year.

The ceremony was not just an event, but a chance to acknowledge everyone who contributed to making this programme thrive – students, mentors, community organisations, partners and supporters.

In 2025, we worked alongside:

• 9 organisations in Semester One.
• 2 organisations in the mid-year intake.
• 11 organisations in Semester Two.

A total of 20+ Chartered Accountant mentors generously volunteered their time and expertise, guiding students and supporting community groups through real-world financial challenges. At one point, we received 165 Expressions of Interest from students, showing the high demand and enthusiasm for this learning pathway.

We are also proud to share some meaningful outcomes:

• 2 organisations successfully secured funding/grants after working with us.
• 5 students gained internships, part-time or full-time roles because of their participation.
• Our mahi reached beyond Tāmaki Makaurau – extending to Tauranga, Hamilton, and Tairāwhiti.

This year brought lots of learning and reflection. Community Accounting is not just about financial statements – it’s about capability building, financial confidence, implementation, governance, and empowering community organisations to do what they do best.

It was heart-warming to hear feedback from organisations who appreciated the patience and professionalism of our mentors and students, and from students who said the programme helped them bridge academic knowledge with real practice, gain confidence, and feel more connected to the community.

As we wrapped up 2025, we celebrated the progress made, the relationships built, and the impact created together. We continue this journey in 2026 – supporting more communities, growing young professionals, and strengthening the ecosystem that holds our communities together.

The Grey District Youth Trust (GDYT) is a charitable trust based in Māwhera/ Greymouth, Te Tai o Poutini/West Coast. Established in 2001, GDYT’s vi­sion is “to work creatively with young people (aged 12 to 24) in ways that cultivate connection, growth, positive change, and participation within the Grey District”. I am the manager of the organisation. I work closely with our awesome administrator, Sandra Yeomans, and in collaboration with our Trustees and Chairperson Chris Efford, supporting youth-led programmes un­der GDYT’s three focus areas; Youth Voice; Youth-Friendly Spaces; and Arts and Wellbeing.

In 2021, we were running a creative programme from spaces we borrowed from other organisations session to session. Four youth participating in our programme applied for and were awarded seed funding from the Min­istry of Culture and Heritage, to trial their vision of a youth arts and wellbe­ing space in Māwhera/Greymouth. This trial was hugely successful and GDYT was determined to support the youth beyond the trial period. We were also hosting the district’s only out-of-school Rainbow Youth Group and it was im­portant to us that we could continue to provide this safe and inclusive space for our rural, neurodivergent, creative, and LGBTQIA+ youth.

By 2024, Art Soup had moved into its third and current space. We were providing regular Open Studio ses­sions, Rainbow Youth Group, weekly tech, painting, craft and music classes and clubs, a youth-led outdoor group, one-off workshops and events for Pink Shirt Day and Youth Week. Youth were organising community events includ­ing an annual Youth Night Market and movie night, and offering activities at events run by Grey District Council. With the programmes and youth par­ticipation growing, Sandra and I were determined to support our local youth by helping them secure funding to give some certainty to the future of Art Soup and their awesome mahi.

Sandra and I discovered ANCAD’s LiiFT webinars when searching for fund­ing options. As Sandra says, “There is a LOT of information out there on the interweb and we could spend a LOT of money and time we don’t have attend­ing webinars and training which may not be relevant to our organisation.” There is no way we would have been able to afford travelling to attend so much face-to-face free training in the main centres, or the price of training offered locally.

We both took part in the “become funder-ready” webinar, which helped us to understand the funding environment and got us thinking about how we could strengthen our organisation. It changed the way we apply for funding. Sandra and I were aware that there we needed upskilling to make informed decisions and lift our organisation whilst using best practice to meet our legislative and ethical requirements as a not-for-profit. We, and members of our Board, have attended the majority of the “Gov­ernance Matters” webinar series. The accessibility and relevance of the train­ing to our organisation and the clear, concise, and evidence-based informa­tion encouraged us to attend as many of the webinars as we could get to. It’s reassuring to have the knowledge from the training to make informed decisions and it’s given us confidence to do so (al­though it can sometimes be a bit scary, it isn’t overwhelming anymore.)

When one of our youth participants expressed their hope of establishing and leading a regular youth outdoor group, we were keen to support their vision. But this was new territory for us. The Health and Safety training gave us the confidence to branch out into supporting youth to adventure in the outdoors. We were able to advise our board from a position of knowledge gained through the training of their re­sponsibilities and develop processes to identify and mitigate risk. This is now a key programme for GDYT, full of excel­lent adventures!

Over time, Sandra and I have at­tended over 20 webinars, some more than once, and we have recommended the Governance training to our Board members. For our younger, least expe­rienced board members it provides ac­cessible free governance training which gets them thinking and for more experi­enced board members it can fill in some gaps. We have observed our younger board members gaining confidence to have a voice around the Board table. And we have been inspired to engage in further, paid training, scaffolded by this strong foundation of knowledge.

As we have implemented practical suggestions from the LiiFT training, we have grown our own confidence and also strengthened the reputation of our organisation in our community. It has been useful in our roles in a number of community organisations. It has inspired us to speak up more clearly about con­cerns and reminded us to celebrate the things we do well.