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Community Connect is a community-led initiative that aims to engage and empower communities through social sport, arts, drama, culture and recreational activity. In line with this aim, the wider goal of Community Connect is to increase social capital in communities, particularly those which have been identified as high deprivation. 

Community Connect encourages social capability growth within these communities through the provision of regular interactive activities that promote inclusivity, participation, fun and whānaungatanga, in a non-threatening environment. Through the regular interactive social activities, there is an expectation that we will impact community wellbeing through positive experiences, building community capability by co-design and by default promote a reduction of socially concerning behaviours whilst increasing opportunities to rangatahi and tamariki, the next generation and their whānau.

The first Community Connect pilot hub (Tāmaki Touched) was trialled in Auckland in 2016. Building on the success of this pilot, an additional six hubs were developed and launched in targeted communities across the wider Auckland and Northland regions. While it was initially designed to address falling rates of participation in sport, it became evident that many of the positive experiences youth and whānau reported also transfer into other areas of their social and physical wellbeing. 

Drawing on the power of sport as a tool for engagement, this collaborative initiative aims to impact social behaviour through development of community leaders and reduce barriers to participation by providing accessible and positive experiences to communities that may not otherwise have such opportunities. The programme is about to launch phase 2.

Mission

• To create healthy and fun participation opportunities that develop positive social ongoing effects for communities and families.
• To create sustainable participation opportunities for communities and families cultivating positive holistic rewards.
• To develop legacies and create platforms for communities and families to positively grow.

Vision

• Our communities are empowered, healthy and thriving, connected through locally-led practise by community for community

Purpose

• We are a network committed to implementing positive change through innovation

  MANA MANAAKI

Our values

Whakawhanaungatanga | Building Partnerships

Kōtahitanga | Unity

Mana Manaaki | Positive experience every time

Pūmanawa | Innovation

Hautūtanga Ngākau Tuwhera | Inclusive Leadership

Aroha | Love and appreciation