Every Chapter Adds to Your Story
Community Networks • November 12, 2025
Kia ora koutou,
This month we’re looking at sharing the heartbeat of Aotearoa’s communities
Across New Zealand, thousands of volunteers and community organisations work tirelessly to support others — often unseen and unsung. CNA is helping to change that by giving these groups a collective voice and a platform to tell their stories.
CNA believes that stories are powerful. Facts and figures can show the scale of need, but personal stories reveal the human heart behind the statistics — the neighbour who checks in on a lonely elder, the youth mentor who helps someone find purpose, the budgeting advisor who restores dignity through support. These narratives remind Aotearoa why community work matters.
Through projects like the Better Banking Report, CNA has shown how storytelling can drive systems change. The report didn’t just present data about how bank closures and digital shifts affect vulnerable people — it shared real experiences from communities across the motu. Those stories gave weight to advocacy, ensuring that policymakers and financial leaders could see, hear, and feel the human impact of their decisions.
CNA also supports members to tell their own stories in meaningful ways. One innovative partner in this space is Interactionz, a social enterprise that helps organisations capture, visualise, and communicate their stories through data-driven storytelling and social impact mapping. Interactionz offers practical tools to turn everyday experiences into clear, compelling evidence of value — helping small community groups show funders and the public what they achieve.
Telling your story isn’t just about publicity; it’s about connection, accountability, and pride. When communities share their own voices — in newsletters, on social media, through videos, art, or reports — they strengthen trust and understanding. CNA’s role is to weave those individual threads into a national tapestry that celebrates the resilience, compassion, and creativity of Aotearoa’s people.
Through advocacy, storytelling, and collaboration, Community Networks Aotearoa continues to amplify the voices of the sector — proving that when we share our stories, we share our strength.
CNA is proud to tell your story, to add your chapter to our book.
Patrick Davies
Membership Engagement
Share
In today’s world, communities and volunteer organisations play a vital role in addressing the challenges of environmental sustainability.
From trust, respect, and strong communication through to financial transparency and shared values, in my view these are the essentials that make collaboration or partnership truly effective.
Introducing Neighbourly Natters—short, informal virtual catch-ups designed to help Members meet each other, share what they’re working on, and start conversations that could lead to collaboration.
