As 2025 begins to wind down, it’s been a year of incredible growth for Community Governance Aotearoa. We’ve seen record engagement on our website, packed Board Talks and Table Talks, and the launch of our Certified Community Directors Course. This all demonstrates to me that our sector is super engaged, connected and capable.
Thank you to everyone who joined the conversation – your success is our success.
Reflection and Relationships: Two key takeaways
I attended some governance training recently and left with two reminders that feel especially relevant as we head into the festive season: reflection and relationships.
With a Christmas theme in mind, you could think of your final board meeting a bit like a Christmas dinner. This might be fun, scrappy, opinionated, indulgent, but, if we’re not careful, it could also end up in a big argument!
Reflection: Are you contributing or just passing the gravy? Tick-box governance doesn’t cut it. Read the papers, engage with strategy, and ask: Am I helping this organisation succeed?
Relationships: Healthy boards need trust and respectful challenge – not group think or chummy shortcuts. Too close, and you miss the person cheating at crackers. Too polite, and no one points out the chicken looks under cooked.
Strong governance means balancing connection with accountability, it’s about speaking up, listening well, and keeping your eye on the kaupapa – not the steam pudding and pavlova.
2025 Highlights – What we’ve achieved together
- Board Talks hit 5,400+ registrations with an average of 350 participants per session.
- Our Cerified Community Directors Course launched with outstanding uptake—built by community, for community, giving boards confidence and clarity.
- Through our Board Service – Mentoring for Boards programme we’ve helped boards with strategy development, hiring of management and more – all throughout Aotearoa.
These aren’t just stats this is evidence boards are stepping up, investing in capability training, and embracing good governance tools to lead with care and purpose.
Why it matters:
This year wasn’t easy. Community Governance Aotearoa Sector Survey 2025 told us that over 50% of organisations closed programmes or services due to financial strain and mounting pressures. We’ve seen charities face fraud, disconnects between boards and management, and fatigue set in. When things get tough, governance can slip into survival mode.
Now is the time to reflect on what’s working, be honest about what’s not, and move forward with confidence. Use tools like the Good Governance Code and Board Evaluation (free and accessible on our website) invest in capability, and set your board up for success in 2026.
What’s on for 2026
We’re excited to announce a major new partnership soon, alongside initiatives like AI mahi and Good Governance Code workshops. Our goal – to keep innovating and supporting boards to govern with intention, care, and clarity.
If you’d like to be involved, whether as a panel guest or by sharing ideas, please do get in touch. Together, we’ll keep raising the standard, because good governance changes communities.
Visit https://communitygovernance.org.nz for free resources and upcoming events.
