Connecting Education and Communities is disruptive social innovation designed to break the cycle of disadvantage by strengthening the ownership of education within communities, and strengthening the connections between communities and education. This 10 year project is funded by the JR McKenzie Trust.

1. Innovation for Impact on
Education
Connecting Education
and Communities (CEC)

2. Our presenters
• Jim Matheson – Facilitator (JR
McKenzie)
• The concept of grantee-centred
philanthropy: Eileen Kelly
(JR McKenzie)
• Recognising and valuing identity
and culture: Di Rump
(CEO Muaupoko Tribal Authority)
• Engaging in education at a
community and strategic level: Jay
Farris (on behalf of WaiPESI)
• Evaluation and measuring impact:
Nadine Metzger
(JR McKenzie)

3. What is CEC?
A case study/programme in
disruptive social innovation to
break the cycle of
disadvantage.
01
Its approach is to strengthen
the ownership of education
within communities and
strengthen the connections
between communities and
education.
02

4. CEC works from a set of “tight”
principles and strong evidence base
fostering an environment that sets high expectations of educational achievementFOSTERING
facilitating consensus amongst groups with an interest in education in the communityFACILITATING
facilitating the development of shared education goals across the communityDEVELOPING
encouraging the development of positive learning relationships across the communityENCOURAGING
supporting the development of advocacy services for families and communitiesSUPPORTING
advocating for communities to be recognised as important partners in improving educationADVOCATING

5. The way we work is shaped by two
concepts
Hope
A genuine belief that we can
influence change
1
Mana
Wellbeing, influence, authority,
confidence and control over destiny.
2
Mana and hope are not the same but share similar role of being the driving forces,
the generative power in our lives and the lives of whānau, families and
communities.

6. CEC is about
understanding
whanau and
community
aspirations, and
finding the tools to
make those
aspirations a reality
in a manner that
enhances the mana
of all involved.

7. Group Discussions

8. Eileen Kelly, Programme Manager for JR McKenzie
1. Internal culture building
2. Do your homework
3. Give what is most effective
4. Provide additional/pro-active support
5. Stay accountable
Grantee-Centred Philanthropy
(Peery Foundation)
http://www.peeryfoundation.org/

9. Di Rump, CEO Muaupoko Tribal Authority (CEC participants)
1. We cannot exist as a people without a strong connection to our own
unique culture and identity
2. Valuing ourselves as Muaūpoko is the same at a personal level, a
whānau level and an Iwi level in that sense of value helps us build
on our strengths…..and so that we can become self-determining as
a people, as hapu and as whanau
3. Self Determination for us means being united strong proud and
independent as a people - that means having our version of history,
our story, told and known. This will help us heal and recover from
grievances
4. Every time one of us is stronger – all of us are stronger
Recognising and valuing
identity and culture

10. Jay Farris (education consultant)
here as part of WaiPESI who are participants in CEC
1. Creating Space
2. Connections and Connecting
3. Realise your power and potential
4. Cultural capital and intelligence
Engaging in education
at a community and
strategic level

11. Nadine Metzger, Developmental Evaluation Leader (JR McKenzie)
1. Commitment to learning and reflection
2. Tight – loose – tight methodology
3. Developmental evaluation: support real time learning, decision-
making and development by orienting experience, watching,
sense-making and intervening
4. Small suite of tools developed to support innovation, reflection and
adaptation
Evaluating and measuring impact
across multiple projects

12. Our question for discussion is:
Given education thrives in an environment where people are able
to determine their future, where hope is strengthened and where
mana is enhanced and that these aspects are critical to achieving
sustainable outcomes…
…What are the issues that philanthropists need to address
and in particular how do we address the power differential
that is at the heart of most philanthropic activity?

13. www.cec.net.nz
For more information…