Just Change

Just Change is a new giving approach for people serious about supporting positive change. It’s different from most donor programmes because the people donating money and the people doing the mahi in the community work together, reflecting on the changes happening and learning from what unfolds.

Just Change acknowledges that tackling poverty is complex and messy – it's not a simple transaction. It’s informed by an appreciation that we are all connected to the same systems that feed inequity, and that real change happens when it is led by the people wanting change.

Unlike traditional charity, which is about ‘doing to’ and ‘doing for’, Just Change supports initiatives where people experiencing challenges are actively involved in designing and implementing projects to improve their lives. It brings together people from different ends of the wealth spectrum with diverse life experiences and builds connections and community.

The groups share – money, time, ideas, questions and food – with a common purpose: to help change the systems that produce and perpetuate inequity.

Just Change is held by Te Hiko, our Centre for Community Innovation, which is part of Wesley Community Action.

What has just Change contributed to?

Projects that Just Change has contributed to and learnt from include:

• access to healthy food
• financial stability in low-income families
• supporting isolated older people
• growing relational skills and knowledge for families excluded from the mainstream
• supporting young Pacific women to grow confidence.

A core focus is on shifting the dominant system that traps people in cycles of low power so they can grow their capacity to lead and shape the change. This aligns with our three pou for effective change: whanau-led, community-driven and warm-hearted.

Join Just Change and get out of your comfort zone …

We’ve learnt that, at times, feeling uncomfortable is necessary if we want to support real systems change.

Joining Just Change is an opportunity to do that – and as we have also learnt, it's a chance to enjoy ourselves as well. Our meetings are a lot of fun!

To join and contribute to Just Change you ideally need to:

• aim to make an annual donation to Just Change for 3 years (this can be in instalments and ideally over $1,000 per year – people can step back from this if required)
• be interested in taking part in full gatherings with fellow Just Change members or via video conversations / emails
• be open to working in innovative ways that can be messy and at times move you out of your comfort zones.

Review of Just Change

In November 2023 we published a review of the first three years of Just Change. You can download a copy of the review here.

Keen to find out more?

If this sparks your interest we’d love hear from you. You can do this by filling in the form below. We’ll follow up and make contact.

Or email info@wesleyca.org.nz with the subject line ‘Just Change’