Inclusive Communities NZ influences and inspires community inclusion for all

About ICNZ

History of Inclusive Communities New Zealand

Inclusive Communities NZ (ICNZ) was collaboratively established in March 2010 by Lifestyle Trust trading as Interactionz based in Hamilton, and Disability Resource Centre Hawkes Bay Trust (DRCHB). Both of these founding organisations have a long history of working with people on the margins of society, within the disability sector. Inclusive Communities NZ has been established to extend this work beyond the disability sector into all sectors of community where marginalisation and barriers to participation exist.

Inclusive Communities NZ’s vision is for sustainable communities where all people are included. This will be achieved by providing and supporting opportunities for community strengthening, through dialogue forums such as the Down Under Institute. By exploring the themes of inclusion, diversity and community, ICNZ will ignite vision and help create strategy to improve community sustainability and wellbeing through inclusion of all people.

For further information on Interactionz, go to www.interactionz.org.nz

Introducing the ICNZ Board:

Lynda Millington, Co-Director

Lynda is the Chief Executive of Interactionz, an organisation that has served people with disabilities and their families for over 40 years.  Lynda believes strongly in people being in the driving seats of their own lives and considers it the work of Interactionz to assist them to pursue their aspirations.  She believes that using the lightest touch is an important principle of this work – allowing people to do as much as they can for themselves and working to strengthen and connect with the communities people live in.

Lynda’s increasing passion for self-direction and the vision of inclusion for all, has led to the collaborative establishment of Inclusive Communities NZ Ltd (ICNZ), in partnership with Disability Resource Centre (Hawkes Bay) Trust.

Karen Gillum, Board Member

Karen lives in Te Awamutu with her two daughters and works independently with individuals and community benefit organisations with a focus on strengthening their capacity to make real and sustainable change.

Originally trained at Tokanui Psychiatric Hospital as a teacher of people with intellectual disability, Karen was part of the movement in the late 1980’s, to close institutions and assist people with intellectual disabilities to return to their communities of origin.

Karen is passionate about the need to belong and the right of all people to lead meaningful lives as contributing members of their communities.  It is this commitment that has motivated Karen to serve as a parent-elect trustee on the board of Te Awamutu Primary School for 7 years, where her particular interest was in creating an inclusive environment that sees all children identified and recognised for their strengths and contributions and draws those from the margins into the centre of the learning community.

Karen is also the Chairperson of Lifestyle Trust t/a Interactionz, a 42 year old organisation that has undergone significant transformation over the past 10 years.  During this time, Interactionz has moved from identifying as a sheltered workshop/disability service provider to an agency that is focused on strengthening communities by facilitating people with disabilities to be in the driving seat of their own lives, leading lives that have meaning to them as valued and contributing members of their communities.

Terry Moys, Board Member

Terry came to the ICNZ Board through his involvement as Chairperson of the Disability Resource Centre (Hawkes Bay) Trust in Hastings. He is a watchmaker by profession, and owner/operator of two Jeweler’s shops. Terry and his wife, Lyn, live in the small East Coast town of Wairoa on a 40 acre self-sufficient life style block, generating their own solar power and tending a 2 acre edible garden. Having no national grid or phone lines, and no cell phone coverage, makes for a very peaceful life at home.

Terry feels a responsibility to his fellow man and to our planet, which motivates both his lifestyle and his passion to be a volunteer in the disability sector, where you can make a huge difference in people’s lives. He believes that communities need to take responsibility for themselves and those who live within and around that community. Terry’s service on the ICNZ Board reflects this ethos along with the belief that all people must feel part of their community.  Being a Rotarian, he likes to apply the Rotary 4 Way Test to life situations:  1) Is it the truth?  2) Is it fair to all concerned? 3) Will it build goodwill and friendships? and 4) Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

John Wiltshire LLB, Board Member

John is a partner with Beattie Rickman Legal in Hamilton. His specialist work  includes commercial and company law matters, company structuring, and sports law matters.  John has had a lifelong involvement with sport and education, with particular involvement in Cricket both in New Zealand and England. He has also chaired the St Paul’s Collegiate School Board of Trustees for a number of years and lectured in Sports Law at the University of Waikato.

John’s personal philosophy is to contribute purposefully to the community that has given so much to him over the years, and also to champion the principles of mutually sustainable relationships between business and communities locally and beyond.  To this end, he serves on the Waikato Diocese Trust Board, the Asian Pacific Academy of Business in Society (Apabis) Board, as well as the Inclusive Communities NZ Board.