Design and identity  / Production and media  / Event management  / Publicity  / Communications and story  / Stakeholder engagement  / Community engagement  / Digital strategy

Te Tauihu Intergenerational Strategy was initiated to create an intergenerational vision and address the challenges being faced by the region. By developing a collaborative leadership model that brought together eight iwi, three council’s, and other stakeholders across the region, we were able to create a narrative and unifying platform for the region that had not previously existed.

Faced with tight timelines and a community weary from previous engagements, the project had to establish trust quickly and foster robust discussions for the strategy's development. The communications and engagement had to quickly signal to the community that they were in vastly different territory to inspire positive engagement and bring people into the conversation who had previously been overlooked or excluded.

We developed an innovative engagement approach that focused on activating community conversations, nurturing grassroots engagement and resolving "engagement fatigue" through hosting interactive events that had a significant digital footprint. This approach ensured the strategy was embedded in the community's consciousness, leading to its use as a decision-making tool and its integration into future planning processes by the respective partners. OD&Co led the delivery of 30 engagement events that reached over 1,000 people in the community and tens of thousands through online channels.

Design and identity  / Facilitation / Strategy Design / Production and media  / Event management  / Publicity  / Communications and story  / Stakeholder engagement  / Community engagement 

The Mārahau Pledge represents a collective of family-owned tourism businesses in Mārahau, Aotearoa New Zealand, committed to regenerative tourism practices. The project responded to the need for more sustainable tourism, addressing carbon reduction and strengthening sustainability practices among the operators.

The initiative also sought to develop an investment fund for Mārahau by introducing a new concession fee that was unique to Mārahau and built up funds to support the aspirations of the local community through investment in biodiversity and local place-making initiatives. The Pledge needed to inspire the right kind of visitors to be attracted to the area and to support positive behaviour change among operators and visitors alike.

OD&Co initiated and facilitated the development of this initiative – crafting the pledge and commitments, uniting the businesses under an independent entity, engaging with the local community and delivering awareness campaigns to support the growth of the initiative. The Mārahau Pledge is thought to be a first for Aotearoa New Zealand and is already supporting significant new investment into the Mārahau community to achieve wetlands restoration, biodiversity enhancement and pest eradication in a village that is often overlooked by other investors.

Facilitation / Strategy Design / Stakeholder engagement  / Community engagement 

West Coast 2050 was a strategic initiative undertaken to create a long-term economic development plan for the West Coast region in Te Wai Pounamu. The strategy needed to unite a wide range of stakeholders with divergent views to ensure regional alignment of resources and advocacy to improve outcomes for the wider community. Previous attempts had failed to deliver this outcome so OD&Co were brought in to offer independent facilitation and guidance.

We supported the community to create a vision and strategy that was genuinely representative of its diverse communities but also honest about the long-term challenges being faced by the region. The initiative focused on reflecting the collective aspirations of the community, finding common language and shared ground to set a solid foundation for regional economic development that is regenerative and resilient against future challenges.

The project's execution involved independent facilitation, stakeholder and community engagement, and assistance with strategy writing. By running workshops and engaging stakeholders, including young people in the community, a strategy document was crafted and launched. This strategy now serves as a catalyst and guiding tool for investment and development in the region. Continuous support through independent facilitation ensures the ongoing momentum of the strategy and alignment of the stakeholders involved.

Design and identity  / Facilitation / Strategy design / Event management  / Publicity  / Communications and story  / Stakeholder engagement  / Community engagement 

The Arts and Creativity Strategy for Whakatū Nelson was an ambitious undertaking to stimulate the arts sector recovery from Covid-19 and put the arts back in focus for a region that had traditional strengths in this space. OD&Co led the engagement and development of the strategy, with an emphasis on reframing the city’s arts narrative through a bi-cultural lens.

Admist the challenges posed by Covid-19, the strategy undertook a multifaceted approach to engagement, mixing digital and conventional tools to create inclusive means of participation that were both safe and effective. From “Walkshops” in the open air to virtual wānanga, a wide variety of engagement tools were deployed to shift the conversation from a special interest group or sector, to a community wide conversation about the future of creativity and culture in the region. The engagement needed to build capacity and foster connections within the community, as well as deliver tangible outcomes and relief for a struggling sector.

The strategy needed to be more than just a council document and become a representation of the community aspirations and set a precedent for inclusive, bi-cultural community strategies. The strategy was endorsed by the eight iwi of Te Tauihu and received unanimous support from around the council table, followed by unprecedented investment in its key priorities.

Media and publicity / Communications strategy / Communications and story / Social media management

OD&Co has led the communications for the significant cultural redevelopment of Te Āwhina Marae in Motueka. The project involves a complete redevelopment of the marae facilities and the establishment of a large-scale housing project, arts revitalisation centre and an education and trades hub.

The communications have to work hard for the project – raising awareness, supporting further investment and delivering value to funders. But the publicity and communications need to also be centred around and sensitive to whānau needs by creating pride and confidence in the project. The communications must keep whānau and stakeholders close to the project and stimulate interest and support for the project from the wider public.

By working collaboratively with the whānau, we were able to achieve significant regional and national coverage of the redevelopment project, with the Papakāinga housing project as the lead out. By engaging both kaupapa Māori and mainstream media, we achieved coverage of over 20 stories across news platforms including TV, radio, print and digital channels.