Nau mai haere mai
Whakatairangatia i te mana o te rangahau ā-hāpori me te mahi tahi
Community and whānau aspirations for research.

Kaiwhakahaere kōrero 

Kia ora e te whānau,

As we approach the rising of Matariki and Puanga, we enter a time for remembrance, celebrating the present and looking to the future.

This year’s theme —Matariki mā Puanga— is all about inclusion, embracing diversity and celebrating Matariki together, despite different star traditions.

At Community Research, this season invites us to honour mātauranga Māori, acknowledge the richness of community-led knowledge, and recommit to our shared journey of uplifting diverse voices across Aotearoa.

These chilly winter days are an ideal to slow down, gather with whānau and friends in honouring the past, rejoicing in the present, and setting collective hopes for the year ahead.

One recent initiative that gives us hope for the future is the recently formed People’s Select Committee on Pay Equity. Led by Dame Marilyn Waring, it intends to give voice to workers and experts shut out of the rushed law change process. This independent process offers transparency, accountability, and hope for fairer outcomes grounded in evidence. It’s a cross-party, independent effort to gather real evidence and ensure pay equity remains on the public agenda. 

Matariki mā Puanga | Celebrating together

Matariki mā Puanga means Matariki (Pleiades) and Puanga (Rigel) and this phrase acknowledges the relationship between these stars.
Both Matariki and Puanga rise in the eastern sky before the sun during the winter period, however some tribes and regions of the country look to Puanga instead of Matariki as the main marker of the New Year.

The phrase Matariki mā Puanga is essentially a reminder that regardless of our different backgrounds, origins, and practices we use this celebration to come together and share the many unique elements that shape our identity.

Follow this link to access more information

And here for some awesome video resources!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts

Thanks to everyone who completed our first annual feedback survey!  The survey has now closed and we've looked at the results.  
It was pleasing to learn that many of the respondents found engaging with our work to be 'alot' or 'totally' worthwhile.
There's more work for us to be done around visibility of all that we do - some respondents weren't aware of our other offerings like our He Kōrero podcast channel or the WhatWorks website. We also learnt our brand recognition needs to be strengthened. 

While these results weren't entirely surprising it has given us the push to get busy lifting our profile. Watch this space!

"Data as Taonga: Honouring Community Voices in the Cultural Mosaic" 

Last month Bev Tso Hong wrote a fantastic piece for the The Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) quarterly newsletter titled "Data as Taonga: Honouring Community Voices in the Cultural Mosaic"

Established in 2023, CDEI is all about using data responsibly, exploring the social impacts of AI and data-driven technology, and maximising the potential of data in a fair and ethical way. 'A critical part of the role we play is to amplify the voices of subpopulations and advocate for an equitable and responsible innovation ecosystem'.

We are pleased to invite you to our next Ethnic, former refugee, and migrant researchers online Tautoko session on:

Thursday 17 July 2025, 12noon-1pm.  

Our July gathering has a primary focus on making connections and informal kōrero and includes informal 5-minute mini-talks. We will also provide an update on the Community Research mahi/work we are doing in the ethnic, former refugee and migrant space and discuss potential topics as a focus for our September gathering.

Come along and connect with other researchers, former refugees, and migrant peers who are passionate about research by and for ethnic communities and how it can be used to support collective action and positive change.

Past Tautoko session

It was wonderful to have AI Coach Min Kyung Yoo present and discuss questions about “How we can best use AI in our work” at the 29 May Ethnic, former Refugee, and Migrant researcher Tautoko session.

Take-a-ways included: how AI tools are evolving; using prompts as if you are working with a research intern/assistant; use of Perplexity AI to find specific AI tool tutorials; voice and visual prompting when using AI; and human overview and review as essential.  A copy of the slides from Min’s talk are available here:  CR-May EfRM Tautoko Session - AI

Past Webinar - On the road again:  the Tāhono Belonging Conversation, Aotearoa 2025 held Monday, 26 May.

The recording for this insightful and informative Community Research – Tāhono webinar is now available for viewing.

2025 marks the third round of Belonging Conversations, a series of round-table conversations led by Tāhono – Inclusive Aotearoa Collective exploring shifts in belonging and inclusion across Aotearoa.
These conversations provide a platform for communities to share their lived experiences and aspirations by discussing three simple questions:

1. When do you feel like you belong in Aotearoa, New Zealand?
2. What stops you from feeling like you belong?
3. What needs to change for you to feel like you belong?

Ari, Anjum Rahman and Atarau Hamilton-fuller from Tāhono speak about their research approach, how this has evolved over time and engagements in 2025; highlight emergent and recurring themes of and barriers to a sense of belonging since the start of this project in 2020; and consider how these conversations and stories can help build and strengthen social cohesion across the country.

Noho Tahi | 和平共處 is a collection of writing and art by Chinese and Māori creatives, exploring what it means to be Chinese in Aotearoa and how Chinese and Māori communities might co-exist together and work towards mutual flourishing. This publication features multiple pieces on the SS Ventnor story and what it might mean to be Chinese Tangata Tiriti.

Research can be found here

People interested in this publication may also be interested in our livestream recording of the event: Be(com)ing Chinese Tangata Tiriti, converging narratives, and the on-going SS Ventnor story. Presenters include young Chinese New Zealander academics and creatives JieYing Cai, Etienne Wain, Dr Lincoln Dam, Eda Tang and  Nathan Joe.

Announcing a new Special Collection in development 

Use ethically and with humans in control: Guidelines for use of GenAI in research in Aotearoa New Zealand

The Royal Society Te Apārangi has launched best-practice guidelines for using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in research in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The guidelines are for all New Zealand researchers who use – or are thinking of using – GenAI tools in their research. This includes those in universities, wānanga, Crown Research Institutes, Māori research organisations, and Pacific research organisations, along with industry-based researchers and independent researchers. It is expected that individuals and organisations will tailor these guidelines for their own purposes and contexts.

The guidelines were developed in collaboration with an expert advisory group and are based on high-level principles to ensure longevity despite rapid changes in GenAI technology and use.

Guidelines can be accessed here

Between Two Worlds

Join Asian Family Services (AFS) for inspiring kōrero featuring six extraordinary voices and two amazing hosts, as they share lived experiences of identity, culture, and mental health as 1.5 and second-generation Asians in Aotearoa!

Whether you are an Asian person living in Aotearoa looking to hear stories that may resonate with yours, or you are someone just interested in hearing diverse experiences, this podcast is for you!

Advancing Equity: Social determinants in Migrant and Refugee Health Research Symposium

The AUT Migrant and Refugee Health Research Centre (MRHRC) and the New Zealand Policy Research Institute (NZPRI) are excited to co-host a research symposium focused on advancing equity in migrant and refugee health through the lens of social determinants.

Friday 21 November 2025, AUT North Campus

Registrations are open here

Call for Abstracts

There are two separate calls for abstracts: one focused on research presentations and another for community project showcases.

Submit an abstract here by 19 July

Thanks to those of you who have already joined and the many of you who are interested in volunteering to support running it. As a membership-driven space, members engaging and being active is essential. We will shortly be sending out an invitation to members for our first Network planning session in late June. So please join if you wish to get involved.  If interested - you can join here

This Network is for researchers, former refugees, and migrant peers who are passionate about research by and for ethnic communities and how it can be used to support collective action and positive change.

Governance Workshop Opportunity - Invercargill

Looking to develop your understanding of governance in a not-for-profit environment?

Community Trust South and Institute of Directors New Zealand is hosting a one-day course on not-for-profit governance essentials, with the opportunity for eligible applicants to attend this free of charge.

Tuesday 8 July 2025, 8:30am - 5:00pm

Invercargill     -  $510pp*

               *To qualify to attend this free of charge, applicants must be:

• A board member or executive of a not-for-profit.
• Based within the Community Trust South area.
• Not currently a member of Institute of Directors.

Register your interest here

AI and Law: The impact of change and how to keep your business safe

Wednesday 11 June 2025, 12pm - 1pm

Join this interactive session and launch of their paper on how AI will impact your business from a legal perspective. Steven Moe and Luke Peez will be considering:

• AI governance in New Zealand
• AI’s implications for your business data; and,
• What factors businesses should be aware of when incorporating AI technologies into your business processes. Including in the application of AI to recruitment/hiring processes, and, to create workplace efficiencies.
  
  Register for the webinar here

Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships

The Society is now accepting applications for:

• New Zealand Mana Tūāpapa Future Leader Fellowship ($820,000)
  The New Zealand Mana Tūāpapa Future Leader Fellowships will support Aotearoa New Zealand’s talented early career researchers to establish the foundations of an excellent and impactful research career.
  
• New Zealand Mana Tūānuku Research Leader Fellowship ($1,160,000)
  The New Zealand Mana Tūānuku Research Leader Fellowships will support mid-career researchers to firmly establish themselves as experts in their research domain and as leaders within the research landscape.
  
• New Zealand Mana Tūārangi Distinguished Researcher Fellowship ($220,000)
  The New Zealand Mana Tūārangi Distinguished Researcher Fellowship will support researchers with expansive and international reputations to make contributions that will extend beyond their own career span.

Closing Date:

The closing date for Aotearoa New Zealand Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowship applications is Thursday 10 July, 2025 at 2 PM (NZST)

For more information, see the Royal Society Te Apārangi Aotearoa New Zealand Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships website.

Our vision is a more equitable, engaged and inclusive Aotearoa informed by community knowledge.
Ko ta mātou whakakitenga he Aotearoa e tōkeke ana, e whai kiko ana, e whakamohio mai ana e te matauranga hapori.

Our Commitment: 
We provide our services free of charge to support tangata whenua, and the voluntary and community sectors. Community Research is a registered charity, sustained by donations and grants.

Your Support Matters: 
If you value our work, please consider making a donation. Your contribution helps us continue to foster a more connected and informed Aotearoa.