Welcome to our Bellbird Substack! We’re excited to share our journey, thoughts, and actions with you. We’ll be creating this advocacy newsletter to keep you informed about what is happening out there in the macro sphere, how you can be involved, and how we are responding. We want this to be a hopeful space where we share insights, report updates, and share kaimahi perspectives.

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Our goal is to make this an uplifting and empowering platform that inspires you to think, act, and share—while maybe challenging you a bit along the way. If you’re passionate about community wellbeing, social justice, and making a real difference, you’re in the right place. We are all in this together (and yes, we know it sounds a bit cheesy) so nau mai, haere mai!

Who We Are

We’re Bellbird, and we’re here to support the social service professionals and organisations across the motu. While we’re based in Rotorua, our mission knows no boundaries. We aim to foster wellbeing and collaboration in our communities by equipping social service professionals with the tools and resources they need to make a positive impact. Our vision? A world where everyone has access to the care and support they need to thrive and reach their fullest potential.

This newsletter is curated by Felicity, part of the Bellbird flock who’s been advocating for social change since her high school protest days. Hi! I am thrilled that you are a subscriber. Details of this newsletter are fact-checked by our founder, Rachael, ensuring you get the most reliable and inspiring content!

Why We’re Writing

There’s a lot happening in our sector that affects us all. From the Government’s wish to repeal 7AA  of the Oranga Tamariki Act, to the recent funding cut proposals to social services, these changes have significant impacts on our whānau and our communities, as well as the services we provide. We believe it’s crucial to stay informed and engaged, and to support one another in navigating these changes together.

What We’re Reading

At Bellbird, we’re always diving into books that challenge, inspire, and ignite our passion for advocacy. (Just check out our book club page and you’ll see everything we’ve read so far.)

Moral Ambition – Rutger Bregman
I first came across Rutger Bregman on social media, when he was a panellist at the World Economic Forum, calling out billionaires for dodging taxes. It was bold, refreshingly candid and I’ve followed his work ever since.

Moral Ambition is his latest book, and it’s just as sharp and inspiring as Humankind and Utopia for Realists. This one is all about using your influence (however big or small) for systemic change. It’s the perfect antidote to apathy and a powerful reminder that good intentions can (and should) scale up.