How do we engage with and accelerate this capacity, and create cross-sectoral collaborative approaches, with residents and their aspirations, concerns and capabilities at the centre?   This is the question behind Inspiring Communities’ publication, What We Are Learning about Community-Led Development in Aotearoa New Zealand.  The book draws on the experiences of eight communities facing acute challenges in 2011 due to earthquakes and the grounding of a cargo ship that threatened environmental disaster to the New Zealand coast. 

This resource shares learning ‘nuggets’ we have gleaned from walking alongside these communities around the following four themes:
1. Working together ‘in place’ – co-creating the focus and actively growing collaborative practice
2. Community building – intentional focus on creating social capital
3. Leading in and leaderful communities – seeking and growing new kinds of leadership
4. Creating and sustaining momentum – harnessing and maintaining energy together with both short and long term wins

The potential of unleashing and nurturing local interest, energy and capacity and weaving it into decision-making and resource allocation systems holds enormous promise for sustainable transformation.