Toi Whakapapa: Keeping Our Whakapapa in the Whānau

Our mission at Toi Whakapapa is to educate tamariki, whānau, and court officials on the importance of preserving whakapapa when a loved one passes. Through art, kapa haka, animation, and everyday whānau stories, we help whānau navigate Māori Land Court Form 22 — the succession application without a will that uses whakapapa to determine who inherits a loved one's Māori land interests.

Our vision is to inspire a deeper, culturally rooted understanding of the whakapapa process, empowering future generations and fostering a true sense of belonging.

This volunteer opportunity involves acting as the general manager of the rōpū delivering the Toi Whakapapa Educational Programme — overseeing and streamlining all mahi and programme activities, supporting the Kaumātua and project leads across work streams including the school programme, 2D animation, and kapa haka development. As operational lead, you'll keep projects on track, manage logistics, and help foster strong relationships with partner organisations. It involves a weekly project team meeting on Wednesdays, 11am-1pm in central Wellington, plus individual task time outside of that.

What you'll bring:

• Strong organisational, time management, and administrative skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience managing action items and coordinating schedules
• Experience or comfort managing digital administrative platforms (experience with Open Collective or crowdfunding platforms is a plus)

You might be a great fit if you are:

• Organised, proactive, and reliable
• High in cultural awareness, with deep respect for tikanga Māori and confidence working alongside Kaumātua and diverse community partners
• Passionate about community connection and bringing educational and cultural taonga to life

Training Provided: You'll be introduced to all aspects of the Trust's mahi and the structure of its various streams, supported closely throughout by the volunteer team and the Kaumātua of the Toi Whakapapa Programme.

Please note: applicants must currently live in the Wellington region.