Workshops
Theme: Preparing for Tomorrow

Description: Nearly two years on from its first workshop at the CHA 2024 conference, we revisit the progress of Dr Conal Smith’s wellbeing work with tenant survey questions and delivery. This workshop offers participants a look-back at how the survey has evolved, including the development of the question set, the digital hosting solution, and insights from early testing. The session will display CHA’s new survey‑hosting dashboard, with an opportunity for workshop participants to take part in a live demo and see how the data experience for future tenants works in practice. Workshop attendees will play an active role in shaping the future of the project by working together to consider what questions should be asked, what matters most to providers and tenants, and what kinds of analysis and reporting the sector needs from digital tools as we prepare for tomorrow.

Audience: For anyone interested in data, service improvement, digital tools, and wellbeing measures.

Description: Good governance is essential to building sustainable, community‑led housing. It shapes how organisations hold their purpose, make decisions, manage risk, support their people, and stay accountable to tenants, whānau, communities, funders and partners. In a sector grounded in social impact and deep local relationships, governance is not something that happens in the background — it is a core part of how providers honour their kaupapa and deliver safe, secure, culturally grounded homes.

This practical, interactive two‑hour workshop explores what good governance looks like for community housing providers across Aotearoa. It offers space for board members, managers and leaders to step back from day‑to‑day pressures, reflect on their current practice, and strengthen the foundations that support effective stewardship. Whether you are new to governance or have years of experience, the session provides a chance to refresh your thinking, test assumptions, and build confidence in navigating today’s complex operating environment.

We will look at the responsibilities of not‑for‑profit boards, the importance of clarity in roles and boundaries, and how strong governance supports organisational culture, decision‑making and accountability. The workshop also explores the board–manager relationship, how to lead through uncertainty and change, and how governance can act as stewardship of purpose, people, places and homes.

Audience: This workshop is for board members, trustees, committee members, chairs, chief executives, managers and senior staff working with the governance of community housing providers. It is suitable for people who are new to governance, experienced board members wanting a useful refresh, managers who want to strengthen the board and management relationship, and emerging leaders who may step into governance roles in the future.