$201,000 up for grabs as Impact100 Wakatipu announces finalists

In a thrilling announcement today, Impact100 Wakatipu revealed the five outstanding finalists vying for $201,000 in grants.

These remarkable charities will compete for the generous funding at a gala event in October, where 201 supporters will cast their votes for their preferred projects, ultimately deciding which two initiatives will receive $100,500 each of vital financial backing.

The finalists represent a diverse array of community-focused initiatives aimed at enhancing life in the Whakatipu region:

1. ADL’s “Tuning into Kids” and “Tuning into Teens” Parenting Programmes: These

evidence-based programs strive to promote emotional intelligence and connection among

families. By focusing on parents of adolescents and primary school-aged children, ADL aims to enrich emotional regulation, through a series of parenting programmes. This will ultimately strengthen family bonds within the growing Whakatipu community.

2. Citizens Advice Bureau Queenstown’s Community Lifeline Project: Responding to a 40 percent increase in demand for help, CAB aims to launch a year-long pilot project focused on supporting individuals in crisis in the Wakatipu who may not qualify for social security support, particularly those in our migrant community.

3. Glenorchy Trails Trust’s Buckler Burn Trail – Phase 2: GTT has been instrumental in developing sustainable walking and cycling trails in Glenorchy. Their proposal seeks to extend an existing trail from Glenorchy to the Whakaari Conservation area with the addition of a cycle bridge over the Buckler Burn.  This will foster recreation opportunities for the Glenorchy community, eco-friendly tourism and local economic growth.

4. Southern Lakes Sanctuary Trust’s Returning Takahē to the Rees Project: Committed to the long-term protection of the critically endangered takahē, SLS is preparing for a release of these iconic birds in February 2025. Their project focuses on habitat protection through predator control and the creation of the "Impact100 Turk" in the Rees Valley to aid monitoring efforts during this vital initiative.

5. Whakatipu Rowing Club’s “Impact100 Indoor Training Space”: Part of a broader redevelopment initiative, the “Impact100 Indoor Training Space” will offer year-round training facilities for health and wellness activities accessible to all ages, fostering community engagement and supporting local recreational groups.

Clare Irons, Chair of Impact100 Wakatipu, expressed her excitement about the finalists saying, “We are thrilled to see such a diverse and impactful range of projects this year.

“Each of these finalists showcases the spirit of community-driven change, and we are eager to support their efforts through the generosity of our Impact100 members.

Together, we can make a profound difference in the lives of many.”

Impact100 Wakatipu, established in 2020 under the umbrella of the Wakatipu Community Foundation, follows a successful global model that unites women to collectively fund transformational projects within their communities. Impact100 chapters are made up of at least 100 women, each donating $1,000 annually.

 Detailed Project Descriptions:

ADL Limited

Project description: ADL was set up over 30 years ago to empower young people to live connected and meaningful lives.  It has been providing accessible, sector-leading youth wellbeing, mental health, and substance misuse services, with the stated purpose of enhancing psychological wellbeing and resilience, ever since.  ADL's specific proposal to Impact100 is to use its grant monies to partner with local organisations in delivering “Tuning into Kids” and “Tuning into Teens” parenting programmes in the Whakatipu area.  These evidence-based programmes, developed by Melbourne University, are already successful in Canterbury.  They would address a known gap in the market for services and support for parents of older children and adolescents.  ADL believes that the Whakatipu Basin’s growing population creates unique challenges for parents who have limited intrafamilial support, not least of which are increasing isolation and stress. The programmes ADL intends to run will act as a circuit breaker, by fostering emotional intelligence and connection within families.  The specific thrust of the programmes is to help parents understand and respond appropriately to their children’s and their own emotions, strengthening relationships within families and the wider community.

CAB Project description:  CAB's proposed year-long pilot project aims to address needs it has identified in our community. Its particular focus is standing alongside those in crisis, those who don't qualify for any form of social security support, and those needing help to find or access the services they require.  CAB has reported a 40% increase in the numbers of people asking it for help, and an equivalent increase in the complexities of the cases they are seeing.  This applies particularly within the Basin's migrant population.  Its aim is to amplify its effectiveness by using a Case Manager to guide 150 clients and their families through their process: meeting with a volunteer, assessing the specialist support needed, on-boarding specialist help, and tailoring sustainable solutions to get lives back on track. In addition to employing a Case Manager for 30 hours per week, Impact100 grant monies would be applied towards discounted professional services, capped financial support for clients, and tailored case management software.  If the initial pilot is successful, CAB intends to approach its more traditional funders to sustain the project.

The Glenorchy Trails Trust 

Project description: The Glenorchy Trails Trust has been responsible for developing cycling and walking trails in and around the Glenorchy township.  GTT's specific proposal to Impact100 is that its grant monies be applied to a larger project, extending the existing trail at the Queenstown end of the township as far as the Whakaari Conservation area, closer to Blanket Bay.  This complex project, more than half of which has already been fundraised for, will involve bridging the Buckler Burn.  When completed, the trail will provide safer, more climate friendly access to the many trails in and around Whakaari.  The new trail will also act as the terminus for the proposed new trail between Bob's Cove to Glenorchy.   It is envisaged that the provision of a larger range of trail options close to Glenorchy will provide visitors with a reason to linger longer, promote 'slow tourism' and stimulate economic development in the area.  If GTT was to be successful in its application, the Impact100 grant monies would be the lever necessary to press 'go' on the project, which is already planned, engineered and consented. QLDC has agreed to maintain the trail, once constructed, in perpetuity. 

SLS

Project Description:  Southern Lakes Sanctuary's two-year project aims to prepare the upper Rees Valley for a February 2025 takahē release, a significant milestone in the long-term protection of this taonga species against the very real threat of extinction. The release will be in collaboration with DOC and iwi.  The release area has been identified by DOC as the best location for the next release of takahē in the wild.  The installation of predator traps is underway, and will continue this summer.  The next step is to fly in, and fit out, a Turk for use by the project team over the summer, ahead of the birds' release, and thereafter, for the life of the project.  This structure will be called the Impact100 Turk.  Having a weatherproof shelter will be invaluable for the Health and Safety of staff, facilitate monitoring and control activities, reduce staff time and resources (by allowing overnight stays), and amplify the habitat protection mahi which is essential for the overall success of this project. In Year 1, if SLS was to be successful, the grant monies would be part spent: on the Turk, mustelid traps, staff labour costs for predator control and monitoring work (including telemetry to track the takahē), heli transportation (for the Turk and the project team), baits, lures and the lease of an appropriate vehicle to access the upper reaches of the valley.  In Year 2 the balance monies would be applied to heli transport, staff labour costs for ongoing predator control and monitoring work, baits/lures and lease costs.

WRC

Project Description:  WRC is redeveloping the existing Whakatipu Rowing Club storage shed on the shores of Lake Hayes.  It has resource consent for additions which include a meeting area, kitchen and bathroom.  WRC's proposal to Impact100 is that its grant monies be applied towards the completion of one specific part of the wider project: a year round, all weather exercise space for use by Rowing Club members (age range 12 to 80+ years), and members of the other water sports bodies relying on Lake Hayes for training.  The provision of this new, safe, dry land environment has been endorsed by Wakatipu High School, QLDC and Rowing New Zealand.  The space will be fitted with the equipment necessary for water sports training, and will be called the Impact100 Indoor Training Space.  In its entirety the project will be of benefit to a large number of community groups, including those contributing to the ecological restoration and enhancement of the Lake Hayes area.