There are some funding relationships that sit neatly within the language of outputs, milestones and reporting frameworks. And then there are relationships like Tuia.
Over the past six years, Len Reynolds Trust has had the privilege of standing alongside Tuia as one of a small group of collaborative funders supporting this kaupapa. Looking back now, it is difficult to describe the experience through the usual language of philanthropy, because what Tuia creates is deeply human, relational and intergenerational.
Tuia is often described as a rangatahi leadership programme, but that description barely scratches the surface. At its heart, Tuia is about whakapapa, identity, belonging and connection. It asks rangatahi Māori to consider not simply what they want to do in the world, but who they are becoming within it.
Across six years, we have watched hundreds of rangatahi gather on marae across Aotearoa. We have seen relationships formed between generations, communities and places. We have seen young people reconnect to language, tikanga, whenua and whakapapa. We have seen confidence grow, leadership emerge and communities strengthened through the return of rangatahi carrying knowledge, pride and responsibility back into the places they come from.
What has struck us most powerfully is that Tuia is not trying to “fix” rangatahi Māori. It begins instead from a place of inherent strength and possibility. It recognises that when rangatahi know who they are, where they come from and who they belong to, transformation ripples far beyond the individual.
The stories shared at the recent funders hui reflected this beautifully. One rangatahi described Tuia as “the beginning of the rest of my life.” Another reflected about finally understanding “how important and powerful I am just being Māori.” These are not small outcomes. They are foundational shifts in identity, belonging and wellbeing.
As funders, we often talk about leverage and impact. Tuia challenges us to think differently about what those words mean.
This kaupapa operates with remarkable generosity from its own community. Thousands of volunteer hours are contributed each year by alumni, mentors and whānau. Former participants return as tuakana, organisers, leaders and guides for the next generation. The kaupapa quite literally weaves itself forward through relationships.
What we have learned through this partnership is that long-term, flexible funding matters deeply. Tuia’s strength has been built over sixteen years, not through short funding cycles or tightly constrained contracts, but through trust, continuity and the ability to grow a kaupapa with integrity over time.
The collaborative funding model supporting Tuia has also been significant. Rather than competing approaches or fragmented investments, funders have worked together in alignment around a shared belief in the kaupapa. That has created stability, reduced administrative burden and enabled Tuia to focus energy where it belongs - on rangatahi and community.
As Len Reynolds Trust continues its own journey toward more relational, values-led philanthropy, Tuia has been an important teacher for us. It has reminded us that some of the most transformative work cannot always be measured neatly or quickly. Sometimes the most important outcomes are found in reconnection, in confidence, in cultural grounding, in relationships strengthened across generations. Sometimes the role of philanthropy is not to direct the work, but simply to stand beside it with humility, consistency and belief.
We remain deeply grateful for the trust we have been shown by the Tuia whānau, and for the generosity, leadership and aroha that continues to sustain this kaupapa. It is a privilege to walk alongside a movement that is shaping not only individual lives, but the future strength and connectedness of communities across Aotearoa.