There are thousands of small environmental groups across New Zealand putting in the hard mahi to restore the health of our land and waterways and help our precious native species thrive. Most of these groups run on the power of volunteer passion and a shoe-string budget from donations and small funding grants.
After working with a number of these groups, a common theme emerged. Many of these groups weren't telling their story - because they were busy getting on with the work. But telling the stories of these groups is important. It's how we engage with the wider community so they can support our goals, join as volunteers and donate. It also helps groups to source continued funding.
In today's digital world, websites are a valuable tool for sharing our stories and engaging with our community. Unfortunately I've seen too many sites that are poorly designed, not mobile friendly and frustratingly difficult for non-tech people to use. Many of our groups don't have the budgets for high-spec websites or the skills to keep them updated.
Thankfully website builders have come a long way since they first emerged. They now offer professional looking websites that are affordable and easy to use. With that in mind, I've created a simple free template for environmental non-projects, community groups and projects to use.
You can view the template at www.socialnaturenz.wixsite.com/tetaiaoproject and if you would like to use the template, get in touch at bec@socialnature.nz. The template is a work in progress, so let me know if you think there is anything missing.
Rebecca Jamieson, Social Nature NZ
