We Believe ….telling the Community Housing story

30th May saw the Auckland Community Housing Provider Network (ACHPN) and CHA launch the “ We Believe” video – it was also budget day.

60 members of the network (staff, trustees and supporter) joined ACHPN chairperson Hope Simonsen to watch the video and to celebrate the strength, diversity and common purpose of the community housing sector.

“We Believe” is a collaborative piece of work bringing together the 21 members of ACHPN and their peak body Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA). Produced by Curative (a creative agency inspiring social change) the video showcases the transformational work of community housing providers with individuals and families across the housing continuum – providing emergency housing, secure affordable rentals, and shared ownership.

ACHPN chair Hope Simonsen commented that “We (the network) realised there was a lack of understanding and awareness of who we are and what we do. It was a good reminder that if we don’t tell the stories ourselves, no-one else will.” Simonsen added that “ Community housing providers are in it for the long haul – some have already been operating successfully for nearly half a century. The benefits of investing in community housing include retaining and recycling public investment back into housing by housing organisations that work across political cycles – and indeed across lifetimes.”

CHA Senior Programme Manager, David Zussman added “The We Believe video is designed to be used as the basis of communications by the community housing providers themselves – both internally and externally. We want staff and board members to become the ambassadors for the work that they do.” This video will give them a starting point from which to do this.

The video contains a powerful and simple core message upon which each individual provider can layer their own material. This will result in lots of slightly different stories about community housing providers and the work they do – but all staying aligned to that powerful, simple core message about what as a sector ‘we believe’.