Local Youth at the Heart of Wao’s Bold 2026 Climate Strategy
This time of year give us the space to think about tomorrow. Not the tomorrow of the day after next, but the tomorrow we want for our Rangatahi. It is a time of year where we give Wao strategic focus. With that space, come clarity.
We are very excited to announce our strategic direction for 2026, deepening our commitment to long-term systems change, community resilience, and intergenerational climate action across the Southern Lakes region and beyond.
Guided by the vision of Aotearoa where communities flourish in balance with te taiao, Wao’s 2026 strategy strengthens our role as a catalyst for climate action by activating clusters of people, organisations, and communities to drive transformative impact.
Putting Future Generations at the Centre — 100 Years Forward
Wao is doubling down on our intergenerational mission by expanding research into what resilient communities could look like 100 years from now. This includes new work to map long-term social, environmental, and economic resilience — and a significant deepening of Wao’s youth-focused programmes.
Through Gen Wao and expanded schools engagement, Wao will support young people to lead, influence, and design the solutions they want to inherit. “If we want thriving communities in 2125, we must empower the voices who will live in that future,” says Wao General manager Monique Kelly. “Our youth are not just participants — they are our partners in designing long-term, resilient systems.”
Wao recently presented our annual Sustainability Award at Mount Aspiring College to Year 13 student Nico Pettit, recognising her outstanding contribution to environmental initiatives and community leadership.
Following the award, Nico shared this reflection:
“I wanted to extend my sincere thanks to Wao for awarding me the Sustainability Award this year at MAC. I’m grateful for this recognition and for the support you give students who are passionate about environmental initiatives.
This award means a lot to me and helps encourage me to continue to put effort into advocating for sustainable initiatives within the college and community.”
— Nico Pettit
This recognition highlights the next generation of system shifters — young leaders already creating positive change and modelling the kind of courage and commitment our future demands.
Action-Focused Climate Solutions for Communities Today
Wao’s 2026 strategy accelerates the work already underway to create tangible, community-led solutions across our key clusters:
Food Resilience:
Following national attention earlier this year for the Southern Lakes food resilience report, Wao is now strengthening the Southern Lakes Kai Collective, supporting local growers, community groups, and educators to build a more secure, connected, and climate-resilient regional food system. Practical projects — from community harvest networks to grower-led workshops and seed-sharing programmes — will continue to scale through 2026.
Better Building — New Training Modules for 2026
To accelerate climate-smart construction across the region and beyond, Wao is launching a new series of Better Building Training Modules in 2026.
These modules — developed with the Better Building Working Group — will provide architects, builders, designers, developers, and community members with practical, accessible training in:
high-performance, low-carbon building
better material choices and circular design
embodied carbon and operational energy
healthy homes and wellbeing-focused design
future-proofed, climate-resilient building practices
This initiative marks a major next step in Wao’s mission to help the sector transition toward buildings that are healthier for people, more efficient for households, and aligned with a regenerative, low-emission future.
Transport & Active Mobility:
In 2026, Wao will significantly expand Ride for Change, our youth-focused active transport initiative designed to shift behaviour, reduce emissions, and help families move more freely and safely through their communities. This work supports the region’s broader transition to low-emission, healthier travel choices.
Sustainable Events:
Wao’s Better Events Collective continues to help event organisers reduce waste, environmental impact, and — increasingly — carbon emissions. With growing demand from large and small events across the region, Wao will introduce new tools, training opportunities, and sector-wide standards in 2026.
Community Engagement:
Through the Wao Summit — the region’s largest sustainability and systems-change event — as well as film nights, public kōrero, working groups, and community rides, Wao will continue to bring people together to build shared understanding and collective momentum. These events sit at the heart of Wao’s mission to “accelerate systems change by activating clusters” .
Collaboration & Partnership at the Core
Wao’s 2026 strategy reinforces our role as the connective tissue — the mycelium — connecting people, knowledge, and resources so transformation can grow.
By strengthening partnerships with iwi, local and regional councils, schools, social enterprises, growers, businesses, and national organisations, Wao aims to amplify shared knowledge and deliver climate solutions that are locally grounded and nationally scalable.
“Systems change doesn’t happen alone. It happens when communities, institutions, and leaders come together with a shared purpose,” says Monique. “Our work is, and always will be, about collective action.”
Calls to Action: Help Shape 2026
Wao invites the public to support the next stage of our systems-change mission:
Donate – Act Where You Are, 100 Years Forward
Monthly or one-off donations directly support the clusters creating ripple effects of change — from food resilience to youth empowerment to climate-smart building.
→ wao.co.nz/donate
Register Your Interest – Harvest Festival 2026
Wao’s beloved annual Harvest Festival returns in March 2026, celebrating local growers, food knowledge, community connection, and resilient local food systems. Registrations of interest from growers, organisations, stallholders, and volunteers are now open.
→ wao.co.nz/harvest