ReGeneration – “It’s daunting trying to fix the world”
ReGeneration
The Challenge
How do we assist young leaders to make positive social change? Billy Matheson, founder of ReGeneration realised that the best way to begin was by providing space for young leaders to connect to each other. “These young people have seen the connection between environmental and social issues and citizenship, and recognise that change is created by collaboration.”
The Response
ReGeneration is a nationwide network of young people from around New Zealand. Launched in February 2009, it provides an online peer-to-peer space plus regular networking events for people who don’t necessarily consider themselves leaders, but are leading. “We began by touring the country, visiting schools and community organisations. Since then we have convened a regular series of ReGeneration workshops and regional youth leadership events, or ‘Youth Jams’. At our workshops we meet literally hundreds of amazing young New Zealanders who are looking for that illusive combination of support and challenge neccessary to step into the adult world.”
“These young people are globally aware and ecologically literate. Their common ground is their own agency and belief that ‘I can do something about this thing I care about’. They also get the opportunity to hear older people talk about their journeys, including the mistakes they made along the way. It’s important that they hear someone more experienced say: ‘Pick yourself up and dust yourself off. I had that experience too so don’t give up”.
ReGeneration in Northland 2011
Our Northland from Rick Zwaan on Vimeo.
How the Todd Foundation helped
Todd Foundation funding has provided ReGeneration with funds to cover operating costs and salaries so that Billy can work fulltime on growing the organisation. “The Todd Foundation has stepped in to fill a need that, for organisations like ours, is hard to fill: we do not have tangible outcomes that are easy to report on. It’s also wonderful to be listened to, not bombarded with advice, and they are always willing to be used as a sounding board for ideas.”
What they say about it
“What I love about ReGeneration is how it works to bring together all of these different groups- environmental, social, creative, community – because the sort of crises and problems we face are incredibly complex and interrelated,” says Dunedin member Chrissy Hamill. “ReGeneration fills a niche for young people who need a space to talk about how to change things – it’s daunting trying to fix the world!”
