Workshops and Field Trips
Thanks for checking out what’s happening! Last year it become obvious that groups were super interested not just in knowledge and skill development, but in connecting with other groups. So this year we’re covering both. We’ll be running bi-monthly training sessions on topics that groups have expressed an interest in. And on the alternating months we’ll be visiting a project and hearing about what they do, why they are doing it, and what they have found works (and doesn’t work). Scroll down to see the topics we’ll cover and the projects we might visit.
2025/26 Workshops
Following are training events we’ll be running over the next few months, one every 2 months or so. We’ll announce when they are open for registration by email and Facebook, and we’ll archive the recordings here for future reference.
Planning and Funding
Being able to express “why” you do what you do, and having a plan is central to funding success. We’ll cover finding your “why”, writing a brief plan, and how this can be used to motivate volunteers and funders.
Funding
We can’t run our groups on passion alone, we need money! So what funding options are out there and how we do we write a good application? We’ll also cover the follow up and reporting.
Recruiting and Managing Volunteers
People are the lifeblood of our organisations, without them our job is next to impossible. We’ll discuss how to recruit, retain and motivate community champions.
Marketing and Communications
We can amplify our work by “telling our story” that helps build our community, and deliver value to our funders. This goes beyond simple posts on Facebook, to creating content that connects with people.
Health and Safety
Love it or hate it, it’s part of modern life and the reality is we need to keep our volunteers and community safe. But it doesn’t need to be hard and this intro will help you meet the requirements of most new funding applications.
Trapping
Our bi-monthly workshops will cover a lot of trapping tips, so we’ll decide closer to the time what this looks like. We’ll cover trapping basics, but things like calibrating DOC200’s etc might also be on the agenda!
2025/26 Field Trips
Connecting with other projects is a fantastic way to hear about what they do, why they are doing it, and what they have found works (and doesn’t work). Collectively we can learn together, rather than reinventing the wheel … The format we anticipate is a brief discussion or presentation, followed by a walk through the project where there will be plenty of time for questions. Projects we expect to visit this year are:
Predator Free Eastside
PF Eastside is a collaboration between groups stretching from Waimairi Beach, through New Brighton, to Southshore. Hear from the team that could be the “Miramar” of Christchurch, how they have taken over a number of estuary traps, how they work with the Council, and how they collaborate with nearby groups.
Whaka-Ora Pest Project (WOPP)
WOPP operates around Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour and is the brainchild of the Ōtautahi Conservation Volunteers New Zealand (CVNZ) team. They work with CCC to gain access to reserves, recruit and train volunteers, and then manage the project. This is a model you really want to hear about!
OHRN
A new trapping project along the banks of the Opawaho Heathcote river. Hear how they worked with Council to gain permission, managed and trained volunteers, and set up their trap network. If successful they will start rolling this out further upstream.
Cashmere Pest Patrol
A new project setup with a bequest from the Annie Currie Legacy fund. It’s been used to develop the processes and documentation for a “model” new group. This doesn’t mean everything has been done right, far from it! This will be an interesting walk and learning experience, starting from the Christchurch Adventure Park.
Visit 5
To be confirmed
reWild Wainui
This will be a special field trip and combined workshop, a day in Wainui! In the morning we’ll check out some amazing old growth podocarps and look at the trapping network. In the afternoon we’ll be running a trapping masterclass. A day not to miss.