Over the weekend I attended Te Whare Tangata: Home Birth Aotearoa Hui & Conference 2020 in Tauranga.
The first day was the conference and the second day was the hui including Homebirth in Aotearoa New Zealand’s AGM. Part of the hui was a status update of the regions and open discussion around what regions are doing and what we need help with.
Let me know if you have any questions regarding the conference presentations or would like any info.
At the hui I talked about the lack of volunteers and how our steering committee is now very small and mostly inactive. That it’s difficult to keep volunteers engaged and that almost all the work currently falls to me. I’m very burnt out and unable to put in the work needed for better exposure, social media, engaging with midwives, AUT, NZCOM and the DHBs as well as struggling to write up a Trust Deed to switch from an Incorporated Society to charitable trust. It was suggested that instead of waiting to switch to a trust and then contracting a self funded assistant, we do that now and they can also assist with the trust deed, charitable status application, etc.
I asked for help with how to engage people more, keep them engaged and how to navigate this difficult time.
I also added that it is difficult to engage with NZCOM and the DHBs and asked that be added to the HBAT agenda for their next meeting.
Pool hire is continuing great and thanks to Vivienne
who worked to get us a replacement pool.
With regards to the other regions, some are experiencing a resurgence and others, like ours, are sleeping, having difficulty or have disappeared.
A big thank you to Sarah, Sophia, Trust Home Birth Tauranga, the speakers, the helpers, the HBAT trustees and all the attendees for an informative, enjoyable and nourishing weekend!
Full report (via Google Drive): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SUZ1BSnABt26Y7Q0KI3fBRF90wTazlSEluyCI10iwr0/