Non-government organisations

Aoteroa New Zealand has a strong non-profit sector, with rich historical traditions, and it is evolving in importance in Aoteroa New Zealand Society¹.

Non-government organisations (NGOs) are independent community organisations which operate on a not-for-profit basis. They perform a wide array of functions, from the provision of health, education, and social services to the promotion of culture and civic action. Any financial gain or profit generated by NGOs must be reinvested in the objectives of the organisation. NGOs are self governing through mechanisms for internal governance, are able to cease operations on their own authority and are fundamentally in control of their own affairs.

The Ministry of Health and NGOs from the health and disability sector have a formalised relationship outlined in the Framework for Relations. This framework is a statement of the commitment of the Ministry of Health and health and disability NGOs to put the government's vision into practice.

In March 2002, the Health and Disability NGO Working Group was established and is made up of 13 elected representatives from the health and disability NGO sector and two (non-voting) Ministry of Health members. It is funded through a contract with the Ministry of Health, and aims to build a strong, respectful, innovative and proactive relationship between the Ministry of Health and health and disability NGOs, including organisations that have cultural focus for Maori and Pacific peoples.

NGOs receive significant health funding (in the order of $2-$4 billion per year) from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Development, district health boards (DHBs), primary health organisations (PHOs) and other government agencies.

NGOs working in the health and disability sector have adopted a socio environmental approach to improving health where the criteria of success are linked to reducing social inequalities and social justices. Approaches to service delivery such as recovery, resilience, empowerment, community development, building strengths, social inclusion, therapeutic communities, health promotion, Te Whare Tapa Wha and Fonofale have influenced the New Zealand community environment².

NGOs employ a number of health professionals such as general practitioners, nurses, occupational therapists, social workers and counsellors. They employ the largest support workforce in the health and disability sector with occupations ranging from support worker, outreach worker, peer support worker, residential worker, counsellors, caregiver, cultural worker, family whanau support worker, employment worker, traditional worker and youth worker.

Sources

Please visit the following websites for more information on the non-government sector in New Zealand.

• Ministry of Health NGO information
• www.ngo.health.govt.nz
• www.platform.org.nz
• www.community.net.nz
• www.nzfvwo.org.nz
• www.angoa.org.nz
• www.ngoit.org.nz

References

1. Sanders, J., O'Brien, M., Tennant, M., Sokolowski, S. W., & Salamon, L. M. 2008. The New Zealand Non-profit Sector in Comparative Perspective. Wellington: Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector.
2. Platform Inc. April 2008. The Peformance Story Report. Wellington: Platform Inc.