Join our community of online welfare advocates
*Register your interest for future Welfare Tautoko courses here*
These are unprecedented times.
Now more than ever, this virus has shown us that we are dependent on each other and no matter where we come from, what we look like, or how much money we have, it’s time to pull together to demand decent care and income for everyone.
But right now, people in this government are leaving the families with the least behind. The recent decision to create a two tiered welfare system is dividing Aotearoa, in a time when unity is essential.
Together we are campaigning for everyone’s income support to be set at a decent rate and to stop people being penalised for finding love.
We know it is by unlocking opportunities for everyone in our communities to thrive we will ensure a better world beyond Covid-19.
One way you can get involved is by joining our efforts to build solidarity and understanding for welfare change through our online Welfare Tautoko program. (Tautoko means to support, give help, or to have someone’s back).
❤ What is Welfare Tautoko? It’s a six week program where we train everyday people to become powerful online advocates for a compassionate welfare system.
❤ How? We gather every Tuesday evening for six weeks. First, we get to know each other and the background of the welfare campaign. Next, we learn how to talk about the welfare system in a way that grows support and understanding for why it needs to change. Then we hit Facebook to do the work together.
❤ Why? Successive governments have neglected our welfare system for over three decades. Some people in government have even spread toxic misinformation about people on benefits, trying to create divisions amongst us they can exploit to gain more votes.
But our community is changing the narrative. Together, we are amplifying messages of solidarity and compassion and we need your help to increase our impact. We know there is no better way to change attitudes than leading by example, and Facebook threads provide a way to influence other everyday people who we might not normally come into contact with.
The current round of the Welfare Tautoko starts on Tuesday 16th June and goes to Tuesday 21st July, from 6.30–8.15pm.
Register your interest here.
Here is what participants of the previous Welfare Tautoko program said about it:
“I now have more tools to articulate my general feelings into decisive, actionable responses. Being given the language really helps build confidence in engaging in the issues in a personal way. Also a deepened understanding of the systems at play.”
“Each meeting I came out feeling positive just from being in a space which was full of passionate, empathetic people and I got a sense of realness that enabling change is possible, and doesn’t always have to be draining or overwhelmingly frustrating. I came out feeling enabled to engage in conversations and communicate with people in an accessible manner about important, hard stuff — not only others in the community on facebook but also in discourse with friends and whanau.”
Here are some examples of the impact the team made throughout the program:
This is a moment of increased public attention on our welfare system. Many people are angry and confused as to why people in this government haven’t followed through on their promise to overhaul the welfare system and about the special Covid-19 related benefit. Will you help us galvanise this attention to support for progressive changes to the welfare system?
It is important to know our messaging is all done in Facebook comments sections, please make sure you are prepared for that before you sign up.
