To our centenary and beyond!

As I hit my 5-month anniversary with Playcentre, I’ve been reflecting on the journey so far.  In the local centres and regional offices I have been able to visit so far, I have met many amazing people, committed to our values and serving our organisation with such commitment and dedication. It is fair to say that the vaccine mandate has been challenging for staff and the wider Playcentre community.  Overall, I have seen those values shining out gloriously with the compassion and respect people have shown to our staff, other Playcentre whānau and the wider public.

Whatever our views are on Covid19, vaccines and mandates, it is clear to me that the whole process has been very hurtful for our organisation and in my experience hurt needs healing. I know that the withdrawal of the mandate has the potential to continue to cause hurt and I have, unfortunately, already seen that starting. We can work on our healing now by navigating through this next phase with our values of Generosity of Spirit, Respect, Compassion and Manaakitanga.

If we follow these we will:

  • Tolerate differences and not judge others
  • Take care of others by doing what is needed
  • Value all contributions even if they are opposite to our views
  • Nurture a sense of inclusiveness and of being a community
  • Care, nurture, share, encourage and support everyone

Lofty goals? Absolutely!! Unachievable ones? Absolutely not! Strong values guide our behaviour and how we respond to every situation. By following our values as we move forward, we will be able to heal our organisation and I invite everyone to join me in that desire and approach.

I want us to look ahead to 2041, the centenary of Playcentre. In 2041, I see an organisation still true to its original calling “to provide leisure for mothers and opportunities for the social development of the pre-school child.”  I expect that will be as different from 2022 as what we do today is different from 1941.  But we will still be true to it. We will come through our current hurts. We will heal our organisation. We will build an organisation together that will take us “to our centenary and beyond”.