2018 marks the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage in New Zealand; on 19 September 1893, the Electoral Act (1893) was passed and women in New Zealand won the right to vote. Anniversaries of this event are special opportunities to reflect on women’s leadership in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Petone Settlers Museum Te Whare Whakāro o Pito-one is proud to present Whakatū Wāhine – Women Here and Now as part of the 125th anniversary commemorations. We chose to showcase the contributions younger generations of women make to our communities’ health and vibrancy. To do this, we invited the public to nominate women aged 15 to 40 who demonstrate inspiring leadership in the Te Awakairangi Lower Hutt area to be featured in this display.
From a large group of nominations, our selection panel chose five women’s stories to share: Sharee Adam, Te Hau Winitana, Sithmi Sathruwani, Skye Chadwick and Sisi Tuala-Le’afa. These wāhine exemplify contemporary community leadership.
Whether their focus is on fostering cultural identity through language and dance, building resilient communities, or addressing diversity in a changing technological world, this new generation is leading community change we can all be proud of.
Skye Chadwick (Te Awakairangi)
Founding member, Hearth Trust
“My life has been so surprising, and the best things, I haven’t seen them coming.” – Skye Chadwick
Skye Chadwick is a founding member of the Hearth Trust, based in Kelson, Lower Hutt. The Trust was established in 2015 to provide homes for people with disabilities. Several years into the project, Skye reflects that much of the work has been exploring “what an inclusive, resilient community” looks like.
With her friend Lucy Carver, Skye was joint recipient of the Wellingtonian of the Year Youth Award in 2015. They were recognised for co-founding Orientation Aotearoa (OA), an alternative education programme for 18 to 25 year olds. The course offered a live-in eight-month programme, with a focus on leadership, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.
The experience of running OA led Skye to establish the Hearth Trust with family members and associates. Skye describes the Trust as a community of people, with and without disabilities, “living, flatting, and doing life together”. Skye’s brother Timothy has autism, and it was a dream for her and her family to create a local, inclusive living situation for him. Through OA Skye met a donor who shared her vison and helped buy the land and property for the Hearth Trust.
The structure of the Trust enables leadership and responsibility from all involved, including the trustees, the co-worker support team, and a body of community and family members living on or off-site. Events and activities are open to non-residents, hosted in the communal barn and surrounding land.
Skye leads through the values she lives by, collaborating and learning alongside the people that make up her community.
