Welcome to Shaping Our Future
The conversations we facilitate inspire action that leads to a better future.
Upcoming Events, Meetings & Workshops
Current Visioning Processes
What We Do
& Why We Do It
What does Shaping Our Future do?
The Queenstown Lakes District is rapidly growing.
Without knowing where we want to go, how can we move in the right direction?
Shaping our Future was formed in 2011 to ensure the community gets a chance to guide today’s decision-makers into the future we collectively envision. We invite you to support us today for a better tomorrow.
We look to the long term – where do we want to be in 10, 20, 50 years?
Our process results in actions towards achieving our shared vision. If we don’t, who will?
“I left feeling really thankful to come together to start the conversation, and have a place that was an open book on discussion and to do something more for the future of Queenstown.”
Maria, Forum participant
“I left feeling really thankful to come together to start the conversation, and have a place that was an open book on discussion and to do something more for the future of Queenstown.”
Maria, Forum participant
Recent News
How we use a report... ![]()
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Say you go along to a Shaping our Future workshop – it might be a long-term plan or about something specific, like transportation. ![]()
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You jot down your thoughts and feelings, then leave full of biscuits and cups of tea. ![]()
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Job might be done there. ![]()
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For us, we collate that information into a dated report for anyone to access. Think of it as a placement holder for issues that may arise. ![]()
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One issue that did arise, we were able to draw on existing reports. This was the high pitch visual display as part of a council consultation in exploring roof height changes. ![]()
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We were able to make a submission on behalf of the community. ![]()
We had carried out community engagement in Arrowtown and Hāwea – even facilitating the taskforce for the township’s masterplan. ![]()
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Curious? Read more about how we use our reports to ensure decisions keep within the collective community view: shapingourfuture.org.nz/news-blog/![]()
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#submission #futureproofing #futurethinking #accountability #community #queenstownlakes
The Official Annual Report is now available on our website. ![]()
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Click here to view it: shapingourfuture.org.nz/agm-2023/ ![]()
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This report covers social engagement and activities for 2023. ![]()
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‘It’s been a busy year of finishing projects and starting new ones’ writes Shaping our Future chairwoman Vanessa van Uden in her opening address. ![]()
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At the AGM we were delighted to bring a new member to the board ‘Nicolet Spice’. ![]()
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But also announce the farewell of Barry Bruce, long-standing SoF board member who has stood down this year due to work commitments (we hope Barry will continue to be a vocal supporter of Shaping our Future around the Council table) and Susan David who has been active in workshops and around the table discussions for nearly two years. ![]()
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Both Barry and Susan will be missed and wish them well in the future. ![]()
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Wanting to be involved with Shaping our Future? Click here to become a member: shapingourfuture.org.nz/get-involved/ ![]()
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#queenstownlife #communitymatters #AGM #futurethinking #communityconsultants
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
about Shaping Our Future
Who is on the Shaping our Future Board?
The board is comprised entirely of volunteers who donate their time and expertise. Each one has a love for the district and wants to see it continue to develop into a community we are proud of. Meet us.
How does Shaping our Future engage with the community?
We have used an in-person process of forums, involving workshops that foster discussion. From there, a taskforce of volunteers produces a report that gets ratified and presented to the appropriate council. Watch a forum in action.
We also use online meetings, host talks, and collaborate with other organisations to engage with all parts of our community. Got an idea for our next event? Let us know.
Does Shaping our Future work with other community organisations?
Absolutely, yes. Since our foundation in 2011, there are many organisations that work very effectively with their members on specific issues, such as Wai Wanaka, Sustainable Queenstown and WAO. We both support their initiatives and work with them to increase our ability to reach out and hear from as wide a range of people as possible. Keen to collaborate with us? Get in touch.
How can I get involved?
Easy, just sign up at our Get Involved page. Our strength lies in numbers and the more community members involved, the better.
Who funds Shaping our Future?
We are a not-for-profit, apolitical group that receives funding primarily from Queenstown Lakes District Council. The council recognizes the value of supporting an independent group to engage with the wider community to influence policy to align with the community vision. This saves QLDC having to engage private consultants. We also receive funding from the Department of Internal Affairs, as well as private and corporate donations. Keen to help? Donate here.
CURRENT Actions
PAST Actions
Link to: EVENTS
EVENTS
Shaping Our Future hosts a variety of events, including informational evenings, workshops, and forums – check our events page regularly for upcoming events.
Keen to stay in the loop of upcoming events? Join us.
Got an idea for an event? Share with us.
