By Pam Elgar, Chief Executive Officer, Make-A-Wish New Zealand
Make-A-Wish Foundation originated in the United States in 1980. It grew from the dreams of a young boy, Christopher Greicius, who had leukaemia and wished to be a police officer. Thanks to Make-A-Wish, his dreams came true.
Make-A-Wish New Zealand grants around 180 wishes each year on average, and since 1986, they have granted more than 2,500. Their mission is to grant the wishes of children who have critical illnesses to give them hope, strength and joy.
Can you tell us a little more about the wonderful work you do at Make-A-Wish, the wishes you grant, and your journey so far?
We will be celebrating our 36th birthday this October, and we are incredibly proud of the impact we have made on the lives of the children and their families, the medical profession, suppliers, donors and all who have come together to support us in granting wishes to children in need.
We believe the provision of a wish is not just a thing, or meeting or trip, it is a lifechanging opportunity that brings hope, joy, and strength to all involved. All our work is based on positive psychology and the Wish Journey is designed to focus the child on something to look forward to and engage with. The impact of the wish is lifelong – It provides positive memories and a different outlook for all involved.
After attending our recent Workplace Wellbeing CEO Lunch, can you share your thoughts on the importance of wellbeing in the modern workplace.
Wellbeing, particularly in this time whilst the pandemic is still impacting all of us, is incredibly important. Our staff are giving their time, talent, and creativity every day in service of designing, developing, and funding every incredible wish we deliver. Our mission is at the heart of all we, as staff, do. If we’re not managing ourselves well, then the product we develop will not be as good as it could be. Our wish children deserve nothing but our best.
Wellbeing is so individual – each staff member has different needs, different contexts, and experiences – we work hard to support each staff member with where they’re at in their lives.
How have the needs of your staff changed since Make-A-Wish began operating in NZ?
They have changed quite a lot. Our first team members did everything. As we have grown, their roles have grown and evolved. Different generations also have different views on what work looks like and their expectations of their employer. This can be challenging for charities as we don’t have the same level of resources as for-profit organisations have. There also exists a very popular misconception that staff in non-profit organisations should not be paid as well as for-profit organisations and shouldn’t have the same work environment expectations, training and development. If we wish to deliver quality work, we need to be supported by fundraising and donors who believe that we need to be able to recruit and retain the best people.
In what ways does the EMA support Make-A-Wish New Zealand?
We became an EMA member as it was a great way to join with other employers and receive regular briefings on issues for all employers e.g., employment law cases, economic updates, access to hearing from high quality speakers, and also use of the AdviceLine when required.
We understand Make-A-Wish relies heavily on community funding – are there other challenges facing charities in the current climate?
The top three challenges are funding, funding, funding!
Given the economic conditions at present it is harder to attract volunteers who are able to support us (we currently have approximately 185 across the country). Donors are finding it harder to commit to their regular giving, corporates are also not wishing to sign long-term commitments, which makes the running of a sustainable business very challenging.
What impact, if any, has COVID had on your services, staff and supporters?
It’s been very challenging – we had to improve our IT systems to enable staff to work at home. We had to increase training for our volunteers so they could all use Zoom or Teams to communicate with our wish families, events were removed from our fundraising activities, and the challenges of vaccination were front and centre. Working remotely for staff was a challenge until we all learnt new routines and ways to stay connected with each other in a positive way.
Are there any services or initiatives you were providing pre-COVID that needed to be adapted to suit the current business landscape?
We removed community events and national in-person physical events as a result of the pandemic. We refocused our energies on digital engagement and increasing our communication.
When compared with Make-A-Wish charities overseas, what does the future look like for our own Make-A-Wish New Zealand?
We are one of 39 affiliates globally, excluding Make-A-Wish America. We compare very favourably to other affiliates, due in large part to the quality of our team and the fabulous giving nature of New Zealanders. We are seen as one of the affiliates that others look to for advice and support.
What is the best piece of advice you can give to fellow New Zealand charities and businesses to help them on their journey?
Be very clear on your mission, stay focused, and execute your tactics to the best of your ability. Never forget that we are in the ‘people business’ and everything needs to align with our values and support of others.
To learn more about Make-A-Wish, please visit – https://www.makeawish.org.nz/
