Our Strategy
Tō Mātou Rautaki
Respectful Ageing
Our five-year strategy, ‘Respectful Ageing’, has been developed from detailed research and analysis which highlighted that need is great and growing, and that there is limited investment into enabling systemic change.
In the 1950s, our forebears were bold and innovative – making a documentary called ‘Indictment!’ and using this as a call to action for funding to build affordable accommodation for older people in Auckland, at what later became Selwyn Village.
The issues facing older people today are the same as they were in the 1950s, therefore our call to action hasn’t changed – this time, however, we’re using our pūtea (our managed investment fund) to leverage our response to these challenging circumstances, working with others to drive change and have the greatest impact for those vulnerable seniors in our communities.

Our strategic direction is anchored in our Vision and Purpose | Moemoeā
Our Vision | Moemoeā is:
Respectful Ageing for all, within Thriving Communities | Oranga Mātua, Oranga Tangata
Our Purpose | Tō mātou kaupapa is:
To enable older people with great need to age respectfully
We have four Pou/Strategic Focus Areas:
Our Pou are designed to work in synergy to enable our Moemoeā/Vision and all are underpinned by our commitments to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Spirituality/the Christian faith in the Anglican tradition, as expressed through ‘The Selwyn Way’.
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Having the biggest impact for those
older people who most need it
We focus on transformative change at
individual, community and system levels and
pursue interventions that advance equity,
have high impact, are scalable and last.
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Giving voice to the issues that
matter for Respectful Ageing
We amplify the voice of vulnerable older
people on the issues that matter to them
about Respectful Ageing'.
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Making sure The Selwyn Foundation
is here for older generations to come.
We act always as fruitful stewards,
here for future generations of
vulnerable older people to come.
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Fostering a sense of belonging
and connectedness, including
at our ‘home’, Selwyn Village
We feel grounded at Selwyn Village, where
we can stand together with mana whenua
to foster a sense of belonging
and connectedness for all.
From our work, we are seeking the following positive impacts:
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Social impact at scale: Fewer older people experience multiple disadvantage
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Advocacy and knowledge sharing: Increased awareness of the opportunities and challenges for ‘Respectful Ageing’
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Spiritual care: More meaningful/spiritual connections held with older people
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Community outreach: Increased reach of our community connections and support activities, including Haumaru Housing
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In-village health and independence: Through our subsidiary, Selwyn Village Limited, older people at the Village feel welcomed and are able to access a continuum of quality care
Our Social Impact and Mission Strategy
Within our wider Strategy, the Vision for our social impact and mission (SIM) charitable ambitions is:
Oranga Mātua/All vulnerable older people can age with dignity and respect
Our SIM Strategy prioritises those older people facing the greatest challenges, where the need has been clearly evidenced as most profound: Māori and Pasifika peoples aged 55 and over, single older women, and seniors living with dementia mate wareware.
With specific strategies for our commitments to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Faith/Spirituality:
Te Tiriti o Waitangi
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Iwi-led social impact – working with key Iwi in our rohe to understand the needs of their kaumātua, and the potential for Mātauranga Māori-inspired social impact initiatives.
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Whānau/Iwi capacity building – again, working with Iwi and/or Māori organisations to identify opportunities to build capability and capacity of their kaumātua and whānau.
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By Māori – For Māori initiatives and innovations – prioritising initiatives and innovations for kaumātua that are designed, developed and delivered ‘By Māori – For Māori’.
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Advocacy for, and with, kaumātua – utilising Māori networks to create opportunities where kaumātua voices, preferences and aspirations are heard.
Faith/Spirituality
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Chaplaincy: Moving towards a greater outwards-facing focus – maintaining high quality village-based chaplaincy services, while becoming more outwards-focused.
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Training/Research: Spirituality and Ageing –partnering with the Three Tikanga Anglican Church to develop training around spirituality and ageing.
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Selwyn Support – implementing the Selwyn Support Programme, again in partnership with the Three Tikanga Anglican Church
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Living Well - Dying Well – developing strategic partnerships and innovation to deliver training and/or programmes around Living Well and Dying Well.
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Spiritually Unconnected (Nō) – identifying ways to connect the most vulnerable older people who are without social, family/whānau, iwi, spiritual or community connections.
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Advocacy -Social Justice for vulnerable older people - advocating for, and with, vulnerable older people on issues of social justice.
Our inspirational Values guide us in all we do:
- Be amazing!
- Lift others up.
- Notice others.
- Be bold and innovative!