Social Action Expressions Part 1
On the 1-2 November 2025, friends from across Aotearoa gathered in Auckland for a social action seminar, reflecting on how efforts inspired by the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh are contributing to the betterment of society. In preparation for the seminar, a collection of case studies drawn from communities around the country were explored. These examples illustrate the diverse ways individuals and groups are striving to translate spiritual principles into action through education, service, environmental stewardship, the arts, and community development.
Over the coming weeks, Bahá’í Aotearoa will share these case studies in a series of articles. Prepared in advance to support the seminar’s conversations, they offer glimpses of the learning emerging across Aotearoa as communities explore how to build capacity for service and contribute to social transformation.
To open this series, we share case studies from the communities of Pine Hill, Queenstown and Waikato.
Pine Hill - releasing potential of youth
• This is an ongoing and sustained endeavour since 2017
• The area of focus for this initiative is education and releasing the potential of youth
The initiative in Pine Hill, Dunedin, began in 2017 as friends reflected on how to follow youth along a path of service, inspired by the theme of releasing the potential of the youth in the 29 December 2015 message by the House of Justice, and Ruhi Book 5. With this question at the forefront of their minds, the friends started to shape a programme of growth around the children’s and junior youth programmes which became spaces to read their reality, engaging more in the life of the wider community and learn how Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation could be applied to the needs of the families involved.
As children transitioned into the junior youth programme, the team observed that the junior youth were struggling with several aspects of their lives and sought to understand their lives more deeply—their families, routines, and interests. This involved carefully considering the life of a junior youth in their own reality and family setting, and even learning about what extracurricular activities and interests took up their time. This exploration led to the team wanting to learn about how service could become a natural and joyful part of their lives now and long into the future. Over the years, a small cohort of twelve youth have been accompanied along this path from childhood into high school age. One key insight has been the importance of beginning this process early, right from children’s classes, supported by ongoing conversations with parents. When families understand the purpose and value of these activities, they are often eager to prioritise them for their children, nurturing a foundation where service becomes integral to a young person’s identity.
The following two social action endeavours have arisen from the educational activities in Pine Hill to (1) address the educational needs of children, junior youth and youth; and (2) how this is connected to the development of youth and finding purpose through service.
Reading Project (2019–2023)
A four-year reading club, guided by an Auxiliary Board member and supported by university students, engaged 20–25 children and junior youth weekly. To help sustain this initiative, Bahá’í university students and a few of their peers were rostered weekly for 30 minutes and often suited the availability which university students could give at that time. Beyond improving literacy, the project strengthened confidence and participation in the children’s and junior youth programmes. When the reading club concluded in 2023, attention shifted to helping junior youth to find a path of service they could engage with—mowing lawns, assisting children’s classes, and hosting children’s festival at the local school hall. This area of focus was intended for the junior youth to connect with their own community by taking initiative in these projects while also being accompanied and supported by the older youth and adults. Since 2022, around 30–40 junior youth have taken part in such projects. As they entered high school, new patterns of accompaniment emerged to sustain their participation, so service remains a part of their lives.
School holiday programmes (2025)
During the July holidays, youth in Pine Hill organised a four-day programme for primary-aged children, responding to a need expressed by younger children in the neighbourhood, who felt left out when their older siblings attended the junior youth camps held during most school breaks. One of the youth applied for a Rangatahi Grant from the Otago Community Trust on behalf of the group and was awarded $3,900 to support the project. The four-day programme centred on the spiritual quality of kindness and incorporated elements of the Grade 1 curriculum. It was promoted only through the local primary school in Pine Hill, where the core family at the heart of this process had established a strong relationship with the school principal. A total of 31 children from the neighbourhood registered, with an additional 7 walk-ins after hearing about the programme through word of mouth. The youth took the lead in planning and running the programme, and the experience proved to be a meaningful source of joy and growth, as they quickly developed both their capacity and their desire to serve.
Parents’ feedback highlighted noticeable changes in their children’s attitudes and behaviour—greater happiness, kindness, and cooperation. They also expressed deep appreciation for the programme and commented on the need for local holiday programmes at low cost, that not only draw children away from their devices, but also help them build social skills in a supportive environment. Encouraged by the feedback, the youth together with the adult supporters, decided to run a second programme during the September holidays. Registration was capped at 30 children where half of the participants had attended the first programme, while the other half came from new families. Altogether, the two initiatives engaged over 60 children from 37 families.
Emerging observations and capacities being developed:
• Increased capacity of the core team and youth to engage in conversations across different settings.
• Ever deeper engagement into the life of the wider community has allowed us to identify the true needs and concerns of the wider community, such as the need for a holiday programme.
• Built capacity to maintain collaboration and cooperation with the local Pine Hill school principal including other institutions in the community.
• Developed capacities to engage with local businesses to support the holiday programme through in-kind donations.
• The willingness of parents to support such a programme and offer additional support through food donation, help in the kitchen, transportation and more
• The readiness and eagerness of junior youth (Year 8 in particular) to take on more leadership roles and quickly raising capabilities and skills to serve through the holiday programme.
• Capacity of older youth in high school to accompany the Year 8 junior youth and showing a sense of ownership and responsibility towards the holiday programme.
Queenstown - introducing a high school principal to the power of spiritual education
These efforts in Queenstown have been sustained over 5 years
The focus is on education, building a vibrant community and releasing the potential of youth
In November 2020, a family pioneered to Queenstown, NZ with the goal of initiating the Bahá’í community-building process. They began by gathering a small group of families around a weekly children’s class and a devotional meeting. The initiator of these efforts was prepared to dedicate significant time over a number of years to nurturing the spiritual and social development of the community.
By May 2021, after forming friendships with two families whose children attended a small private high school in the area, the initiator was able to establish a junior youth group with five students from the school. The school’s mission was to “provide an educational model that will create the future leaders and changemakers of the world,” and its project-based approach opened an opportunity for the initiator to volunteer regularly, assisting students with various projects. Through this engagement, the initiator deepened relationships with members of the junior youth group in a new context, connected with more students—some of whom asked to join the group—and began developing a relationship with the school’s principal.
Over time, the principal came to appreciate that the initiator was not merely promoting an after-school activity but was genuinely committed to contributing to the holistic development of young people. Through ongoing conversations, the initiator, in turn, came to understand that the school’s six core values—Stewardship, Integrity, Optimism, Appreciation, Determination, and Ingenuity—were not only central to the school’s culture but also reflected the principal’s own deeply held beliefs. This realization opened space for meaningful discussions about the close alignment between these values and those cultivated through the junior youth spiritual empowerment programme. As the principal continued to observe the programme’s influence on his students, he increasingly recognised its role in strengthening their character and reinforcing the very values emphasised at the school. This became unmistakably clear at the end of the year when five of the six core values awards were given to students in the junior youth group.
Recognizing their shared commitment to nurturing these same qualities in the same group of young people, the initiator and the principal began meeting regularly over coffee to consult about how to foster these values more effectively—both within the school environment and in light of the broader social conditions of the community.
Soon, the principal asked if his son could join the junior youth group. As he observed the positive changes in his son, he became increasingly curious about the junior youth texts—what they addressed, how they were structured, and the way intellectual and spiritual concepts were seamlessly woven together. He wanted to understand how these materials were shaping not only his son’s character but also his thinking. This curiosity led to deeper conversations with the initiator during their weekly meetings, which became opportunities to explore ideas from Learning About Excellence and Habits of an Orderly Mind, as well as the opening pages of Ruhi Book 5, which describe the attitudes, conduct, and aspirations that the programme seeks to nurture in young people.
A turning point in their dialogue came when the initiator shared the analogy that intellectual and spiritual powers are like two wings of a bird—without the development of both, a young person cannot truly soar. This idea resonated deeply with the principal, who recognised that while the school was effectively nurturing intellectual growth, the junior youth programme was systematically strengthening the students’ spiritual capacities. He expressed a desire to integrate these concepts more intentionally into the school’s curriculum. The initiator offered to research educational models that weave spiritual concepts into academic learning and to prepare a document for them to review together.
In the meetings that followed, the initiator and the principal explored an overview of the Ruhi Institute, the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity (ISGP), the Preparation for Social Action (PSA) program, and examples of Bahá’í-inspired schools around the world. They also reviewed insights from a Bahá’í public high school teacher in Auckland who had been successfully using the junior youth materials in her classroom. These discussions were highly inspiring for the principal, though it was not immediately clear what the next step should be.
After several months of continued conversations, the path forward finally became clear when, during one of their meetings, the principal mentioned that he needed to hire a new teacher. The initiator suggested that the most effective way to advance this vision would be to hire someone who could help develop these efforts from within the school, and the principal was immediately drawn to the idea. The initiator then introduced him to the Bahá’í high school teacher from Auckland, and after a series of conversations, she was invited to move to Queenstown to join the school as the lead teacher for the incoming Year 9 class beginning in February 2025.
This development marked a significant step forward in the community-building process in Queenstown—an organic outcome of years of patient effort, friendship, and commitment to the training institute, opening the way for a new area of learning to unfold.
Waikato Tongan Service Collective
A social action Initiative in the spirit of service and unity
This project is a sustained initiative which began in 2019
The area of focus is health, and improving the quality of the living environment with a particular focus on housing within the context of the Tongan community.
The Waikato Tongan Service Collective is a sustained initiative that began in 2019, arising from within the Tongan community of the Waikato region. Its purpose is to contribute to the social and economic well-being of the community—particularly through improving living conditions, promoting health, and fostering a spirit of service grounded in love and unity. The project’s vision is inspired by the Bahá’í teachings of the oneness of humanity and the nobility of every person. It seeks to raise the prosperity of the Tongan community by translating spiritual principles into practical action—offering tangible assistance while nurturing spiritual growth.
At its heart, the Collective brings together Tongan tradespeople who volunteer their skills as a labour of love, providing electrical, mechanical, housing, property maintenance, and computer education services to families in need. These acts of service are motivated by a desire to uplift others, to strengthen community bonds, and to reflect the spiritual principle that work performed in a spirit of service is worship.
The initiative operates across the Waikato region and is guided by a core team of six individuals, both Bahá’ís and friends from different churches, who meet regularly to consult, plan, and reflect on their experiences. This group embodies the principle of unity in diversity, drawing strength from shared values despite different religious backgrounds.
The Collective’s origins trace back more than two decades to an after-school tutoring programme serving Tongan youth. Over time, those involved were moved to expand their efforts beyond education and to engage others who desired to serve the wider community in a systematic way. Through consultation and reflection, a broader vision emerged—one that encompassed not only intellectual development but also physical well being and the cultivation of a spiritual culture of service.
The initiative has since evolved to include a public dimension. With modest funding available from the Waikato Tongan Community Trust, the Collective began hosting fortnightly radio programmes and maintaining a Facebook page, creating platforms for public transparency and wider engagement. These media channels also provide opportunities to share discussions on Bahá’í principles in a general and inclusive manner, inviting reflection on themes such as unity, justice, and service to humanity.
It is estimated that more than 3,000 individuals from a range of families have benefited from the Collective’s services to date—some on multiple occasions. Beyond the material assistance provided, the initiative has contributed to building spiritual and social capacities within the community, including:
• Deepening in the Bahá’í Writings and their application to daily life
• Strengthening habits of consultation, accompaniment, and mutual support
• Cultivating humility, inclusiveness, and unity of purpose
• Learning to transcend biases and serve all people regardless of religious or cultural background
The project consciously operates within the framework of Bahá’í principles that guide social action. Among the most prominent are:
• Noble Creation – Recognizing the inherent worth and dignity of every person
• Oneness of Humanity – Serving all without distinction or prejudice
• Justice – Ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability in every activity
• Equality of Men and Women – Valuing the contributions of all members equally
• Universal Participation – Encouraging everyone to find a part to play in collective advancement
• Consultation – Making decisions through unified, humble, and truth-seeking dialogue
• Shared Leadership – Avoiding hierarchical structures; functioning cooperatively as equals
Through ongoing reflection, the Collective is discovering profound lessons about the spiritual dimensions of service. One challenge has been encountering differing attitudes toward giving and receiving help. While many respond with gratitude and joy, others have struggled with expectations or a sense of entitlement. This has tested the volunteers’ understanding of service as a spiritual act independent of recognition or reward. In response, the team has been learning to:
• Serve with detachment, seeing the act of service itself as the reward
• Engage in accompaniment, walking alongside others as they learn to serve and consult
• Foster mutual understanding about what it means to serve with love, humility, and sincerity
• Communicate the Bahá’í perspective on service in ways that resonate across faith and cultural lines
The Collective acknowledges that it is still learning, evolving, and striving to embody the spirit of unity and selfless service. Yet through each act of service—whether repairing a home, teaching a skill, or sharing a conversation on the radio—the group seeks to contribute to the emergence of a vibrant, spiritually grounded community life in the Waikato region.
