Across Rotorua, school students come from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, with many living in poverty. While the emergence of technology in schools is changing the way we learn and teach, it is also creating a digital divide. The learning inequality this can create, is becoming more evident than ever, with impacts on school attendance, engagement, and achievement levels.

To help address these issues, in 2014 Noel Leeming Group, the Mayor of Rotorua and Nga Punanawa e Waru (NPeW) began exploring how their combined expertise could help deliver equal opportunities for students. At that time, NPeW were working on what they now call the ‘Collective Impact Model’ to help make Rotorua ‘a great place to learn’ based on a partnership that brings together the right people to implement social change.

NPeW & Noel Leeming have since worked with 52 schools in Rotorua, with a focus on providing access to digital technologies, networks, teacher development, and helping to facilitate a modern learning environment. The teams provide the schools with a plan following best practice with advice, guidance, support, and leadership for schools, teachers, parents and whanau in the community.

Through the partnership, schools have access to funding thanks to the ‘Community Finance Model’ which was created to help lift the financial burden for most families. It introduced ‘affordable loans’ into the community. This financial model has been ground breaking in its success with schools. More than 800 families have applied for financing and have received the financial support they need.