Presidents AGM Report – January 2022
This past year has been challenging with the arrival of Covid-19 and the effect of its subsequent restrictions on businesses and people throughout the world. What it has taught all of us is about being adaptable and dealing with what you have in front of you. The paddling community has been no different and it has been encouraging to see how businesses, associations, networks, clubs and groups have successfully risen to those challenges.
Governance: I am incredibly grateful to the 2021 Committee members; Ian McKenzie, Paula Renouf, Allen Snowsill, Russell Williams, Daniel O’Connor and Caitlin Gillespie for their total support, time and effort in working towards KASK being more sustainable for generations to come.
It is important that the committee has a sufficient number of members to be able to manage, implement and carry out work that helps the organisation achieve its mission and overall purpose. I encourage anyone who wishes to give back to the paddling community and be involved on the committee and the association’s future to step forward and make themselves known. I cannot stress enough the importance of having positive thinking, diligent committee members that enjoy working hard on the behalf of the KASK membership and are not there as of right.
I would like to thank and congratulate Paula Renouf on creating KASK’s Code of Conduct and Position Statement on respect, harassment and equality and the Privacy and Social Media Policy that can be found on the website at https://kask.co.nz/code-of-conduct/
Thank you also to Karen Grant who continues to do a wonderful job as administrator with the accounts, with email communication to members and preparing reports.
This year’s AGM (required by our constitution) will be held at KASK Kayak Fest, on Sun 13th February at Hahei on the east coast of Coromandel. The AGM reports (as well as this report) is available to all financial members by going to https://kask.co.nz/agm , allowing plenty of time for members to digest the information and make submissions / questions.
Continuing with the vision from 2017 and subsequent years:
We have concentrated our efforts during the past year to what we believe is important to our members and the sustainability of KASK. Here is a summary of the outcomes we achieved that aligned with our vision:
- Membership: We continue to work on improving the experience for new and existing members, connecting with established and emerging kayaking groups, networks, and clubs, to offer them the benefits of Club Affiliated Membership and Associated Membership to their paddlers as well as to KASK.
Like many organisations around NZ, the number of Individual Members has fallen, but the overall numbers have risen due to an increase in Affiliated Club Membership. With the different types of KASK membership available, the committee has enhanced those with ‘Individual Membership by implementing a reduction of $25 from Kayak Fest registration commencing at Kayak Fest 2022 and forward at all future Fests.
- External Relationships: We have continued to build our relationship with our external partners in water safety. As much as Covid-19 restrictions have allowed, we have been actively involved in various watersafety initiatives including attendance at the virtual Water Safety NZ Safety AGM and participation in New Zealand Safer Boating Forum and it’s campaigns. As a member the Safer Boating Forum, we have participated in all of the monthly virtual meetings and also those of the forum’s Communications Sub-Group. It is hoped that in 2022, we will return to two one day ‘face to face’ meetings rotating between Wellington and Auckland.
- As a founder member of the NZ Safer Boating Forum and member of Water Safety NZ, that we continue to represent our association on behalf of paddlers, networks, clubs and groups on the national stage.
- In 2021, KASK successfully applied for funding to undertake our ‘Meet the Paddlers’ roadshow. I would like to thank and congratulate Dallas Veitch and Caitlin Gillespie for the advertising and promotional campaigns, but to Dallas for taking up the coordination lead when the creator was stuck in England and unable to return for many months. During this coming year, we will apply for funding for continuation of the roadshow to be run by clubs, associations, networks and group using the existing format.
- Sport NZ has asked KASK along with, Surfing NZ, Surf Lifesaving NZ, NZSUP, Snorkelling NZ, Sport Fishing NZ and the YMCA to be involved in a funding proposal submission for a Fun Festival Multi – Sport and Recreation Expo six day pilot event to be run in Taipa and Ruakaka, Northland in November 2022 for local school children aged between 11 to 15 years. The Fun Festival’ goal/mission is to educate our tamaraki in an authentic learning environment i.e. the beach and ocean.
- Previously in 2020 KASK and NZSUP successfully approached the Retail Market, in particular Torpedo 7 to promote paddlecraft safety within all stores. In 2021, a joint information package was presented to regional staff at a designated training day and on the back of this the NZ Safer Boating Forum thru the NZ Marine Industry Association will be advising retailers of
their responsibility to promote paddlecraft safety.
- DOC – Back Country Hut Passes: DOC has approached KASK to be involved inany future discussions regarding changes should they occur.
- New Zealand Sea Kayaker Magazine: The magazine continues to flourish and that is due to the excellent articles and photographs contributed by you the members and to the dedication, direction, effort and feeling that Jacquie James instils into every edition. As always, the future of any magazine depends solely
on the volume and quality of content that paddlers submit to the editor. It continues to be the intention to have a more regional flavour.
- Web site and IT Systems: As part of the continual IT support that KASK receives, I would like to thank our core sponsor, Tim Muhundan of BizX.nz, for maintaining our CRM website platforms. Steve Cooper of Auckland is now watching over the website and has this year has introduced a more detailed ‘events’ page and has recently a page on the history of KASK. The vision is for easy communication between the committee and members.
- KASK Sea Kayaking Web App: The KASK interactive app was launched mid way through 2019.
Currently, it is floundering as it does not have a knowledgeable or suitably skilled driver, something that the committee is aiming to rectify within 2022.
It remains the aim to maintain a comprehensive ‘NZ event and trip calendar’, where affiliated clubs, associations, networks, and groups, will be able to display and promote what is going on around the country.
In 2022, it is our intention to seek external funding for further development of the App for Individual KASK Members to have a greater level of access than those from clubs, associations, networks and groups.
- Events: With the Fest being a biennial event, I am hoping that the next KASK Kayak Fest in 2024 will be in the South Island and that some details will be released at the AGM.
As mentioned previously, it is intended that ‘Meet the Paddlers’ roadshow
continues in 2022. It will be coordinated and financially assisted by KASK, but with a local flavour being run by clubs, associations, networks and groups. In 2022, in addition to the roadshows, it is planned that a KASK Surf Camp will be held at Waihi over the ANZAC Weekend. Details of this camp will be released shortly.
I would like to thank and congratulate Jay Howell on his excellent introductory training video which he has created for KASK titled “Sea Kayaking in the Surf Zone”. KASK encourages and will support regional training events in any way that it can.
- National Standards: A working group of respected and experienced paddlers was established and were set the objectives;
“To undertake a wide-ranging review on the feasibility of implementing national sea kayaking standards, or alternative, in NZ for paddlers to aspire to. The working group provided an update to the KASK Committee and have agreed an outline of three recommended levels. These levels will be finalised and proofed in the coming months for release and launching in 2022.
It will be a ‘guideline’ for paddlers to be able to ‘self-assess’ their skills against and it remains the intention to be a self-administrating system and be available on the KASK Safety App platform.
Shaun A.P Maclaren 13th January 2022
