News & Insights

JBWere hosted a boardroom briefing for senior for-purpose leaders to hear directly from the researchers and authors of The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2026 Report (Foundations of Wellbeing – Poipoia te Kākano)

New Zealand’s prosperity is often measured in market performance and economic growth. Yet beneath the headline indicators, pressures are building that shape long‑term opportunity, stability and social cohesion. The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2026 offers one of the country’s most comprehensive and trusted lenses on this reality – drawing on 19 years of independent research covering 26 wellbeing indicators - to highlight where the country’s social infrastructure is beginning to strain.

Researched and written by The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit, this report goes beyond statistics. It reflects the Army’s uniquely intentional role in the social sector: coupling rigorous research with frontline experience across whānau, housing, incomes, justice and wellbeing. Each year, this work informs public debate, influences policy, and guides practical responses for communities facing hardship.  It also highlights resilience, cultural strength and what works when systems are designed well.

For Aotearoa New Zealand’s diverse community, The State of the Nation Report is more than a snapshot. It is a practical signal of where systems change is needed, where intervention matters most, and where strategic investment can help shift outcomes over time.

We acknowledge the principled and steadfast work of The Salvation Army and encourage all New Zealanders to read the full report, their summary version and to visit their interactive dashboard on www.salvationarmy.org.nz.

As conveners, JBWere Philanthropic Services brought together senior decision‑makers from funders and key for‑purpose organisations to be directly briefed and to discuss the Report findings. Our brief distils the Report’s findings and the conversation that ensued from senior decision‑makers from funders and key for‑purpose organisations that attended the boardroom briefing we convened - to explore what they mean for thoughtful stewardship - connecting personal values, long‑term impact and New Zealand’s shared future.