The Social Change Unconference

The Social Change Unconference is a one-day, participant-led gathering for young people passionate about social and environmental issues, from climate justice and housing to Māori rights, women’s rights, youth voice, and more. 

It’s designed to bring together changemakers like you to connect, reflect, share ideas, and leave with fresh energy and tangible next steps. Maybe you’re running a campaign or maybe you're someone who’s passionate and curious, and looking to connect, contribute, and find your place. Either way, this day is for you. 💛

Event details:
Two/FiftySeven, Wellington
Sunday 13 July 2025
9.00 am – 4.30 pm

What to expect:

• Community and new connections

• Energising conversations

• New ideas and tools to strengthen your mahi or inspire your next step

• A chance to share wins, struggles, and strategies

• A chance to reflect, re-energise, and feel part of something bigger

All are welcome! Bring a friend, bring your ideas, and help us co-create the day. We also know everyone has lots on, so feel free to join us later in the day or head off early if you need to. You’re welcome whenever you can make it.

What’s an unconference?
Unlike a typical event with pre-planned speakers and panels, an unconference flips the script. Attendees shape the day’s agenda by suggesting sessions on topics that matter most to them. We’ll kick off with some starter topics like campaign-building, dealing with climate anxiety, and avoiding burnout— then the rest is up to you. Whether you’re keen to lead a session, share ideas, or just connect with others, this is a space for open kōrero, collaboration, and action.

Want to lead a session?

We’re open to filling some of the sessions before the event itself. So whether it’s a discussion you want to host, a challenge you’re navigating, or something you think others could learn from, we would love to hear your idea! Please reach out to wellington@socialchangecollectivenz.com

Tickets & how we're running this

As many of you know, the Social Change Collective is entirely grassroots and volunteer-led. While we do our best to keep our events free and accessible, we also want to make this day worthwhile. To be able to hire a great central space (TwoFiftySeven), offer some snacks, and cover the basic running costs of the day, we’ve set up a simple scale for tickets:

• 30 x at-cost tickets at $20 (to help cover venue and snacks)

• 20 x student/community tickets at $10

• 10+ koha-based tickets — for anyone who wishes to contribute more and help support others to attend

Your ticket directly helps us run this event, and ensures we can continue making these spaces accessible for everyone.

Low-waste lunch plan

To keep costs and waste low, we won’t be providing a full lunch — instead, we’re encouraging attendees to support local Wellington cafes and food spots during our 1-hour lunch break. We’ll make sure there’s plenty of tea, coffee, snacks and good energy throughout the day though! 

Help us spread the word!

If you know someone who’d love this, please share the event with your friends, networks, uni groups, or anyone who might want to join. The more voices in the room, the better the conversations. We can’t wait to see many of you there and co-create a pretty special day together. 🌱✨

Ngā mihi nui,
Caitlin + Aarthi + the Social Change Collective team