Verity - Women Shaping the Future

Uncovering the real causes of poverty, and the hope for lasting change

Join us for our first Verity event of the year — an evening of thought-provoking conversation and meaningful connection, with insights from Lisa Woolley, CEO of Visionwest, and Maryanne Spurdle, Research Manager at Maxim Institute, as we go beyond the headlines to explore the deeper why of poverty in New Zealand and what actually helps families move forward.

Family breakdown. Job loss. Illness. Separation. These shocks can hit any of us. And in today’s New Zealand — with rising living costs, housing pressure, and renewed debates about welfare — it’s tempting to reach for quick explanations or simple solutions.

But Maxim Institute’s landmark Heart of Poverty series showed the reality is deeper, and more human.

When multiple life shocks arrive in close succession, they can become soul-crushing — trapping parents and children in cycles of disadvantage that are incredibly hard to escape. One of the clearest findings from the research is this: family stability is one of the strongest predictors of whether children escape poverty.

The good news? These cycles can be broken. When families are supported to rebuild stability, get back on their feet, and regain hope, lasting change becomes possible.

Our Speakers

Lisa Woolley leads one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest community services providers, Visionwest, serving over 50,000 people each year. Lisa is passionate about community development and addressing social issues such as poverty, marginalisation, unemployment and homelessness. She has served on the boards of several national social service organisations and on government policy groups. Her master’s thesis on a supportive response to homelessness remains a reference point for supportive housing in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Maryanne Spurdle, Research Manager at Maxim Institute, has a background in communications for media and non-profits and a Master of Public Policy. Maryanne’s early work with vulnerable and homeless adults in the north of England fuelled her passion for discovering and communicating ways that families, communities, and governments can encourage human flourishing in a complex world.

Bring your questions, your friends, and your curiosity. There will be time for Q&A, conversation, and connection.

This is a free event for women. The evening kicks off with drinks and nibbles from 6:30pm, with the main event starting promptly at 7:00pm. We’ll also have time to connect and continue the conversation afterwards—so feel free to linger!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Lou Bridges

Partnerships Manager

PS: We'd love a koha to help cover costs and put on more Verity events. You can make a donation when you register or via our website maxim.org.nz/donate. Please put Verity in the reference field.