Futures Thinking Aotearoa

  (The New Zealand Futures Trust)

Futures Thinking Aotearoa (FTA) is an independent non-profit organisation, established in 1982 and based in Wellington, New Zealand. Members are from all parts of the country and from many walks of life.  We also have some international members.  Governance is through a Board of Directors

Our aim is to provide credible, timely information on major changes likely to impact on our way of life, particularly in New Zealand, and to promote discussion in the wider community on how we might best react to them.

We exist to recognize and tell the untold stories, spotlight trends before they become trendy, and inform those who want to know. We're fiercely independent in our coverage; we throw brickbats when they're needed and bestow kudos when they're warranted. And while we take our work seriously, we don't take ourselves seriously, as many useful ideas about the future can appear to be ridiculous at first, but prove to be wise in hindsight.

FTA is part of an international network of Futures Thinking organisations.

Values:

The New Zealand Futures Trust is:

 Tolerant, inclusive and respectful of a broad spectrum
 of views
 Objective in its approach to longer term futures
 Fiercely independent of any political bias or influence
 Passionate, curious and explorative
 Mindful of its identity and sense of place -
 turangawaewae
 Collaborative in its influences

We are:

Independent
Future oriented
Informed about the nature of major changes occurring
around the world, and in New Zealand.
Skilled in facilitating organisations' consideration of future
opportunities and issues

We offer the following services.

Future Times. Our quarterly journal, distributed nationally and internationally, incorporating Future Watch, an extensive list of abstracts of articles from international publications on futures topics.
A number of publications are available to help those interested in futures studies.
Regular Public Seminars in Wellington (occasionally in other centres), on topics of interest.

International Linkages.

We are an Institutional member of the World Futures Society and get all their publications. We also get the Futures Bulletin (World Futures Studies Federation) and the Journal of Futures Studies (Tamkang University, Taipei, Taiwan) among other international journals. We have links to other international futures groups and can provide information using this network.

Professional Services

Facilitating workshops on strategic thinking to help stimulate paradigm shifts or "out of the box" approaches to issues and problems
Global, regional, national or industry environmental scanning on a one off or continuing basis

Research of a topic with a futures focus based on international best practices

In depth causal analysis of deep rooted issues and problems

Creation of possible and probable scenarios for a focussed future

Reviewing strategic plans versus possible futures

Assisting process of creating community visions

Scenario gaming - learning how preferred scenarios can be transformed into strategies for success

Facilitating public debates and participative discussions on futures
NB Corporate members can get a negotiated discount on professional services.

Support for Young People

The NZFT involves young people in futures thinking in several ways.  As well as publications for students the NZFT has been involved in running workshops and seminars for students at the national Science and Technology Fairs and with a special prize, the James Duncan Futures Prize, at the Wellington Regional Science and Technology Fair. Theses events are reported in Future Times.