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Touch New Zealand is an incorporated society registered with the Charities Commission. Head office is in Mt Wellington, Auckland however the sport is embedded across New Zealand and is overseen by our 19 Provincial Associations and 223 community Touch competitions.

In 2017 the sport undertook a significant strategic direction change and as a result adopted the following values statement:

The sport of Touch is an integral part of the social fabric of New Zealand, and is arguably the most popular social team sport in New Zealand, certainly in the summer months.

Touch NZ has adopted the view that the membership of the sport of Touch directly reflects New Zealand society, while acknowledging that we therefore also share the challenges and opportunities that exist within that wider society. The sport has the unique ability to positively influence and have a direct impact in the areas of both social and community development. The ability of our diverse membership to reach the breadth and width of communities enables a cohesive approach in engagement. As a consequence of this, Touch NZ has adopted social responsibility as a core value and driver for the organisation.

The strategic direction of Touch NZ is balanced around developing better more active people whom in turn will be better sports participants. The intent is that positive behaviour learned through the sport of Touch will support positive and healthier behaviour in the community and the home. Through this strategy Touch NZ will be a positive contributor to the cultural, social and economic fabric of Aotearoa New Zealand and be an enabler of physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.

We will endeavour to achieve these outcomes through a “whanau centric” based strategy embedded through our sport. Respect for and adherence to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a focus on Te Ao Maori will be further cornerstones of the strategy

Key focus areas to be considered at all times are:

• Health & Wellbeing
• Community development through the medium of our sport
• The development of positive social capital - “a form of economic and cultural capital in which social networks are central, transactions are marked by reciprocity, trust, and cooperation, and market agents (Touch NZ and our partners) produce goods and services not mainly for themselves, but for a common good”
• A whanau centric approach – “‘Whānau Ora approach’ and ‘whānau-centred approach’ refer to a culturally grounded, holistic approach focused on improving the wellbeing of whānau as a group, as well as the individuals within the whānau.”
• Education & advocacy