Russell McVeagh has advised its pro bono client RainbowYOUTH on its merger with OuterSpaces Charitable Trust.
COVID-19 has created a challenging environment for small community organisations, highlighting the vulnerabilities of charities (and the communities they serve) to major changes in the social and political environment. Within this context, RainbowYOUTH and OuterSpaces entered into discussions to explore ways in which they could work collaboratively to strengthen the support options available to Wellington's rainbow rangatahi.
The two organisations came to an agreement to merge into one legal entity through OuterSpaces winding up and distributing its surplus assets to RainbowYOUTH. Throughout this process, OuterSpaces and RainbowYOUTH have been committed to carrying out a genuine community engagement process, acknowledging that the communities they serve should be at the heart of any major decisions made.
RainbowYOUTH's new Executive Director Pooja Subramanian said, “The RainbowYOUTH board and staff are committed to making sure the mauri, hands and hearts that have carried this work over the last few decades are protected and nurtured. We believe this merger will help us to continue doing this work in a way that improves outcomes for our communities.”
This is an important decision which will assist the development of Aotearoa's rainbow infrastructure. Russell McVeagh is delighted to have been involved in this transaction and to help facilitate the outcomes for RainbowYOUTH, OuterSpaces and the rainbow community.
