About us

The programme is run by The Fast Track Inclusion Trust.

The Fast Track Inclusion (FTI) Trust works to create transformative, measurable outcomes for vulnerable children, youth and their families by strengthening emerging community leadership. 

The trust carries out social innovation applied research to accelerate social inclusion for marginalised people throughout New Zealand.

The Fast Track Inclusion (FTI) Trust was launched in 2012 by a group of academics and business people who work in social change. Trustees worked in a range of social and environmental project which created good value for society, however when funding ran out, these projects were typically shelved. The trustees wanted to extend the value that these projects could still produce by contributing their time and knowledge, beyond the projects' funding life. The FTI trust does mostly volunteer work as described on its website, applying for philanthropic funding only to meet certain necessary operational costs. We have worked on social change project funded by organisations such as MSD, Community Waikato/the Tindall Foundation, IHC, Te Pou, the Todd Foundation and private corporations.

We identify and train emerging leaders from within vulnerable communities. By envisioning their future positively and sustainably, they tap into their collective wisdom to grow as social innovators. Sharing their learning from within their communities they then power up a 'leadership pipeline'. 

Our teamwork with stakeholders, officials and NGOs focuses on a common aim, viz. for participants to become change agents for their children, a proven way to enhance return on social investment, with quantifiable and measurable outcomes. The FTI Trust is supported by the expertise of its Trustees and Advisory Board. Please click here to read more about our team.

Our team has extensive combined experience in the program co-design methodology, in facilitation and in local connections and networks. 

Dr. Annick Janson is an Associate at the Centre for Applied Cross-cultural Research, Victoria University of Wellington, past Research Director at the NZ Leadership Institute, University of Auckland Business School and Research Director, Microsoft NZ. She is the c-President of the New Zealand Association of Positive Psychology and Fellow of the Gallup International Positive Psychology Institute. Annick trained as an educational psychologist with 20 years of experience and lived experience raising her adult disabled son. Her special interest in youth development and network building in the disability sector. Annick is Co-Founder and Research Director of the Now and Next and Keys to Lead suite of programs for youth and families. Rolled out in New Zealand, Australia, Finland and Canada, this Research and Development program pioneers the implementation of Positive Psychology in the Health & Disability sector as an alternative to the traditional deficit-based medical model.

Melissa Janson: Growing up as the sister to a neurodiverse person has been a powerful experience. Melissa believes that societies can benefit enormously, when people with disabilities are supported in such a way that they can contribute and share their gifts, as her brother has. She especially enjoys working with other siblings. In the past 6 years she set up an on-site Positive Behaviour Support team at a residential service provider, made up of about 180 people with disabilities and upwards of 500 staff. Together with her colleagues, she worked to create a space of wellbeing rather than crisis, by training staff in simple evidence-based strategies to use with people they support everyday. She has joined Now and Next, as she knows that this wellbeing and prevention work should start early. She is excited about teaming up with families and supporting their unique journeys.

Janine Morrah has lived experience with disability. She teaches at tertiary level in Linguistics, Human Development, Anthropology and Management. After tutoring and lecturing for 20 years, she shifted into the Disability sector, supporting youth and their family/whanau of those with needs. Working with youth inspires Janine to do better and consider things from more than one point of view – There's more than one way to get to the same end point and she has found that the journey to get there has more meaning than that final goal attainment. “I find that I learn just as much from those keen enquiring minds as they do soaking up the knowledge I bring for them to take and shape in their worlds”.