When the Treaty Resource Centre (TRC) started in April 2004, as a project of the Auckland Workers Educational Association, we had some ideas about a name and purpose, a $750 koha, an offer of a small office, and lots of energy and enthusiasm. We had allowed ourselves three months to get set up and hoped that by July we would have some income. The reality was that we had a full work-load immediately and have never looked back. By the end of the year, in addition to establishing the centre we had delivered 79 presentations involving over 2,500 people, as well as being involved in numerous other projects.

For three years TRC looked as though it would outgrow the AWEA and become a separate organisation, but this is less likely now. AWEA has reclaimed its active role in community education (after the funding tribulations of the 1990s). It is developing another significant project in relation to cultural diversity (see Culture Matters), and these different aspects now seem to be mutually supportive of each other.