In this edition

• Putting Partnering into Practice: Collaboration on Complex Issues – Healthy Homes

A resource about collaboration among multiple agencies working on complex issues has recently been released by the Department of Internal Affairs' Interface Facilitation Team.

"Putting Partnering into Practice" presents themes, comments and experiences of collaboration, from a cross-section of people working in Healthy Homes initiatives around New Zealand.

Healthy Homes is an emerging issue demonstrating collaboration between central and local government, iwi, business and communities. This resource supports this work by examining experiences and lessons to date from some of these collaborations.

"Putting Partnering into Practice" is a free, web-based resource, building on the successful "Putting Pen to Paper" series developed in partnership between Megan Courtney and the Interface Facilitation Team.

• Settlement Support New Zealand – working with local councils to link new migrants to their region

The Department of Labour’s Settlement Support New Zealand (SSNZ) initiative is a key component of the Settlement National Action Plan (SNAP), endorsed by 19 agencies. The SNAP guides national activity to achieve good settlement outcomes for migrants and refugees.

Migrants arrive in New Zealand highly motivated and eager to contribute, but one of the biggest challenges they face is getting accurate, up-to-date information that will help them settle and build a new life for themselves and their families.

SSNZ provides contact point for migrants in 19 locations across New Zealand – 14 of these are through city, district or regional councils.

Funding administered through the Settlement Division of Immigration New Zealand enables a nominated lead provider for the local SSNZ initiative, such as the local council, to create a welcoming environment for newcomer migrants.

This article discusses how SSNZ and councils can work together to enable migrants to achieve a sense of belonging in their community. It highlights "Migrant Life Hawke's Bay", produced by SSNZ and Napier City Council to provide local businesses, agencies and the community with a comprehensive map of the effects of migration in Hawke's Bay.

• 2007/2008 Local Authority Census data released

The Department of Internal Affairs is pleased to advise the release of the 2007/2008 Local Authority Census (LAC) data.

• Community Outcomes Profiles - 2009-2019 LTCCP updates

Updated community outcomes profiles

• Building Better Government Engagement Project - final report and recommendations

The Building Better Government Engagement Reference Group was established by the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector (OCVS) in March 2008. The group's role was to report to the OCVS on priorities for government action to strengthen engagement with citizens and community organisations.

The Reference Group released a discussion document, It's More Than Talk, which suggested options for building engagement skills, knowledge and values in the public service. Consultation on the document ended on 31 March 2009. Feedback was also collected through Bang the Table, an on-line forum, and through face-to-face workshops.

The OCVS and the Reference Group collated the feedback and produced two further documents, released on 30 July 2009:

• Community Internship Programme - 2009/10 funding round now open

The 2009/10 funding round for the Community Internship Programme (CIP) closes on 14 September 2009.

The CIP provides an excellent opportunity for skilled professionals to help organisations in their communities, create new and powerful networks, and develop their careers.

Through CIP, community groups are able to employ staff with high-level skills from the public, private or community sector as an intern for three to six months, at no cost to their organisation.

The programme provides grants to pay the full salary of experienced people while they temporarily leave their permanent job and help community a organisation improve its capability.

Three groups of participants work together in a Community Internship Programme:

• a ‘host’ community organisation
• an intern
• the intern's ‘home’ organisation.

Applications are encouraged from both local and central government people who are looking to increase understanding, cooperation and interaction between their organisation and their community.

Further information and contacts

• Congratulations Waitaki District Council - winners of LTCCP summary competition

Waitaki District Council has been awarded the prize for best LTCCP summary at the recent New Zealand Society of Local Government Managers (SOLGM) Community Plan Conference.

• Gisborne Integrated Accessibility Planning Project

A recent workshop involving the New Zealand Transport Agency, Gisborne District Council and ten central government agencies has set the scene for an "Integrated Mapping and Accessibility Planning" trial in the Gisborne region.

Accessibility planning uses technology that will enable agencies to more systematically assess transport options and services within an area. It analyses whether people can get to key activities, and whether services, including emergency services, can reach their target population.

Accessibility planning attempts to solve accessibility problems in an integrated way. It is expected to save a considerable amount of money currently wasted by people missing appointments, and by people being unable to reach services easily or in a timely manner.

Presentations from the workshop

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