Hurunui celebrates Welcoming Communities accreditation

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Northern Outlook

By David Hill, local democracy reporter

Becoming an accredited Welcoming Community is "a big step forward", Hurunui mayor Marie Black says.

The Hurunui District Council celebrated achieving Welcoming Communities accreditation with a signing ceremony last week.

Immigration New Zealand’s (INZ) Welcoming Communities Programme - Te Waharoa ki ngā Hapori is designed to support local councils in welcoming recent migrants, former refugees and international students.
Hurunui is one of 26 councils around the country to have joined the initiative.

Black said the initiative was about "making people feel welcome".

"It is a big step forward for us as a district.

"It is important for us as we have such a diversity of ethnic groups who now live in the district."

Hurunui Welcoming Communities facilitator Natalie Paterson said gaining accreditation was the first milestone in a four stage process.

She said the Welcoming Communities advisory group would now begin a stocktake of support available for different ethnic groups and newcomers to determine what was working and to identify any gaps.

"We will take that information and develop a three-year plan of how Hurunui can be the most welcoming place for all newcomers."

She said the term "newcomers" was used rather than migrants, as it included New Zealanders moving to the district from other parts of the country as well as those arriving from overseas.

"With the recent natural disasters we may find people looking for a change and we want to ensure Hurunui is a place people are thinking about."