Warmer welcome planned for migrants to North Canterbury
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Two North Canterbury councils are stepping up their efforts to welcome new migrants.
The Waimakariri District Council has joined with 33 councils, including Hurunui, to be accepted into Immigration New Zealand’s Welcoming Communities programme.
Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said new migrants faced a number of challenges when settling into a new community.
"We see Welcoming Communities as a means to bridge the gap between newcomers and long term residents, celebrate diversity, and support our new migrants to apply their unique skills, talents and experience to creating more vibrant communities across the district."
The council had already established a migrant facilitator portfolio within the community team back in 2016 in response to the growing number of migrants, particularly in the dairy sector and assisting in the earthquake rebuild.
Now new funding allowed for a half-time facilitator to be employed over a three year period to work alongside migrants, employers and migrant advocates.
Community team leader Tessa Sturley said the money would support the good work already happening in the migrant space.
The community team has already helped to establish the Migrants and Newcomers Network, now known as Glow (Global Locals of Waimakariri), which ran a number of initiatives including English language classes.
Since then the booming hospitality sector and the growing retirement village sector have been "significant employers of migrant staff", Sturley said.
Often the families of migrant workers had limited English making it difficult to find work or integrate into the community.
The Hurunui District Council was accepted into the programme last year and received its initial accreditation in April.
It was now close to completing the first of four accreditation stages, welcoming communities facilitator Natalie Paterson said.
A Welcoming Communities advisory group had been established to complete a stocktake of support available for different ethnic groups and newcomers to determine what was working and to identify any gaps.
A three-year Welcoming Communities plan has now been developed, which was adopted by the council last week.
"We feel it is important to put migrants at the centre of conversations so we can hear their experiences," Paterson said.
Feedback from migrants had already led to extending a driver licensing programme, which supported young people to pass their learners’ license, to migrants.
Even setting up a bank account or enrolling children in school could be a challenge for migrants, Paterson said.
The Welcoming Communities programme supported New Zealanders moving into the district from other parts of the country, as well as those arriving from overseas.
Paterson said conversations had already begun with agencies like the Rātā Foundation to seek funding once the initial seed funding ran out.
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Buses can be a relaxing way to get home if you have a seat and enough space. However, it can be off-putting when someone is taking a phone call next to you.
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64.4% Yes
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Paddy Gower seeks ‘bloody great Cantab’
The Kiwi journalist drilling deep into the country’s biggest issues is on a mission to find the local greats.
Paddy Gower is looking for the Good Kiwi in every region to feature in his show, The F@#$ing News - Paddy Gower Live on Tour.
To nominate a Good Kiwi, email reporters@press.co.nz with the name and a description of why your nominee should win. You an also share the local issues you think Paddy needs to tackle in the comments below.
It could be the woman whose knitting circle has made 3800 items for victims of domestic violence, the guy running the length of Aotearoa for mental health, or the woman with terminal cancer who spends her time campaigning to raise awareness and save lives.
“Basically I am looking for ... a bloody great Cantab who just gets on and gets things done. The criteria is somebody who has a positive attitude and makes the community a better place," Gower said.
“I will give this person the 'Big Ups' they deserve, and the community can celebrate them with me.”
A Good Kiwi will feature in each of Gower’s live shows in 14 centres through November and December. He will name the Cantabrian Good Kiwi at his Christchurch show on the evening of Friday, November 22, at St Margaret’s College.
The F@#$ing News - Paddy Gower Live on Tour is a sort of book tour, sort of stand-up comedy, some journalistic yarns and memoir, and some motivational speaking - with a fair bit of local in each show.
Gower also wants to know about topics of interest in the region.
“I’m ... going to be taking on a big issue facing Canterbury and offering up solutions.”
A stinky suburb, a neighbourhood needing a round-about or a cathedral in disrepair - “I will make your views count”, he said.
“I'm touring the nation to spread positivity, optimism and good vibes.”
*For tickets to the The F@#$ing News - Paddy Gower Live on Tour visit paddygower.co.nz
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