Marie Byrne
Strengthening Communities Adviser
Riccarton/Wigram Ward

• Key Driver - Strengthening Communities
Strategy
• Key Driver - Three Year Plan
• Levels of Service
• Other Strategic Directions
– Ageing Together Strategy
– Youth Strategy
– Social Housing Strategy

• Understanding and documenting communities’ trends, issues and imperatives
• Promoting collaboration among key stakeholders, including government agencies, Maori, iwi and community and voluntary organisations, to identify and address community issues

• Enhancing engagement and participation in local decision-making
• Helping build and sustain a sense of local community
• Ensuring that communities have access to community facilities that meet their needs

• Increasing participation in community recreation and sport programmes and events
• Enhancing the safety of communities and neighbourhoods
• Improving basic life skills so that all residents can participate fully in society

• Improves the bonds within a particular community
• Links to wider communities
• Increase of skills
• Build mutual understanding and trust
• Broaden community resources

• Have higher democratic participation
• Are cleaner and safer
• Have better educational achievement
• Have higher economic growth
• Have lower mortality rates
• Have a healthier environment
• Are more attractive places for people to live, visit and invest

Strong communities underpin the achievement of Christchurch’s
Community Outcomes for 2013-22
•Good Governance
•Liveable City
•Strong Communities
•Healthy Environment

Supporting the various community sectors within local areas
Engage, mobilise, organise and build strong communities
Lead processes to stimulate local action on a sustained basis
Assist sectors work towards improved social, safety, wellbeing, cultural and quality of life conditions

• Community Capacity Building &
Organisational Development
• Community Engagement
• Community Research, Analysis and
Strategic Planning
• Community Grants
• Project Management
• Community Networks and Partnerships

Northern Team
•Fendalton/Waimairi
•Shirley/Papanui
Eastern Team
•Burwood/Pegasus
•Hagley/Ferrymead
SouthWest Team
•Akaroa/Wairewa
•Lyttelton/Mt Herbert
•Riccarton/Wigram
•Spreydon/Heathcote
City Wide Team
•Disability
•Multicultural
•Youth & Children
•Arts
•Older Adults & Gender
•Maori Arts

Key Social Issues
The Ageing Population
• The median age in Christchurch is expected to be 41.4 years in 2021. This will be noticed even more when the baby boomers reach retirement age.
Impact on local community
– Increased need for programmes and activities for older adults
– Social isolation - varying needs dependant upon financial status and health status
– Increased need for social contact as many extended families are not living in the same city or are working longer hours

Key Social Issues
Multi-Cultural Communities
• There are over 150 different ethnicities living in
Christchurch. Riccarton has an increasing Asian population and Riccarton Wigram is made up of 6.7%
Maori and 2.5% Pacific
• Impact on local community
– Immigrants feeling disconnected from the community and unsure how to participate in decision-making that impacts on their lives
– Need to nurture communities to retain their culture and traditions for future generations
– Need to nurture understanding and respect of different cultures
– Need for encouraging integration and developing opportunities for people to learn about different cultures
– Isolation issues for elderly migrants
– Language barriers, accessing and understanding governmental and non-governmental services.

Key Social Issues
Decrease in Physical Activity
• From the Hillary Commission figures, 30% of 5-14 year olds in New Zealand are obese. The levels of activity appear to be falling in the western world and levels of obesity are rising in NZ (11% of the population in 1989 to 17% in 1997). This has huge health and social consequences.
• Impact on local community
– A multi-sectoral approach is required including health, recreation, sport and local government
– Increased need for activity friendly community planning i.e. walkways, parks, etc
– Increased need for targeted programmes for children aged 3-
12 years

Key Social Issues
Disabilities
• Worldwide, the number one disability in 2020 will be heart disease; the number two disability will be depression. One in five New Zealanders have a long term impairment and only 30% of people with disabilities earn over $15,000.
• Impact on local community
– Increased need for community services which support people to live independently
– Increased number of people feeling disconnected due to family, employment, health and safety issues
– Stigma for people with mental illness living within the community, because they are seen as different and ‘scary’
– Lack of resources for community organisations to deal with people with disabilities

Key Social Issues
Changing Family Dynamics
• The concept of the family changing with more parents, parenting alone and people with multi-families.
• Impact on local community
– The lack of male role models
– Time poor - More parents working longer hours
– Increased demand for affordable childcare / OSCAR programmes with the need for double income families
– Children having two homes and two communities
– Multiple families and financial implications to support two families
– Need for affordable support and education programmes and services for caregivers / whanau
– Need for targeted programmes and services for teen fathers and mothers
– Social Services gaps for Men.

Community Research, Analysis and
Strategic Planning
Respond flexibly to local trends and issues
• Community Profiles
– Profile Expo
– Vignettes
• Awareness of community trends
• Keeping up to date with latest research
– Research in to affect on social wellbeing by the migration of the population from east to west
• Providing advice on local issues to other
Council staff
– Community perspective – locally based
– Community Board perspective

Promote and provide opportunities for communities to participate in Council decision-making processes at both city-wide and local levels
• Advising local community groups on
Council and other initiatives they can be involved in
• Organising & facilitating participatory processes
• Advising on engagement techniques
• Support deputations to Community Board
• Advising staff on local issues

Fund local community organisations and projects that align to Council’s strategic directions and relevant Council strategies
• Advising groups on funding options, assessing applications, writing & presenting reports, accountability
– Capital Endowment
– Strengthening Communities
– Small Grants Fund
– Discretionary Response Fund
– Youth Development Fund

Community Networks and Partnerships
Provide support and advice to local community groups to help them to become more effective with a focus on encouraging groups to work together collaboratively
• Facilitate six-weekly Riccarton networking meeting
– Held in Upper Riccarton Library,
Wednesdays 12-1pm
• Facilitate partnerships & collaboration between organisations

Community Capacity Building &
Organisational Development
Support capacity building of local community organisations
• Organisational capacity checks
• Supporting new community groups
• Meet with /support existing community organisations

• Low socio economic
• Higher proportion of renting
• Some long term residents
• Student accommodation – temporary residents
• High proportion of social housing
• High level of ethnic diversity
• Little community involvement and community ownership

• Increase in businesses – particularly in residential areas
• Higher rents – changing dynamics of neighbourhoods
• Higher levels of socialising – shifting of city centre to suburbs
• Frustration by residents – what about us?

– Riccarton West area
– Neighbourhood Policing Team
– Collaboration between organisations
– (Neighbourhood Support, NGO’s, Council,
Students)
• Neighbourhood Support Group meetings
• Common Ground Café
• Community Fun Day
• Mural
• Community Market
• Sports in The Park
• Street Cleanup

• Community ownership - community-led solutions
• Decrease in crime
• Student involvement in local area
• Community Partnerships

• What part can university and student engagement play in strengthening our local communities?
• How can we promote a two way relationship between our local communities and the University that benefits both parties?
• How can our local communities become a learning environment in a way that benefits all stakeholders?

• Marie Byrne
• Strengthening Communities Adviser
• 941 6502 marie.byrne@ccc.govt.nz