Community Connect
Welcome to the fifth edition of Family and Community Services' e-newsletter.
ISSUE 5 • DECEMBER 2008
E-news from Family and Community Services
In this issue:
The team from Family and Community Services wishes you and your family a safe and happy summer holiday.
Social Development and Employment Minister, Paula Bennett, announced on 15 December 2008 a new Government package, called ReStart, to support people in full time employment whose jobs are made redundant due to the economic situation.
It might not make the bestsellers list, but the Auckland City Community Report will be top-of-mind as the city's various communities work together to improve the social wellbeing of its families.
A book telling the life stories of eight New Zealanders who grew up with family violence is the latest initiative from the It's not OK campaign team to bring debate and understanding about family violence into the open.
New Zealand community groups can get a technology boost through TechSoup New Zealand, an organisation that provides donated software and hardware from companies, such as Microsoft, to eligible charities, voluntary and community groups.
Kaipara families will soon benefit from an Early Years Service Hub in January next year. The Hub will be situated in the Dargaville Plunket Rooms on Hokianga Road.
It's no coincidence that as the social services sector shifts its focus from measuring outputs to measuring outcomes, interest in results based accountability has increased.
Holidays are just around the corner and what better way to kick off festivities than with the Whānau Christmas Event?
The 35 hard-working volunteers of Nelson's Newcomers Network were recently honoured at an end of year party on International Volunteers Day, 5 December.
Sixty graduates of the Mauri Ora whānau violence prevention programme received their licences at a ceremony attended by over 300 people at the Hui a tau held at the Tauarau Marae in Ruatoki which was from 20-23 November.
The Early Years Service Hub in Shirley is moving and they had their "first sod turning" celebration on Monday 15 December.
The Ashburton Social Wellbeing Strategy, which aims to improve the lives of people living in Ashburton, was launched on 5 December 2008 at the Community Services Expo.
