Community news and notices

Te Whare Pounamu Dunedin Women’s Refuge Governance Board

Te Whare Pounamu Dunedin Women’s Refuge are dedicated to the support of whanau experiencing family violence and are looking for volunteers to join our Governance Board. 

For more information please see the attachment at the end of this section,  expressions of interest can be sent to tumuaki.twp@refuge.org.nz by Friday 2 December.

Note that Police vetting will be required.

Peer Support Navigator Required

20 hrs per week – temporary 12-month contract

An exciting opportunity has arisen at Able Minds for an experienced Peer Support Navigator to support, empower, inform and advocate for tangata whaiora so they can learn to self-advocate, problem-solve and plan strategies to have a better life experience at home, at work and in the community.

Able Minds therefore seek an enthusiastic and motivated champion who understands how to navigate processes and systems. The role will involve walking alongside tangata whaiora, helping them deal with government agencies, social services, medical and other professionals to access the entitlements of individuals affected by mental distress and/or addiction.

For more information and to apply, please go to the Seek Website.

Better banking services for community organisations

Citizens Advice Bureau NZ are supporting the campaign led by Community Networks Aotearoa (CNA) campaign for better banking services for community organisations. Among what needs to be considered and catered for is the fact that governance bodies are often volunteers and rules mean that there are regular changes to office-holders and a requirement for multiple signatories for transactions to protect officeholders and the organisations from fraud. However the introduction of Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Finance of Terrorism Finance legislation has had flow on affects in terms of what the banks require.

For example, one issue is the time-consuming difficulty caused by banks requiring in-person proof of identity for each member of a governance body and signatories on accounts. This makes it extremely difficult to both set up new bank accounts and to change the signatories to an existing account following an AGM. The issue is even more complex for national organisations who have board members located throughout the country.

CNA are currently conducting a research programme to document in more detail how widespread and how pernicious banking issues are for community organisations and part of this research is a survey.

For more information about the campaign please go to the Community Networks Aotearoa website and to fill out the survey please go to the Airtable website.

Election Access Fund

A new Fund has been established, called the Election Access Fund Te Tomokanga — Pūtea Whakatapoko Pōtitanga, to support disabled people to stand as candidates in parliamentary general elections and by-elections. 

The purpose of the Fund is to reduce cost barriers faced by disabled people by covering disability-related costs which non-disabled candidates do not face. The Fund covers both seeking selection to be a candidate, and campaigning as a candidate.

The Fund will enable the Commission to pay for additional costs that candidates incur as a result of their disability when organising and preparing to stand for Parliamentary elections. 

For more information and to apply, please go to the Electoral Commission website.

Items to Loan

The DCC Community Development and Events Team has some equipment available for Dunedin-based community groups to borrow for use at local events. Events held must be alcohol, drug, smoking and vape free and free of charge to attend.

Trestle tables, chairs, cable covers, and a portable PA system are available. Please contact community@dcc.govt.nz or 03 477 4000 to speak to the Community Development and Events Team if you have questions.

Mosgiel Coronation Hall old theatre seating

Dunedin community groups and residents have an opportunity to have old theatre seating for reuse.

The old theatre seating in the Mosgiel Coronation Hall is to be replaced in late 2022, early 2023. The Dunedin City Council and Mosgiel Coronation Hall Development Trust are working together on this project.

Rather than disposing of the old theatre seats, we’re keen to see as many of them reused as possible, ideally in ways that will benefit the community and/or have positive environmental outcomes.

The seats are red vinyl with wooden arm rests and metal footings. They come in various lengths, styles and ways in which they are fitted. They will need to be fixed to the floor for safe use.

The successful applicants will be able to take the surplus theatre seats away prior to Christmas, between 17 to 22 December. The exact dates for this are yet to be confirmed.

Applications will be evaluated and prioritised in terms of those which have a positive community and/or environmental impact.

If you would like to view the seating, please email city.property@dcc.govt.nz

Applications close at 4pm, Monday, 21 November 2022.

For further information please refer to the DCC website link www.dunedin.govt.nz/theatre-seating-reuse