Community news and notices

New Community Facilities Register Goes Live

If you’re looking to hire or lease a community space, the new Dunedin Community Facilities Register may have your answer.

The register went live on Friday, 15 July. It lists community halls, meeting spaces and rooms for lease or hire. We hope to add a location map shortly.

The register provides key contacts and some basic information on each facility / venue, including if it has a kitchen, is accessible, or suitable as a rehearsal space. While we are aware there may be more facilities / venues around the city, those registered have been included by their organisation because they have space available.

If you have a facility, meeting room or venue available for groups to hire or use, please email community@dcc.govt.nz to be included on the register.

What do you stand for?

If you’re keen to make a difference, now could be the time to stand for council.

The Dunedin City Council is encouraging people with an interest in the city and its future, to consider standing in the October local body elections.

Nominations are open now and close at noon on Friday, 12 August.

People interested in standing are encouraged to come along to an information evening being held later this month. This is a chance to learn more about what councils do, the work involved and what the rules are around nominations and campaigning.

The candidates’ evening will be held at Toitū Otago Settlers Museum on Wednesday, 27 July at 6pm. Speakers will include representatives from the DCC and the Otago Regional Council.

Acting DCC Chief Executive Robert West says it’s important that people from across the community put themselves forward so a wide range of views are represented around the decision-making table.

“Local body elections are an opportunity for people who are passionate about their community, and who have strong leadership skills, to put their name forward and help shape the direction of our city.”

Those wishing to stand for election must be New Zealand citizens and be on the electoral roll. They must be nominated by two people who live in the area in which they want to stand and they must pay a $200 deposit.

Postal voting is used for local body elections. People need to be enrolled by 12 August to receive their voter packs, which will be mailed out from 16 September. Voters must return their voting papers by noon on 8 October (election day) to ensure their votes are counted.

Visit www.dunedin.govt.nz/elections for candidate information and nomination forms or call 03 477 4000. 

DCC delivers $900,000 boost for community groups

A diverse range of more than 30 community groups – from the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra to the Otago Sports Car Club – have received a welcome funding boost from the Dunedin City Council.

The DCC has announced a series of grants from its July 2022 funding round, which come from its City Service, City Project, Major Community Events and Premier Events funds.

Together, the latest grants are worth $922,400 and will help support 35 groups offering a wide range of programmes and events, including those that contribute to the vibrancy, economy and social connection of the city.

DCC Grants Subcommittee Chair and Deputy Mayor Christine Garey says there is growing demand for funding, and not every request can be accommodated, but the DCC continues to support a wide range of services, activities and events for the benefit of the city.

“The highlight for all subcommittee members is seeing the results of the applications – whether that’s a major festival in the city, an arts programme, or support for residents’ wellbeing – all of which deliver real benefits for our city.”

City Service and City Project Funds support significant groups contributing to the DCC’s strategic outcomes. Major Community Events deliver larger events for mainly Dunedin residents, while Premier-level events have a stronger economic focus, bringing visitors into the city.

The DCC also continues to support groups’ core operating costs through its grants, including wages.

Helping future New Zealand families - Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)

MBIE is refreshing the two strategies that support refugees and migrants, including Pacific peoples. These strategies (NZ Refugee Resettlement Strategy and NZ Migrant Settlement and Integration Strategy) were implemented about 10 years ago and things have changed since then.

MBIE is bringing them up-to-date to make sure they effectively support successful settlement in the future. These changes may affect you, your family, friends and people you know.

There are 3 opportunities for you to have your say:

1. Attend a Settlement Strategy Engagement Session

Come to an engagement session and share your experiences. Tell us what you think successful settlement looks like. What works? What doesn’t? What should change?

There will be several sessions across Aotearoa New Zealand from mid-July to mid-August, including ones in your area:

• Date: Tuesday,19 July 
• Time: 10.30am-12.30pm
• Venue: Dunningham Suite at the Dunedin City Library

OR

• Date: Tuesday, 19 July 2022
• Time: 6pm-7.45pm
• Venue: Dunningham Suite at the Dunedin City Library

You can register for one of the session here.

2. Complete the Settlement Strategy questionnaire

Can’t make a face-to-face or online session? Prefer to write? Fill in a questionnaire. It covers similar topics as the engagement sessions. You can tell us as much or as little as you’d like, and you can complete the questionnaire as an individual or as a small group. The questionnaire will be available in English and other languages from mid-July to early August.

3. Participate in a co-design workshop

Using what you tell MBIE at the engagement sessions and questionnaires, there will be co-design workshops in 5 locations across Aotearoa New Zealand from late August to early September. At the workshops, we will work together to develop recommendations to Government.

Why participate?

MBIE know many of you are often asked to participate in projects. How is this different?

You will be part of the discussions from the start. MBIE want to make sure the outcomes are right for you. The recommendations will be based on your real-life experiences and the aspirations of your communities.

Participation is completely voluntary, and responses will be kept anonymous.

Your responses will not be linked to you, your community, nor your organisation. Responses will be combined for analysis and used for providing high-level summaries.

If you have any questions or if you would like to go on the email list for information on the 3 ways of participating, please email refresh@mbie.govt.nz

Red Cross Migration Stakeholder Update

Please see the attachment at the end of this section for the Red Cross Migration Stakeholder Update for Ōtepoti, July 2022.

Politicians to Debate CAB's Digital Exclusion Petition in Parliament

Citizens Advice Bureau is concerned that New Zealand’s public services are currently failing to meet their core purpose – which is to serve the public. Government agencies are shifting their services online and are removing alternatives and people are suffering harm and exclusion as a result. CAB is asking for a cross-party commitment from all our elected representatives to have inclusive services provided in the ways that support people’s diverse needs and circumstances.

CAB have a new campaign website where you can download the 2020 report -  Face-to-face with digital exclusion, read about our petition and submissions to Parliament, and keep updated on the campaign and find out how you can get involved.

Share your digital exclusion experiences 

Have you had difficulty accessing government services because they have ‘gone digital’? Maybe someone close to you has had problems accessing services or filling in forms online.

We would be grateful if you would share your story with us, or help someone else share theirs. You can do this here or get in touch with CAB directly on 03 471 6166.

Pathways to Employment Vacancy

Red Cross has a vacancy for a part-time position within its Pathways to Employment Team.

This is a new and exciting opportunity for a Community Champion to join the Pathways to Employment programme to support former refugees in Dunedin. The position is Fixed Term until 30 June 2023 and Part-time 0.5 FTE, based in our Dunedin Service Centre.

The purpose of the Pathways to Employment Community Champion role is to seek, attract and engage former refugees with the Pathways to Employment programme and support the realisation of their employment goals and aspirations. The role focuses on promoting the benefits of employment to resettled communities and supporting individuals to overcome barriers and achieve their employment goals.

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

Immigration Fee and Levy changes

From 31 July 2022, Immigration fees and levies will increase for most visa applications. The average increase in the price of affected immigration services (excluding the eTA, Electronic Travel Authority) is around $81 (43%), with the largest increases for residence class visas.

The prices remain competitive with comparable countries, and the prices of some visas have been subsidised by the Government, including to recognise New Zealand's special relationship with our Pacific neighbours.

Most visitor visas and some Pacific-focused visas will remain at current prices. The Skilled Migrant residence category will be capped at $5,000.

For the full table of the fee and levy changes, please go to the Immigration NZ website.

2021 Resident Visa category closing

The 2021 Resident Visa category closes at 11.59pm on Sunday, 31 July 2022.

We encourage those eligible to submit their applications before then. Since the residency pathway opened in December 2021, we have received more than 110,000 applications which include more than 200,000 people. We have processed 29,953 applications.

New Zealand has welcomed 2,898 health workers, 4,243 construction workers, 1,191 primary industry workers, and 425 teachers.

For more information and to apply, please go to the Immigration NZ website.