An action plan to guide Central Otago’s Welcoming Communities programme was today presented to Council and published online.
The Central Otago Welcoming Plan is a three-year action plan for the Central Otago District Council’s Welcoming Communities programme. The plan has been more than a year in the making, taking into consideration a variety of research tools as well as individual and community feedback including a stocktake report (August 2021-February 2022), the establishment of an advisory group (November 2021), a newcomer survey (March-April 2022) and a series of welcome workshops throughout the district (July 2022).
Welcoming Communities Officer Deborah Beange said it is “a plan that is led by the community, for the community”.
At the heart of the programme and the plan are the Welcoming Communities eight standards, which provide a benchmark for what a successful community looks like. These are: inclusive leadership; welcoming communications; equitable access; connected and inclusive communities; economic development, business and employment; civic engagement and participation; welcoming public spaces; and culture and identity.
Ms Beange said presenting the plan was “an important milestone in the programme, but the success of this programme will be determined by the actions delivered, not the plans that are created”.
“The activities outlined in this plan reflect the current direction of the Welcoming Communities programme, based on community feedback and the expressed needs of newcomers in the district. Some of the activities are already underway, some are being planned, while others are more long-term. While some initiatives are driven by Council or Welcoming Communities, most are community-driven or collaborations with other organisations.”
Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan, in his foreword in the plan, said he congratulated the Welcoming Communities leaders for “making the pathways into this place and its people clearer and easier for our new neighbours and friends”.
“Central Otago is growing and changing in more dynamic ways than just about any other time in our history, with people making this special place their home from all corners of the country and the world, bringing with them new ways of thinking, of living, or sharing that enrich us all.”
For a downloadable version the Central Otago Welcome Plan head to www.codc.govt.nz/welcome-plan, where you'll also find more information about the Welcoming Communities programme.
To view a flipbook version, hit full screen on the image below.
