Community Development in Aro Valley 2017 – 2019
By Lexi Taylor
Introduction
- AVCC plans many all-inclusive projects which are designed to reach a wide range of people. These are either public events (like the Aro Fair, music events and community meals) or are workshops or assets intended for smaller groups or individuals. These projects are for everyone, they are designed to help people to connect across all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, ages, interests and abilities.
- In our community development, we coordinate, initiate and support relevant programmes and activities to meet the needs of particular groups in the community e.g the arts, multi-cultural, environmental, age related, ability related initiatives.
- Staff are also charged with identifying unmet needs in the community and planning activities to meet those needs, including gaining funding and personnel for programmes and events.
Observations of AVCC areas of focus 2017 – 2019
Over the past two years we have performed highly in creating great all-inclusive public events and activities that encourage members of the community to feel a part of a greater whole. These events are a bumping ground for social interactions and building connections between people. When people engage in these activities, they find out more about the community centre and what the committee and staff do. Often, this is the beginning of new connections or a revival of old ones, and people filter into programmes, community groups and classes that are more specific to their needs and interests.
Environmental activities have had more resources devoted to them than any other specific area of focus. To build a sustainable community which is responsible for our planet, we are creating social change through education and by making more accessible alternative methods of disposing of waste e.g The Share Shack and community composting. AVCC has also created alternatives for transportation and growing local food in our community gardens. The Share Shack imparts the concept of not buying things new, an antidote to consumerism, by recycling and repurposing usable goods. AVCC supports local community-led environmental groups with funding applications as an umbrella organisation. We also provide resources (including free hall hire), knowledge and administration and promotion when needed.
A close second focus is our whānau and tamariki. The school holiday programme is a core programme of AVCC. It’s management and administration are coordinated by community centre staff four times a year. We nurture our children and families and their place in the community by having meaningful relationships with Te Aro School and Aro Valley Preschool and numerous, regular events and classes in the hall for families to grow, connect and learn. We encourage our young people to be involved in the community throughout all of our projects.
We have identified unmet community needs for māoritanga and multi-cultural events and have been working to diversify the programmes and events run by AVCC. These have come in the form of Matariki, Eid, Māori Sānta/Hana koko, Indian potluck meal and of course continuing to fundraise and coordinate our twice-weekly ESOL classes which are open to all people regardless of their visa status.
The community has identified that helping those who are in need or experiencing homelessness should be a focus. After a general meeting decision, we now put in more staff time and open the centre for people, giving them hot food from the community fridge and connecting them to more people in the community.
For our seniors we currently fund a weekly Sit and Be Fit class and employ an instructor. AVCC has coordinated senior’s weeks on and off over the past few years. It would be good for this to be reliably coordinated every year. Other centres also organise day trips out in a bus for our older generation.
Recently, we have been trying to include the deaf community more and help more members of our community to learn NZSL. Some community centres have a strong social media presence in this area too.
The areas that we identify as in most need of development in Aro Valley are women only classes/group (trans-inclusive), LGBTQIA+ community, and youth. Regular youth groups run by qualified youth workers are common in many community centres, this would be a great resource for our rangatahi. Our friends and neighbours The Gender Centre are moving from 128 Abel Smith Street/Radical Centre. We think AVCC could do more to support our LGBTQIA+ during this change and into the future.
Conclusion
My perspective working as a community developer for AVCC for four years is that there are many people doing great things and we should be very proud of how many people feel connected and healthier each day thanks to these efforts. In regard to where our focus is, I think we could always be revisiting who we are doing things for, and what we should be doing to support less privileged and less connected people. I think we can be happy with our strengths and focus more resources on the areas that need development.
Nga mihi nui kia koutou katoa,
Lexi Taylor
By Lexi Taylor
Introduction
- AVCC plans many all-inclusive projects which are designed to reach a wide range of people. These are either public events (like the Aro Fair, music events and community meals) or are workshops or assets intended for smaller groups or individuals. These projects are for everyone, they are designed to help people to connect across all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, ages, interests and abilities.
- In our community development, we coordinate, initiate and support relevant programmes and activities to meet the needs of particular groups in the community e.g the arts, multi-cultural, environmental, age related, ability related initiatives.
- Staff are also charged with identifying unmet needs in the community and planning activities to meet those needs, including gaining funding and personnel for programmes and events.
Observations of AVCC areas of focus 2017 – 2019
Over the past two years we have performed highly in creating great all-inclusive public events and activities that encourage members of the community to feel a part of a greater whole. These events are a bumping ground for social interactions and building connections between people. When people engage in these activities, they find out more about the community centre and what the committee and staff do. Often, this is the beginning of new connections or a revival of old ones, and people filter into programmes, community groups and classes that are more specific to their needs and interests.
Environmental activities have had more resources devoted to them than any other specific area of focus. To build a sustainable community which is responsible for our planet, we are creating social change through education and by making more accessible alternative methods of disposing of waste e.g The Share Shack and community composting. AVCC has also created alternatives for transportation and growing local food in our community gardens. The Share Shack imparts the concept of not buying things new, an antidote to consumerism, by recycling and repurposing usable goods. AVCC supports local community-led environmental groups with funding applications as an umbrella organisation. We also provide resources (including free hall hire), knowledge and administration and promotion when needed.
A close second focus is our whānau and tamariki. The school holiday programme is a core programme of AVCC. It’s management and administration are coordinated by community centre staff four times a year. We nurture our children and families and their place in the community by having meaningful relationships with Te Aro School and Aro Valley Preschool and numerous, regular events and classes in the hall for families to grow, connect and learn. We encourage our young people to be involved in the community throughout all of our projects.
We have identified unmet community needs for māoritanga and multi-cultural events and have been working to diversify the programmes and events run by AVCC. These have come in the form of Matariki, Eid, Māori Sānta/Hana koko, Indian potluck meal and of course continuing to fundraise and coordinate our twice-weekly ESOL classes which are open to all people regardless of their visa status.
The community has identified that helping those who are in need or experiencing homelessness should be a focus. After a general meeting decision, we now put in more staff time and open the centre for people, giving them hot food from the community fridge and connecting them to more people in the community.
For our seniors we currently fund a weekly Sit and Be Fit class and employ an instructor. AVCC has coordinated senior’s weeks on and off over the past few years. It would be good for this to be reliably coordinated every year. Other centres also organise day trips out in a bus for our older generation.
Recently, we have been trying to include the deaf community more and help more members of our community to learn NZSL. Some community centres have a strong social media presence in this area too.
The areas that we identify as in most need of development in Aro Valley are women only classes/group (trans-inclusive), LGBTQIA+ community, and youth. Regular youth groups run by qualified youth workers are common in many community centres, this would be a great resource for our rangatahi. Our friends and neighbours The Gender Centre are moving from 128 Abel Smith Street/Radical Centre. We think AVCC could do more to support our LGBTQIA+ during this change and into the future.
Conclusion
My perspective working as a community developer for AVCC for four years is that there are many people doing great things and we should be very proud of how many people feel connected and healthier each day thanks to these efforts. In regard to where our focus is, I think we could always be revisiting who we are doing things for, and what we should be doing to support less privileged and less connected people. I think we can be happy with our strengths and focus more resources on the areas that need development.
Nga mihi nui kia koutou katoa,
Lexi Taylor