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 November 2009
‘Each community is distinctly different' said the Manukau City Deputy Mayor Gary Troup as he opened the Forum: The Super City needs Super Communities, introducing a lively and thoughtful discussion facilitated by Alfred Ngaro.
The Forum was an opportunity to hear about the distinctiveness of communities and also about things communities hold in common, especially with the new Auckland Council in mind. It was also an example of groups working together. Hosted by Manukau City Council and organised by the Council, Inspiring Communities, the Social and Civic Policy Institute and Community Waitakere, it‘s focus was on the relationship of locality based planning and community governance to local government in the new Auckland.
Several speakers presented a range of perspectives with short and snappy presentations and close to 80 people worked through questions in smaller groups.
David Robinson from the Social and Civic Policy Institute talked about citizen participation. He made a distinction between community groups as providers of services and active citizenship. He told a great story of active citizenship with the Pukerua Bay Residents Association and local Iwi working together, with little funding but great intention, to create a rahui (a temporary closure for conservation) for fisheries protection within Pukerua Bay. Tony Mayow from Community Waitakere emphasised the importance of communities working together and the value of collaboration... giving examples from Waitakere and the national Comm Voices approach.
RaWiri's Liz Kiriona and Lynne Mehana (and Bronwyn), in fantastic purple T-Shirts, spoke from raw experience and the heart as they described their community revitalisation. Too modest to call themselves leaders, their leadership shone through as they described moving from a community problem to developing huge pride and progress through partnership with others.
Deeply concerned about their community they saw that alcohol and a new liquor licence to a local store were the key.
Lynn said there was a local message that:
- It was OK drinking outside the shop
- It was OK to intimidate other people in the community
- It was OK for people to drink on the streets.
Lynne, Liz, Bronwyn, the RaWiri Residents Association and others decided It was Not OK.
With others in the community and the local Sisters of Mercy they organised a petition for a liquor ban in the park. They worked with local community members, Housing NZ, Police, the Wiri Central School, and Manukau City Council to re-claim their community. They have worked with young women and supported them as they turned from heavy drinking to being hip hop ‘stars' performing in front of a 3,000 strong audience... and saw the school grades go up for 75% of the girls.
 Colin Dale (pictured right) praised the go-getting approach of Lynne, Liz and RaWiri, saying that RaWiri's approach to community development was at the heart of the issue for the new Auckland development. Colin, retired CEO of Manukau City Council, talked about his focus on community services and Maori engagement in his new role in the Auckland Transition Agency (ATA). The Agency was established by the Government to amalgamate the councils across the Auckland Region into the new Auckland Council by October 2010. Colin also mentioned the sense of local boards' responsibility growing in Auckland governance design and the upcoming No.3 Bill to Parliament. Saying the time is right he invited people to come up with community approaches that will really work for Auckland communities and the greater Auckland. See here for more information about ATA.
Inspired and informed by local action and regional possibilities, people were ready to go and talk about three questions. Here is a taster of ideas emerging from the small discussion groups:
1. Creating super communities: what roles should local government play to support Auckland's diverse super communities? What will make or break the new relationships?
- Genuine representation of diverse elements that generates, empowers, and encourages active citizenship and community
- A Social Policy Forum and Taskforce to influence and advocate
- Communication strategy across the region - ‘connecting the dots' and sharing resources.
2. Being yourself: how do community governance organisations maintain their independence while collaborating with local government?
- Regional funding with, for example, something like a regional Community Organisation Grants scheme
- A funding advisory body to the new Auckland Council
- Development model and transfer of assets into community organisations rather than private organisations.
3. Creating a new regional network of super communities: as we prepare for the super city, what practical things would help us to talk, share and learn together more across communities?
- Finding out what already exists and sharing that, then building on what we already have without losing local flavour
- Organising and coordinating at a regional level, so administrative and strategic tasks do not overly tax those working in the community but also so we can be effective regionally
- Retain independence: ensure resourcing is from a range of sources so no one source can dictate direction. Resourcing may come from existing TAs, businesses, philanthropic organizations...
- Engage with the ATA, this is the organisation now. Work with it, don't wait for the Auckland Council - take Colin up on his invitation for people to come up with community approaches.
The Forum finished with James Samuel. James is an independent community builder who brings a wealth of experience from his facilitation of the early growth of Transition Towns in Aotearoa. Active on the ground in his own community on Waiheke, he shared his thoughts about gradual, compared with sudden transition in communities. A report from the forum will be circulated to participants in the next few weeks.
Mary-Jane Rivers |
