February Update

What you will find in this update:

Key themes we are hearing and an opportunity to give us feedback on these

• Links to the Connected Murihiku website and information about Volunteering
• Social Media Volunteer request
• Information about the in person hui on 29 April and opportunity to register
• Welcoming Kit request – ICC
• Information about the opportunity to become a mentor
• Update from Community Network Trust in Gore

It has been great connecting with people from a range from organisations around the region. I am excited to be having such rich conversations about what’s happening in our region, how organisations are doing and what areas the Connected Murihiku project might be able to provide support.

A highlight was attending the Southern Field Days at Waimumu. I had never been before and it was an awesome experience. It has also been fun and interesting to attend the Youth Network and Migrant Network hui. So many good things happening across the region! And while I have been able to meet with lots of people so far, there are still so many more or you I plan to catch up with.

There are a lot of strengths already evident in the community and social sector. There are strong networks already working hard to connect organisations within parts of the sector, as well as share information and find ways to collaborate.

There are also some common themes in the areas organisations could do with some support:

Finding ways to raise the profile of your work

• Being time poor
• Working with the changing face of volunteers and volunteering
• Support governance knowledge
• Health and Safety
• Finding, sharing, using quality data and research
• Improving organisations cultural competency
• The challenges of Murihiku Southland as a region – its location, isolation, perception, conservatism
• Concern about the uncertainty of times ahead – change in general, but also economically, politically (local, central and global) and the environment.

Give us feedback:

Are these things which you and your organization would find useful to have support with? Is there anything missing? We have this short form which you can use to indicate which if any of these are needs for you and if you have any additional thoughts. https://forms.office.com/r/iEefHmDhCM

We have an opportunity to pilot a Health and Safety training opportunity so if this is something your organization needs please indicate that on the form.

We would love to hear from you if you have or use any tools to support your work in these areas which can be shared with the wider sector.

Connected Murihiku Website & Volunteering

While we are developing our own website we are using Let’s Talk to share what’s happening for Connected Murihiku. You can find the page here: www.connectedmurihiku.co.nz In time this will become our website link.

This month we have focused on volunteering and included the link to the Volunteering NZ surveys. They do the State of Volunteering report every couple of years based on the results f these surveys which are useful and insightful. Having an increase in Murihiku feedback into the surveys would be good. The survey link is https://www.volunteeringnz.org.nz/vnz-surveys-2024/

Volunteer South – we have an opportunity to meet with Volunteer South and discuss the volunteer needs in Murihiku and what role Volunteer South could play in Murihiku. If you would like to be part of this conversation please indicate on the form https://forms.office.com/r/iEefHmDhCM

You can find out more about Volunteer South here Volunteer South | Volunteer South

Social Media

Speaking of volunteering, we are hearing that organisations are keen to connect with the community through social media but are not always sure how. If you know anyone interested in supporting organisations to set up social media and provide some basic help in running it then email me at becs@connectedmurihiku.co.nz

In person Hui 29 April

Part of our programme is to host 2 in person hui per year. The first one of these will be on Monday 29 April (note date change from previous email). It is being held at Murihiku Marae on Tramway Road. The focus for the hui is networking and connecting and also to grow people’s understanding about Te Tiriti and Te Ao Maori and to empower people to grow their organisations capability in honouring Te Tiriti. To register your interest in attending this hui please complete the form: https://forms.office.com/r/eR1AMRa0Gu

Welcoming Kit – Invercargill

Some of you will have been involved in conversations with Danielle Carson at Invercargill City Council about the development of a Welcoming Kit. Some information about this is below and Danielle would love to hear from you if you are keen to contribute.

Here's a closer look at the kaupapa we're focusing on, and the type of information we're seeking:

• Inclusivity and Diversity: Resources on cultural sensitivity training and events that celebrate our diverse communities.
• Empowerment and Self-Sufficiency: Opportunities for employment support and educational growth.
• Social Cohesion and Integration: Details on reo exchange programs and workshops to foster integration.
• Community Building and Collaboration: Information on community centers, meeting spaces, and volunteering.
• Equity and Access: Services that ensure accessibility and provide affordable housing solutions.
• Practical Information for Daily Living: From places of worship, kai sources, childcare, mahi opportunities, to legal aid, and beyond.

Your contributions will help make the Welcoming Kit a guiding light for newcomers, enriching their journey into our community.

Please share your insights or get in touch by Monday, March 04, 2024, and feel free to reach out if you have any pātai or wish to discuss further. Email Danielle Danielle.Carson@icc.govt.nz

Become a mentor

In 2023 Greenlight Innovation in conjunction with the Mentoring Foundation of NZ ran a highly successful mentoring program for those in the not for profit sector in Murihiku. We are aiming to run another such program starting mid 2024.

If you have leadership experience and would like to help others with their leadership development, then you might make a great mentor in our programme. Becoming a mentor in this programme is a powerful way to positively impact your community by supporting a leader to achieve their aspirations. build leadership skills, navigate challenges, and achieve their full potential. So why not become a catalyst for growth and transformation by becoming a leadership mentor and passing on your invaluable experience to those who seek it.

Contact Greenlight Innovations for more information.

Leon Hartnett, – greenlightinn@gmail.com. m: 021 0540 310

Community Networking Trust, Gore

Each month the Community Networking Trust in Gore publishes a column in the Ensign. Here is the February column for your information and inspiration.

Nau mai, haere mai and let’s go 2024! Our team is back on deck after a hard-earned break over the summer holidays and already well in to the mahi planned for this year. Local events are a-plenty in the next few weeks, including the popular Moonshine Trail at lovely Dolamore Park, celebrate our awa at On The Fly Mataura River Festival, Enchanting Baroque Voices classical music concert at St Andrews Church, Burning Horse Festival at the beautiful Montana Flat, Tulloch Takeover in Mataura during Parks Week, Cavalcade 2024 in Waikaia, and the annual Children’s Day free community event; so many activities!

Why not cycle the Pump Track in Mataura, stroll the walking tracks at Hamilton Park, visit the Eastern Southland Arts Gallery, check out the Hokonui Moonshine Museum, visit the Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre at Mandeville, burn off some energy at the epic playgrounds dotted around town, wander through the sweeping gardens of Maple Glen at Wyndham, or relax with a movie and popcorn at the SBS St James Theatre.

All these wonderful things belong to our community; the place where you live, the place you should be proud to be a part of. There is so much hard work put in to bringing these events to the Eastern Southland community. That hard work is done by passionate, dedicated people and organisations and groups who love where they live, who feel connected to their community. Research shows that community connections, reaching across place, interests, and identity, are largely untapped assets that can promote wellbeing and address social exclusion (David Morris FRSA and Alison Gilchrist, 2011). Have you noticed a new parent at the school gates this term? A new neighbour? Perhaps there is a new employee in your team? What better ice-breaker than to ask if they have visited the Public Gardens yet, or know about the mountain biking trails at Dolamore Park. Introduce yourself, and your community – be proud of what we have access to, be proud of our place, the interesting things available, and the identity of Eastern Southland.

Watch this space for 2024!

Final word:

Connected Murihiku is keen to share what’s happening in our community. If you have anything you need support with or would love to get the word out about, please send it through. This e-newsletter is being sent out monthly to a growing database of people in organisations across the region. You are welcome to share it to your networks and encourage people to get in touch to receive the newsletter. And don’t forget to check our website www.connectedmurihiku.co.nz which we will be using to share information, ideas and get feedback.

Ngā mihi nui

Becs Amundsen, Project Lead, Connected Murihiku