Tuatapere

It's not often I get out to Tuatapere.

Last week, however, I headed out to meet with the local Community Support Worker, Keri, and one of the people on her committee, Ian. The role community workers like Keri play in these small communities is vital and the connections they provide people in the community undeniable. Ian himself, relatively new to the Tuatapere community, told me how an introduction Keri did for him, helped him settle quickly into the community and made it feel like home.

There are five community workers in rural Southland covering Otautau, Riverton, Winton, Lumsden and Tuatapere. They are people who know where to get support and help for those who need it and facilitate some much-needed activities in their communities to help where they can. Most importantly they are the people on the ground who know their communities and do what they can to make a difference.