24 May 2001

Building stronger communities

Community-based social service providers get their first increase in funding for several years through a $31.1 million Budget package, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Steve Maharey and Associate Minister of Social Services and Employment [Social Services] Tariana Turia said today.

“The package supports 'for community, by community' programmes and includes [figures over four years unless specified]:
- a $15.2 million increase for community, iwi and Maori providers funded by Child, Youth and Family to deliver such essential community-based services as sexual abuse and family violence counselling and home parenting skills;
- $2.19 million to support volunteering;
- $3.6 million [$900,000 in 2001-02] to support social entrepreneurs and local leaders make a difference in their communities;
- $6.9 million [$1.733 million in 2001-02] for the successful HIPPY and support programmes run from Family Service Centres;
- $930,000 this coming year to gain a better picture of the voluntary sector.

"Nga Puhi Social Services and Skylight are examples of organisations working tirelessly to strengthen their whanau and families. Increased funding has been allocated to Child, Youth and Family to allocate to iwi, Maori and community social service providers on a case-by-case basis.

"$700,000 is being committed in the coming year to begin to implement the recommendations of the Community and Voluntary Sector Working Party. The report was released in April. The Government will issue its response in June.

"An estimated 1.1 million New Zealanders do some form of voluntary work. $2.2 million is being invested over four years to support the work of the 10 volunteer centres, with an additional $230,000 to cover a study on the sector's viability and to support a Government-sector consultation process," Mr Maharey and Mrs Turia said.

ENDS

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