NEWS RELEASE

16 June 2016

$1.3 million in community grants approved

An ‘Airbnb for community groups’, an outreach service for the homeless and a volunteer ‘timebank’ are among the initiatives set to receive some $1.3 million in grants from 1 July following yesterday’s meeting of Wellington City Council’s Community, Sport and Recreation Committee.

The committee approved funding contracts for 24 community organisations.

Mayor Celia Wade-Brown says while many initiatives are in need of financial support, the virtual community hub proposed by Mt Victoria’s New Crossways group, organisations working on the frontline to end homelessness and to aid refugee settlement met the criteria and are particularly worthy.

“The New Crossways group described their proposed community hub as airbnb for community groups – a ‘virtual hub’ that will maximise the use of existing community halls and spaces in Mt Victoria.

“We also committed further support to ending homelessness through the Te Whakamura partnership which includes the Soup Kitchen, the Downtown Community Ministry and Ngati Kahungunu ki Poneke Community Services, and to refugee resettlement including ongoing support for English Language Partners.”

And Committee Chair Councillor Paul Eagle says the funding goes to those organisations with a track record of delivering value and a return for ratepayers.

“We’re distributing public money so every dollar has to be a dollar well invested.”

Cr Eagle says the Wellington Timebank is one such example where the Council is keen to help the rapidly-growing initiative go to the next level.

“The timebank uses time as their currency. Members swap skills and knowledge for credits and these are traded for services in the community. Everyone’s time is valued equally, regardless of what skills are exchanged.

“Over the space of just five years, the Wellington Timebank has grown from New Zealand’s smallest and newest timebank to one of the country’s largest and most active. Membership now sits at more than 650 people, with an average of 70 hours traded every week,” says Cr Eagle.

The Wellington Timebank was established in 2011 by a committee under the umbrella of the Newtown Community and Cultural Centre. It began with one paid coordinator working 20 hours per week, and some initial interest from community members from Wellington’s southern suburbs. Today, it runs with two paid positions totalling 35 hours a week and three office administration volunteers, serving over 600 members across Wellington.

Cr Eagle noted: “It’s great for building community resilience too – a timebank run by the Lyttelton community for many years proved hugely valuable after the Christchurch quakes. The community was able to promptly respond and recover.”

Funding recipients:

ends

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