22 February 2012

Social sector recognised at Christchurch awards ceremony

Forty-one community groups funded by government have been recognised for the way they have worked over the last year supporting families, the community and each other after the Christchurch earthquakes.

The Greater Canterbury Social Sector Awards were given by the Greater Canterbury Community Response Forum, a group of community and government representatives responsible for improving the delivery of social services across Canterbury. They were presented by Amy Adams, Associate Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery and Sue McKenzie, Forum member, at the Christchurch Social Sector Awards ceremony which was held at the Chateau on the Park after the Memorial Service on 22 February 2012.

Terry Donaldson, Forum spokesperson, said the way the community sector responded to events following the earthquakes deserves to be acknowledged.

“The Canterbury community sector has shown extraordinary leadership. Their responsiveness to the needs of families and communities following the earthquakes and the innovative ways they worked together, and with government, meant that the impact on families was lessened,” he said.

“These awards are a way of showing our appreciation and admiration for the work they did.”

The awards are as follows:

Greater Canterbury Social Service Sector Award 2011 for Community
Responsiveness following the Earthquake

• Aranui Community Trust Incorporated Society
• Te Runanga O Nga Maata Waka Incorporated
• Te Whare Roimata Trust
• Canterbury Communities’ Earthquake Recovery Network

Greater Canterbury Social Service Sector Award 2011 for Innovation

0800 Canterbury Support and Counselling Line – provides the people of Canterbury with immediate access to counselling and other social services as they are needed. The organisations that contributed to the success of the helpline are:

• Strengthening Families – Canterbury
• Social Service Providers Aotearoa Incorporated - Canterbury
• Relationship Services Whakawhanaungatanga
• St John of God Waipuna
• Barnardos – Canterbury
• Methodist Mission Christchurch
• Presbyterian Support (Upper South Island)
• Te Runanga O Nga Maata Waka Incorporated
• Christchurch Resettlement Services
• Youthline Auckland Charitable Trust
• Lifeline Auckland

Greater Canterbury Social Service Sector Award 201 for Collaboration Following the Earthquake

Police Liaison - Families of the Bereaved – provided wrap around social services for the families of the bereaved. The organisations that contributed to the success of this initiative are:

• Strengthening Families - Canterbury
• Home and Family Society, Christchurch Incorporated
• Presbyterian Support (Upper South Island)
• Methodist Mission Christchurch
• Te Puna Whaiora
• Barnardos – Canterbury
• Christchurch Resettlement Services
• Refugees as Survivors New Zealand
• Victim Support

Greater Canterbury Social Service Sector Award 2011 for Leadership Following the Earthquake

Earthquake Support Coordination Service - helped families directly affected by the earthquakes navigate their way through the many issues they had to deal with. The organisations that contributed to the success of this service are:

• Aranui Community Trust Incorporated Society
• Home and Family Society, Christchurch Incorporated
• Presbyterian Support (Upper South Island)
• Methodist Mission Christchurch
• Te Puna Whaiora
• Barnardos – Canterbury Area
• Christchurch Resettlement Services
• Pacific Trust Canterbury
• St John of God Waipuna
• Te Runanga O Nga Mata Waka Incorporated
• Age Concern Canterbury
• He Oranga Pounamu - Ru Whenua Kaitoko Whanau
• Richmond New Zealand
• Christchurch Women’s Refuge

Background information on each initiative associated to the awards can be found here

ENDS

BUDGET 2012:
Parliament Debate Live - Video Of Budget 2011
Keith Ng Interactive Graphic: How the Budget Breaks Down
BUDGET 2012 - FULL COVERAGE: Reports / Analysis - Press Kit - Reaction (from everybody) - Previews (from everybody) - Pre-Budget Announcements

Gordon Campbell: On the Budget’s Spreadsheet Victories

It wasn’t as if expectations were sky high, exactly. Chances are, it was always more likely that we’d be seeing Bigfoot rampage through the Beehive lock-up than catch a glimpse of a credible growth agenda from this government. More >>

Sludge Budget Report - Short The Dollar! MEMO: To international bankers FROM: C.D. Sludge Please short the dollar! It'll be good for both you and us. And you know you want to. Greexit, Eurogeddon... watch out... flight to quality and all that. Follow your instincts. The NZ Debt Management Office has been so surprised at the unprecedentedly low interest rates that it can borrow at that it has already entirely pre-funded the 2013 fiscal deficit - all $8 billion of it! More >>

Pattrick Smellie Comment: Doddling along the best we can hope forCriticising Budgets for lacking vision or imagination is like shooting fish in a barrel, but even so, this year's Budget again feels like a missed opportunity. Perhaps it's the intrusion of real world needs that means the government couldn't make better political use of the $558.8 million it expects to gather in its first partial asset sale. More >>