Community Building Block - Making local government work for your community

Local councils have the tools at their disposal to enable the hauora / wellbeing of residents through community-led development approaches. Using the Dunedin experience as an example, we will explore the challenges and opportunities for making this happen from the perspective of both elected representatives and community workers. How can community groups best position themselves for council support? And what did they wish their elected representatives understood in order to make it a mutually beneficial relationship? This session will have a particular focus on place-based community organisations, but will be of wider interest to anyone in the community sector looking to engage more fruitfully with their local council. 

Your facilitators

Aaron Hawkins – Inspiring Communities Alongside his work as Director of Inspiring Communities, Aaron is the strategic lead for the Otago Housing Alliance and a co-founder of Escarpment Domes – an ecotourism and land restoration project on the Kāpiti Coast. Prior to this he served for nine years on the Dunedin City Council, the last three as Mayor, focused on social and environmental wellbeing and a growing commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Anna Parker - Inspiring Communities
Supporting the growth of strong and resilient communities is at the heart of Anna’s mahi. Anna has diverse experience of grassroots community development – having worked on peace building efforts with indigenous women leaders in Bougainville (PNG) to activating the community-led vision for the Valley Project in North Dunedin.