Ranui Action Project (RAP)
Striving to improve health and well-being outcomes in the West Auckland suburb of Ranui, RAP work to build a sense of community and much more.
Project website: www.ranui.org.nz.
Ranui is a community of nearly 8,000 people and is located on the urban fringe of Waitakere City. The area has a predominantly young population with 30% under 15 and approximately 5% over 65. 20% of the population identified as Maori at the 2001 census, 32% as Pacific Islander, 8% as Asian and 54% as European. Population growth was 11% between the 1996 to 2001 censuses.
The median household income (census 2001) was $40,027, significantly lower than the figure for the Auckland Region overall. There are a few small businesses in Ranui but the majority of residents in employment commute to Henderson or Auckland City. Approximately 12% of the population was unemployed and actively seeking work in 2001.
36% of students left school with no qualifications - a figure significantly higher than the Regional percentage.
Purpose
To bring the Ranui community, government agencies, health providers, volunteer groups and the council together to improve health and well being outcomes in Ranui.
Description
The Ranui Action Project (RAP) is a three year devolved community funding pilot programme that was initiated in June 2000. The project incorporates a community development model of bottom up decision making - community governance.
The aim of the project is to improve health and well-being outcomes in Ranui, expand community capacity, increase access to services and revitalise the Ranui community.
The current RAP Structure incorporates the RAP Society (wider community group that meets two monthly and oversees the direction of the project) and RAP Committee (smaller group that has the legal responsibility and meet monthly) A Maori, Pacific Islands and Youth Focus group also meet regularly and report back to the RAP Committee and Society.
How is the Project Funded?
The Ranui Action Project was initially funded through the Ministry of Health. It receives additional funding from Child Youth and Family as part of the Stronger Communities Action Fund. This has strengthened the Ranui Action Project and improved the capacity of the Ranui community to action the plan. Waitakere City Council is the sponsor and fundholder for the project.
Main Achievements to Date
Ranui Fun Festival
A first step was to launch the project at the Ranui Fun Festival that was attended by Mayor Bob Harvey, Hon Steve Maharey and around 2,500 Ranui people.
Ranui Community Profile
Data was collected from a range of agencies and organisations to create an in-depth community profile of Ranui. Data from the community was integrated into the community visioning process.
Ranui Community Vision
Throughout July and August 2001 RAP led a process of Community Visioning in the Ranui community. Twenty seven local people were trained in the art of facilitating visions.
At the Ranui Futures Creation Festival around 400 people participated in developing visions that translated into tangible projects. Some smaller projects, led by people from the community, went ahead immediately to maintain a sense of momentum while the RAP infrastructure and policies were developed
Larger project ideas were fed into a Draft Action Plan. Input from government agencies and health providers was added to this and it was returned to the community at the Action Plan Prioritisation Workshop where projects were prioritised according to value to the community, cost and time frame.
From here the Ranui Action Plan was developed; this has been approved by our funders and we are in the process of implementing the plan.
Community governance and policy development
RAP contracted external assistance to facilitate the process of developing our constitution, funding allocation policy and communication policy. We have developed an innovative two-tier governance structure to achieve a balance between the need for a small group of people to take on the legal responsibility whilst ensuring that the wider RAP Society maintains ownership of the direction of RAP. (See diagram below). RAP is now a legal entity - the Ranui Action Project Incorporated Society.
Download larger version of diagram)
Purchasing the RAP House
In November 2002 we moved into the 'RAP House'. The house is in a very strategic position in Ranui and provides a better focus for RAP as well as providing space for future developments
Employment
An Employment Committee has been established and is developing terms of reference, RAP employment policy and a transition plan for the employment role to be handed from Council to RAP over the next 12 months.
Communications
The RAP RAVE, our newsletter has been distributed ever three months to Ranui residents.
The Ranui website www.ranui.org.nz has been established and is regularly updated.
Contributors to RAP's success
The Ranui Action Project has an increasingly wide reach into the community through the various focus groups. Schools, churches and local clubs are involved in a variety of ways.
Waitakere City Council, government agencies and health providers are partnering the Ranui Action Project to achieve it's vision.
The process is being externally evaluated by the SHORE evaluation team. Whilst evaluation is still in process, it certainly appears that community cohesion is increasing - the meetings are very well attended and participation from the community has been outstanding.
Success Factors
- Participation from the many sectors of the community: Maori, Pacific Island, young people, ethnic groups, etc
- Partnerships with Waitakere City Council, government agencies and local health providers
- A paid coordinator to keep things moving
- Identifying and developing relationships with key community leaders
- Making involvement in the project 'fun' for the community
- Developing leadership in the community through training programmes
- Focus on creating visions rather than fixing problems
- Vast amounts of volunteer time
What have we Learnt?
- The best thing we have done is to train 27 Ranui people in facilitating visions with the community. These people are emerging leaders in Ranui.
- The community's reluctance to invest on intangibles like a visioning process. In retrospect we have seen the importance of this process.
- Importance of spending considerable time developing relationships with key people in the community and enrolling 'vision partners' from outside the community, e.g. government agencies, local health providers.
- Enrolling 'vision partners' in the private sector is difficult
- Formative evaluation provides valuable help with project development
- Community development takes time - it involves regular community consultation and timelines need to acknowledge this
- Contracting outside expertise is necessary sometimes
- A project of this nature requires considerable resourcing for 'word smithing' - to develop the necessary contracts, governance structures and strategic plan.
- Key ingredients are commitment and passion - and a 'can do attitude'
Recent Initiatives
Violence Free Ranui:
The 'Dob in a Do Gooder' awards are awarded two monthly to a Ranui young person, adult and group who are helping to create a peaceful community. Violence Free Ranui workshops are being held that promote the development of positive conflict resolution skills as well as improving self esteem, community building and providing a forum for a lot of fun along the way.
Trash to Fashion: Beatrix Papa
A team of Ranui people created a beautiful entry for the Trash to Fashion awards from origami and bubble wrap entitled 'Ranui: Flying Into the Future'. The garment is currently on display at the Auckland Museum.
CLICIT (Community Learning Information Centre), Coordinator Peter Scott
This facility is a RAP libraries partnership and provides free access to computers for the community. The Centre caters for adults in the morning, children in the afternoons and the space and the computers are also being used as a homework centre in the evenings.
Market Day, Coordinator Anne Hissey
The Ranui Market Day is now a monthly event. As well as creating an opportunity for local people to fundraise, the market provides a performance space for local musicians to perform and is valuable in terms of providing a regular meeting place and developing social cohesion and community identity
Youth Events
The RAP Youth Focus Group meets weekly to plan events for Ranui young people. In 2002, this group coordinated a very successful 'Raise the Level' Youth Talent Quest, an equally well attended Kids Fun Day and are in the midst of planning a Youth Leadership Camp for January 2003. A focus for next year is to carry out a feasibility study for a Youth Centre in Ranui.
Halloween Event
In response to residents experience of harassment from 'trick or treaters' last year, the Ranui police youth workers (Ranui Community Approach) coordinated a fabulous Halloween disco at the Waitemata Rugby Leagues Club that was attended by hundreds of children and their families.
Directions for the Future
- Ranui Action Plan: Continuing to implement the plan. This will involve the initiation of dozens of projects identified and lead by Ranui people
- A Ranui Fun Festival: a major event is planned for early 2003 to celebrate with the wider community the milestones that we have achieved to date
- Revisiting our policies: It is intended that we revisit our policies regularly to assess and amend them to work better for us
- Leadership training for the RAP Committee and emerging Ranui leadership
- Violence Free Ranui: We are training local people to facilitate these workshops and intend to offer as many as the community want
- Sustainability: Devising processes to ensure that the development continues beyond the three year pilot period
'We're Ranui people with that Ranui pride, We're the best out west, Now that's undenied!'
From the RAP RAP by local musician Paul Wells
More information
Project website: www.ranui.org.nz
Mail: PO Box 70012 Ranui,
ph/fax: (09) 8326048
Email: rap@ranui.org.nz
The Ranui Action Project logo was developed from the Community Centre sculpture courtesy of artist, Phil Rook
© 2003 Ranui Action Project.
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