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The CommunityNet Aotearoa monthly newsletter.
"News and views on community networking throughout Aotearoa."
Whānau ora, family-centred and community-building approaches are the focus of workforce planning for social services towards 2020. The workforce development project “Skills for the Future of Social Wellbeing 2020” is in its early stages, with a discussion paper due for distribution in April. Dr Rory Truell, the Social Services Industry Training Organisation (ITO) Chief Executive, says the ITO is honoured to be involved in this project. “We have a vision for our sector and we are thrilled that we have been able to initiate this project. The sector has really embraced it and has now made it their own. I expect great things to come out of this collaboration,” he said. Sector leaders from social services and voluntary welfare umbrella organisations have joined the ITO in the project which is being funded by the Tertiary Education Commission. Wider involvement will be encouraged during the next few months, including with the health and disability sectors.
/communitycentre/news/national/workforcedevelopment.htm
Do you, or a group that you’re involved with, have something to say to the people of New Zealand? Morningside Productions offers you the opportunity to make a documentary for television. They are looking for applications for the Open Door documentary series 11, to be filmed through to October 2010. Open Door is unique in that it allows groups and individuals to speak for themselves. The format is straightforward. Only people directly involved in the issues appear on the screen, rather then "experts" and commentators, or outside observers. The programmes are made using the expertise and equipment of the production team but with participants taking editorial control: nothing will appear in the program that you’re not happy with. If you’re actively involved with an issue - be it family, social, environmental, or whatever - a door is about to open again on TV3 Network Television. For further information, visit: http://www.opendoor.net.nz
/communitycentre/news/national/opendoor.htm
New Zealand Aotearoa Adolescent Health and Development (NZAAHD) is very excited to announce that with the help of the Todd Foundation and JR McKenzie we are establishing our Rangatahi Māori Health and Development Project. Whereas NZAAHD’s core work has always been to connect, inform and offer a voice to people working with young people, this project will focus a stream of that work to meet the needs of individuals and organisations working specifically with rangatahi Māori and establish a strategy for best supporting them. This collaborative strategy will aim to: stimulate and encourage Māori, whether urban, rural, iwi, hapu, or whānau based to grow Māori youth potential, good citizenship, nation building, sense of community, ownership, leadership, partnership, whanaungatanga, matauranga, hauoratanga, pukengatanga, wairuatanga.
/communitycentre/news/national/maorihealth.htm
Mental health support workers can access a study grant to fund their tuition fees for the National Certificate and National Diploma in Mental Health Support Work. The National Mental Health Support Workers Training Grant is funded by the Ministry of Health and administered by Careerforce. For more information visit the Careerforce website.
/communitycentre/news/national/supporttraininggrant.htm
This survey is for anyone involved in managing volunteers, whether you are called a volunteer manager, coordinator or something else entirely. The study is being conducted by Victoria University of Wellington and is supported by Volunteering New Zealand and the Tindall Foundation. Volunteer Wellington has also assisted in the preparation of the questionnaire. The questions ask about your background, roles, challenges and training needs and should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.
/communitycentre/news/national/managerssurvey.htm
Te Toi Hauora-Nui provides information about innovative service approaches to improving Māori health, with particular emphasis on cardiovascular and diabetes mellitus programmes delivered in the primary care setting. The report, prepared for the Ministry of Health, outlines key findings, critical success factors that providers use to achieve successful results, and areas for improvement. To download a copy of the report visit the Ministry of Health website.
/communitycentre/news/national/tetoihauoranui.htm
Every five years, Statistics NZ surveys people with disabilities to get a better picture of the well-being of all New Zealanders. This survey collects important information that Government and community organisations use to make decisions that affect everyone living with a disability, including their families and carers. Between January and April 2010, Statistics NZ will test the survey to make sure the questions are easy for everyone to understand and answer. They are looking for people aged 15 years and over who would like to help improve this questionnaire. If you have a disability or look after a disabled child, they would like to talk to you. See the Statistics NZ website for more information about the survey.
/communitycentre/news/national/disabilitysurveytrial.htm
Fleeing war torn countries is dangerous and extremely difficult. Arriving in a new country where you don’t speak the language is also very difficult. 20,000 refugees have arrived in New Zealand in the last 20 years. They come from a wide range of countries and situations. Most arrive with little or no English and have a long, hard struggle to establish themselves in their new country. To do this successfully, former refugees establish their own communities within NZ society. As these communities take shape, they find that ‘they face common issues,’ says NZ National Refugee Network Chairperson Kafeba Mundele. So they formed regional networks. These networks now have a national organisation – the New Zealand National Refugee Network. The Network is the collective voice of former refugees in New Zealand with the aim that every refugee becomes a full participant in New Zealand society.
/communitycentre/news/national/nzrefugeenetwork.htm
The latest issue of the Ministry of Social Development's Rise magazine explores ‘giving' - with features on how volunteering brings generations together and the Generosity Hub's work to cultivate a culture of giving. The magazine reports that although 2009 was a tough year for many New Zealanders, instead of a drop in donations of time, money and energy that might be expected during a recession, the reverse has turned out to be true. Download your copy from the Ministry of Social Development website.
/communitycentre/news/national/risemagazine.htm
Envirostep is a web-based assessment tool to help organisations determine their environmental performance. Developed by the Ministry of Economic Development in collaboration with a number of others, Envirostep provides users with: an environmental performance score and profile, recommendations (to reduce operating costs, environmental impacts and risk), an action plan (to implement selected recommendations) and over 300 links to other environmental tools, service providers and further information. Visit Envirostep to learn more.
/communitycentre/news/national/envirostep.htm
Melanie Cookson, Co-convenor of the Coalition of Community Law Centres, believes Dame Margaret Bazely has got it right when she states in her report on Legal Aid that "community law centres are too important to be allowed to fail or to have their services restricted significantly." As the report points out, a stronger focus on initial legal advice and assistance is needed "to help make people more self-sufficient." The Bazely report highlights that if services provided by community law centres were not available, "many of their clients would be unable to afford private legal services, so would go without." Community law centres agree that they should become a significant player in the provision of legal services in the future "but first we need to find a way to keep community law centres financially viable," Cookson says. "The Coalition is working closely with the Ministry of Justice on a range of potential funding solutions to ensure the recommendations in the report can be realised."
/communitycentre/news/national/legalaidreview.htm
A new report - A new funding paradigm: Report on prospects for social lending and investment by foundations in New Zealand - commissioned by the ASB Community Trust and The Tindall Foundation is now public and will be circulated widely. The report contains an overview of social lending and investment, the international and New Zealand experience of social lending and addresses whether foundations should undertake social lending. It is the first research completed for New Zealand on the emerging field of mission and programme-related investment, which aims to address issues through provision of support beyond only grants or donations. It will be useful to those seeking new ways to achieve social and environmental improvements through the application of capital in the form of social investment and loans. A four-page summary think-piece and a full copy of the report are available from the ASB Community Trust website.
/communitycentre/news/national/sociallending.htm
New Zealand workplaces can now introduce voluntary payroll giving schemes to enable employees to receive immediate tax credits on donations to approved organisations. Payroll giving is an easy way for employees to support good causes as it enables donations to go directly from a person's pay to a chosen community organisation. Payroll giving will be administered through the PAYE tax system, so people whose employers sign up for the scheme will receive the tax benefits of their donations each payday, without having to present donation receipts or wait to claim at the end of a tax year.
/communitycentre/news/national/payegiving.htm
Originating in 2004, Skate4Cancer is a not for profit grassroots organization that raises awareness of cancer, primarily targeting a youth demographic. They operate by skateboarding the width or length of a country (whichever is longest) in order to draw attention to their cause. Once that is accomplished, they promote a variety of campaigns that focus on healthy and preventative lifestyles ranging from self-breast examinations to healthy eating. After covering the majority of North America, Skate4Cancer have decided to take on the world. Beginning in early January, they’re skating from Auckland to Dunedin. That means skateboarding the entire distance between the two cities, along the winding New Zealand roads. To check on the Skate4Cancer team's progress, follow the daily blog.
/communitycentre/news/national/skate4cancer.htm
Following November's national Community-Government Forum, the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector Tariana Turia has decided to establish a new Steering Group (comprising both government and community and voluntary sector members) to lead the development of the Relationship Agreement. The Minister will seek approval from Cabinet for the appointment of the Steering Group members. The proposed Relationship Agreement will replace the 2001 'Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationship'. The Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector (OCVS) is now accepting nominations of people from the community and voluntary sector that meet the criteria to sit within this group. The Terms of Reference for the Steering Group including composition of the group and a nomination form are online. Nominations close 10 February 2010.
/communitycentre/news/national/relationshipagreement.htm
A new survey of more than 900 US nonprofit leaders reveals a major crisis among charitable organizations: they’re doing an inadequate job of connecting with their key audiences and characterize their primary messages – intended to motivate donors, volunteers and advocacy – as poorly targeted, difficult to remember and uninspiring. “Nonprofit marketers say their key messages are failing to connect with the people who need to hear them and that is a serious problem,” says Nancy Schwartz, president of Nancy Schwartz & Company and blogger at Getting Attention. “The way nonprofits talk about themselves to the public is a core competency critical to any organization’s success. The bad news is that most nonprofits admittedly are doing a very poor job, despite a great deal of effort. The good news is that fixing the problem is highly do-able and promises vastly greater success than they are experiencing now.”
/communitycentre/news/national/schwartzsurvey.htm
Latest community news, events, jobs and ads are online at:www.community.net.nz/communitycentre/news.
The Tainui Waka Cultural Trust ("TWCT") is a Charitable Trust based in the Tainui Waka region. The principal activity of the TWCT is to enhance participation and excellence in Tainui Waka Māori Performing Arts and associated Māori cultural art forms.
http://www.tainuihaka.org.nz/
FairSay provides advice, support and training for campaigning (advocacy) organisations on best practice e-campaigning. The website features numerous free tools and resources to assist with e-campaigning.
http://fairsay.com/
Econation is New Zealand’s independent source of information and education about environmental sustainability. Econation exists to promote the concept of sustainability, to inform people about sustainability in such a way that they can develop a plan of action for implementing sustainable practices in their lives.
http://www.econation.co.nz
The Stellar Trust Inc was established by the Rotary Club of Auckland East to address the demand side of the effects on society of methamphetamine – the drug “P”. The main objective of the trust is to raise money to fund programmes that will in time lead to a major reduction in the usage of P, particularly by younger people.
http://www.stellartrust.co.nz/
NETwork Interventions provides leading-edge consultation services, in the form of Verbal Behaviour, for individuals with language delays and challenging behaviours that interfere with learning, socialising and family life. Based in the UK, NETwork Interventions also provides service to families and intensive in-house training for therapists and supervisors in New Zealand.
http://www.networkinterventions.com
A resource for parents, students, educators, education policymakers, health care providers, children's advocates, and all others who are concerned with the safety and well-being of children.
http://nospank.net/
Information, resources and FAQs about New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), its history and NZSL as an official language. Also has information about New Zealand Sign Language Week.
http://www.nzsign.co.nz/
The Auckland Refugee Community Coalition (ARCC) advocates refugee community voices and promotes sustainable integrated refugee resettlement programmes.
http://www.aucklandrefugee.org.nz/
Bringing together public, private and community partners to create new solutions to New Zealand’s most pressing social needs.
http://www.nzcsi.org/
Brain Injury New Zealand (BIANZ) represents the regional Brain Injury Associations around New Zealand. These regional associations provide education, advocacy, support and information to any person with a brain injury and their families and carers.
http://brain-injury.org.nz/
Waikato Head Injury Society assists clients and families with advice, counselling and support during and after admission to hospital, through rehabilitation, short or long term. Services are free to anyone who needs help.
http://whis.nzl.org/
The Acorn Foundation is a community foundation and registered Charitable Trust established to encourage people to leave a gift in their will to benefit the local community. People can also make gifts during their lifetime to build up their fund and maximise the tax rebates now available.
http://www.acornfoundation.co.nz/
Free and independent advocacy service for ACC claimants who cannot afford to hire the services of a lawyer. The Trust provides a full range of advocacy services from consideration of issues on cover through advocacy at reviews service the whole of the Southland region (and parts of Central Otago).
http://www.southacctrust.org.nz/
START: Timataia te mahu-oranga is a specialist NGO social service that has significant experience in the field of sexual abuse recovery work with child, youth and adult victims of sexual crime. START provides free counselling services, alongside specific whānau support.
http://www.starthealing.org/
Community Law Canterbury is a Community Law Centre working to reduce and remove barriers to the law. Community Law Canterbury provides quality, free legal help to people who face barriers in accessing justice.
http://www.canlaw.org.nz/
The Nelson Rape and Sexual Abuse Network offers free support, counselling and education for women, children and whānau of those affected by rape and/or sexual abuse. The network offers a 24/7 pager crisis telephone contact service and also presents the PASS (Personal Action for Sexual Safety) programme educational sessions at secondary schools in the Nelson/Tasman region.
http://www.nelsonrapecrisis.org.nz/
Acclaim Otago (Inc) is a support group for injured people and their families. They also represent ACC claimants on the ACC Consumer Outlook Group (COG) - the focus group set up by ACC to ensure consumers have a voice.
http://www.acclaimotago.org/
Wellington Rape Crisis is a Support Centre for survivors of rape and sexual abuse, their families, friends and whānau.
http://www.wellingtonrapecrisis.org.nz/
Serving the needs of ethnic migrant and refugee women in New Zealand. The focal point of operations is a 24-hour Crisis Call Service that provides a prompt, direct response to domestic violence. The Centre also provides advocacy and social outreach work in a safe and culturally appropriate environment, advocating on women’s issues, making referrals and working for social change.
http://www.shakti.org.nz/womencentre.html
Shakti Community Council Inc. assists migrant and refugee families to integrate harmoniously into New Zealand society and economy, taking in context the importance of acknowledging and operating in a multi-lingual and culturally appropriate environment. Services include a 24-hour domestic violence intervention service and other social services to migrant and refugee families.
http://www.shakti.org.nz/
You'll find these and more links at:www.community.net.nz/links.
These Events are coming up in the next few weeks. Find details at: www.community.net.nz/communitycentre/events.
These Training events are coming up in the next few weeks. Find details at: www.community.net.nz/communitycentre/training.
A smartphone is a tiny Internet-enabled computer we carry with us all the time. That changes how we approach our world.
Take a computer that handles email and web browsing, runs games and useful software and make it small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
Now add GPS and maps, a camera (still and video), and make it all work on both wireless and phone networks. Add in the ability to make phonecalls and do text messaging. Now you have a Smartphone, such as an iPhone or a BlackBerry.
According to one set of research, more than 90% of smartphones in New Zealand are iPhones.
Really, the most important thing to grasp about a smartphone is that it's a computer with Internet that can do phonecalls and SMS. If you think of it first and foremost as a phone you'll almost certainly miss the point.
A smartphone is small enough to keep in a pocket — that means you'll probably have it with you at all times: while shopping, at lunch, at parties, at work, in the gym, at the movies, walking the kids to school.
It has a web browser that works, along with a screen you can not only see, but zoom in on, and it has access to the Internet anywhere you can get a signal.
A device that you have with you all the time, and that makes a good connection to the Internet, means that a whole new world opens up.
Muum, what's a Capybara? Well, according to Wikipedia, it's the largest living rodent in the world…
Muum, what's a Capybara?
Well, according to Wikipedia, it's the largest living rodent in the world…
Fancy seeing a movie? Sure, let me check what's on nearby and what the reviews are like.
Fancy seeing a movie?
Sure, let me check what's on nearby and what the reviews are like.
Well, the blue dot on Google Maps shows us moving away from our destination. I think we need to take that other road we passed.
It says on this website that the last railroad spike on the North Island main trunk line was driven in at Manganuioteao by Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward on 6 November 1908.
The Internet has given us a whole new world of fact and fabrication. But for as long as it streams in to a computer sitting on our desk, it's still an arm's length, or an hour's drive, away.
Smart phones bring the Internet into our pocket and hands. Now we walk around with it. If we allow it to, the phone even knows where we are and what the time is. That changes everything.
More and more people use handheld devices such as smartphones, accessing the Internet while they're away from their desks. What could this mean for the information you provide, and how you provide it?
Picture people visiting your website. Really picture them: age, gender, ethnicity, the works.
I'd take bets that when you did that you pictured them sitting down. They were probably at a desk, or maybe using a laptop while sitting on a couch.
We all do it. We assume that our visitors are static, sitting down, at a computer.
It underlies all our assumptions about what information we'll provide via the Internet, and how we provide it.
When I was a kid we had a phone at our house. There was one single phone, wired into the wall in the hallway. To make or answer a call you had to go into the hall and stand within a few feet of the phone base.
As a young adult I transitioned to a cordless phone that I could use in any room in the house. What freedom!
Then I got a cellphone, and miracle of miracles, I could make a phonecall when I was out and about.
Now nearly everyone has a cellphone. We think nothing of checking where a family member is, calling home to see what's needed at the supermarket, sending text messages to friends to say we're running late for a coffee meeting.
Cellphones have given us freedom and convenience.
When we provide information over the Internet most of us are still thinking 'landline'.
We assume, quite unconsciously, that the 'user', the 'visitor', will be sitting at a computer 'wired' into the wall. The computer, even if part of a wireless network, will be in a house or office. The user will have to make a special effort to use the laptop or desktop machine — at the very least, they'll have to sit down.
It's not true any more. Smartphones, 'cellphones with Internet', are becoming increasingly popular. [See: Fact and fiction in the palm of your hand.]
This means that people are increasingly using the Internet while on the move.
What's more, smart phones include applications — bits of software that do specific things, such as:
If people want information 'right here, right now' what can your organisation provide them with?
Ask smartphone owners what they want from you? Ask around to see who has smartphones — it's not just 'trendy geeks'. Even my computer-phobic hairdresser has an iPhone she loves.
Smartphones are changing how we go about our daily lives, in the way that cellphones have changed everything.
We need to start thinking what that means for what we do.
Panui tips contributed by Miraz Jordan, http://knowit.co.nz . Need help or advice about the Internet? Contact Miraz.
Past Website tips are all available on CommunityNet Aotearoa.
In January 2010 there were 58,114 visits (December 2009 53,079).
Last month, 45 new community items were published.
Send in your free community notice or advertisement at:
www.community.net.nz/about/submit.
There were 8,960 files downloaded (December 2009 9,716). The most popular file download in January was the Sample Board Policies section of the Governance and Management How-to Guide (1,050 downloads). In December this was also the Sample Board Policies section of the Governance and Management How-to Guide (813 downloads).
Find quarterly CommunityNet statistics at:www.community.net.nz/about/website/statistics.htm.
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Nick Stanley, Web Content Writer.
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