Kia ora koutou,
Happy New Year for 2021! I hope you’ve had a restful break and are feeling recharged and ready to get back into your work supporting our community.
We are back in action here at CSC and this year we are excited to reach our 50th anniversary! We will celebrate later in the year – and there’s a new section in Flax so you can have a peek into our past.
It’s a milestone worth celebrating — 50 years of connecting and advocating for community organisations in Palmerston North. Back in the late 1960s, during that key decade of social change, community leaders were trying to find solutions to community and social issues. They recognised that having a shared voice and working together across the community sector would enable all the social services to better support our local community and improve social well-being. PNCSC was born out of these discussions in 1971.
Many people were involved in the formation of PNCSC, but I want to acknowledge two individuals here: City Councillor Joyce Dunmore, and social welfare advocate and family counsellor Mervyn Hancock (who was later an elected City Councillor). Joyce and Mervyn actively sought innovative ways to support people with social welfare issues – including advising people living in unsuitable housing (already an issue back then!).
They were both instrumental in what we now call ‘community development’, and in supporting the new Community Services Council. Mervyn Hancock’s role in developing the field of social work in Aotearoa, and his advocacy on community issues, was of course recognised with the naming of Hancock Community House in 2012.
It’s timely to consider the important role our City Councillors play in shaping our community, as we have an opportunity to choose a new City Councillor in February’s by-election. PNCSC is hosting a morning tea on Thursday 4th February. You are welcome to come along and chat to the candidates to find out who will best represent you.
Ehara taki toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.
Success is not achieved through the work of one, but through the work of many.
Ngā mihi
Emma
Emma Ochei
Manahautū | General Manager
Palmerston North Community Services Council
Te Rūnanga Ratonga ā-Hapori o Papaioea
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NĀ NGĀ PŪRANGA
FROM THE ARCHIVES
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In 2021 PNCSC are celebrating 50 years! Throughout the year we will highlight some interesting things from our archives—both from previous editions of Flax and from the minutes of CSC Members' Meetings. So to start, we thought we'd go right back to the beginning...
In July 1971, the City Council's Town Planner sent this letter to social service agencies, acknowledging the increasing pressures the sector faced, and inviting groups to attend a meeting to discuss "further developments in promoting the quality of life in the City." The outcome of that meeting ultimately lead to the formation of the Community Services Council later that year as a forum to connect community organisations.
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NGĀ MIHI NĀ TŌ TĀTOU MEMA O TE PAREMATA
UPDATE FROM OUR MP
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Kia orana,
I hope you had a relaxing break over Christmas and the New Year!
My office is open for business, office hours: 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday. We are located at 53 Queen Street.
Phone: 06 356 5958
Email: Palmerston.north@parliament.govt.nz.
A vibrant and strong community sector is vital to the health and wellbeing of our community and I’m looking forward to meeting many of you during the year ahead. Please get in touch with my office if you would like to arrange a visit. Together we can make the year ahead a positive one! |
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Kia manuia,
Tangi
Tangi Utikere MP
Member of Parliament for Palmerston North
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NGĀ WHAKANGUNGU
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
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Upcoming PNCSC Training
We have a number of trainings planned for the next few months, including workshops on:
- Helping people find housing
- Community Sector Orientation for people who are new to community work
- 'Rights & Rules' legal education series
- De-escalation
More information will be sent out as dates and venues are confirmed, or email Tim if you would like to express your interest in any of these.
As always, we are interested in what training topics you would like to see in 2021. Please feel free to send your suggestions to Tim also.
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Blueprint for Learning — Mental Health Workshop: MH 101
Fielding — Tuesday 26 January | Fielding Golf Club
Palmerston North — Monday 15 March | Distinction Hotel
Blueprint for Learning has funding through the Ministry of Health to facilitate MH101 workshops for frontline government agency staff, social services staff, and members of the community who are not trained in mental health or addiction. Staff in these organisations are eligible to attend these free workshops if they are likely to come into regular contact with individuals experiencing mental distress in their day to day work. We are able to have up to five staff members from an organisation attend each workshop/webinar.
After MH101® you will:
- recognise signs of positive mental health and of mental health challenges
- use Te Whare Tapa Whā to support mental wellbeing
- relate to what people with mental health challenges are experiencing
- respond supportively to mental distress
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Morning and afternoon tea are provided, please bring or purchase your own lunch.
MH101 workshops and webinars are also available for organisations whose staff meet the criteria above. Workshops have a minimum of 15 and maximum of 25 participants and can be run at your venue, or we can source a venue for you. Please be in touch if you would like further information.
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Tonic Conference — Stronger Together: Connection, Collaboration, Diversity
20 – 21 May 2021 | Bay Park Arena Suites, Tauranga
Early bird ticket $390 per person, Standard Registration $435 per person
To register your interest email gillian@exult.co.nz or call 07 571 8819
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If you are thinking about attending this year's Tonic Conference, and are interested in exploring options for travel and accommodation with others from Palmerston North, let CSC know by email and we will endeavour to put people in touch with each other as this may help reduce costs.
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Community Services Council
Morning Tea with City Council Candidates
Join us on Thursday 4 February at 10:30am-12pm for morning tea with candidates standing in the by-election for PNCC. This will be an informal event with brief introductions, and then an opportunity for you to meet the candidates and discuss issues important to you and your organisations. This is an important opportunity to put the community sector front and centre of candidate's minds.
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PNCSC Members' Meeting
Our first Members' Meeting for the year will be on February 11th, at the different time of 10am at Hancock Community House. This will be an informal morning tea where you and your team can catch up with other members as the year gets underway.
Meetings for the rest of the year are at 12pm on Thursdays 8 April, 10 June, 12 August, 14 October, and 9 December.
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Alliance Française Palmerston North
School holiday programme for children – Discover and explore French-speaking cultures from Tuesday 26th January to Friday 5th February, 8.30 am to 3 pm every day. Download flyer.
Intensive holiday programme for adults – A crash course to learn the basics of the French language from Tuesday 26th January to Thursday 4th February, 8 evenings from 6 to 8 pm. Download flyer.
Free literacy classes for francophones – all ages, all year round.
New classes for all ages and levels starting soon! Download flyer.
French Film Night Peau d’âne (Donkey Skin or Once upon a Time), the cult movie by Jacques Demy in its restored splendour with Catherine Deneuve and Jean Marais at the Globe Theatre on Friday 29th January from 7.30pm, screening at 8pm – free entry, donations welcome.
Nga mihi nui o te tau hou ki a koutou katoa
Bonne et heureuse année 2021 à vous tous !
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Amitabha Buddhist Centre
Free talk: Choose Happiness
Wednesday 10 February, 7-8.30pm to start our weekly drop in meditation class at Amitabha Buddhist Centre with Birgit Saunders. This free talk is followed by a four week 'learn to meditate' course, called: a Meditation Toolkit on 17, 24 of February and 3, 10 of March.
Have you ever wondered what happiness is and where it comes from? If happiness is a choice then why is it so hard to be and remain happy even for one day? If we train our mind through meditation to become peaceful we will be happy all the time, even in the most difficult conditions. But if our mind is not peaceful, even if we have the best external conditions we will not be happy.
In this talk Birgit will introduce meditation as a way to find true happiness and guide a meditation to help us relax and get in touch with the natural stillness of our mind. Learn how to choose happiness in your life. Everyone welcome! Bring your friends and family; help them deal better with the stress of their daily life.
More Info: www.meditateinpalmerstonnorth.org
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KAWEPŪRONGO ME PĀNUI
NEWS & NOTICES
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Reminder: Cheques to be phased out soon!
As you are most likely aware, all the major banks are phasing out cheques by the middle of this year. If your organisation regularly uses cheques to make payments, or receives donations in the form of cheques, you will want to consider what processes you can put in place to ease this change. This means getting in touch with regular donors, or talking to your bank to ensure you can still access your funds efficiently — especially for smaller organisations who may not have online banking with the ability to complete two-person authorisation.
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UCOL (Palmerston North Campus) is taking registrations for the Bachelor of Social Services. This programme will provide you with specialist knowledge and skills to gain employment in a variety of areas such as community/social services worker, disability support advocate/worker, mental health advocate/support worker, navigator or case manager.
Working with people is a core component of this programme and this course will give you an understanding of how social and community dynamics can impact on individuals, families and groups of people. The programme will provide you with learning opportunities that include face to face, simulation/role play, group work and work experience. At the end of the programme you will have the confidence to work in the community to create change.
You can do the programme part or full time and if you have worked in social services you may be able to gain a recognition of prior experience for some papers.
Please contact Kim Fry, Programme Leader - Social Services, if you are interested.
Email: k.fry@ucol.ac.nz
Phone: 06 952 7001 extn.70656
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Manawatu People’s Radio, MPR, is back on deck (excuse the pun) with our normal 9-6 opening hours as of 11th January. We warmly invite you to come and chat to us about making content whether its is a notice, a community interview or a weekly programme.
Our services come at no cost and represent a unique opportunity to reach a wide audience, gain new skills, and have a diverse new platform to speak from.
Contact content coordinator Hugh Dingwall on hugh@mpr.nz or 06 357 9340 for more information. We will also have a stall at the upcoming Festival of Cultures taking place in the square on Saturday 27th February.
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Parentline Manawatū
Upcoming Services for Parents/Caregivers in Term One:
- Parenting Through Separation
- Triple P Teen
- Great Fathering
- TPDG - Dealing With Disobedience
- TPDG - Managing Fighting and Aggression
- TPDG - Developing Good Bedtime Routines
- TPDG - Hassle-free Shopping
Information on our services available on our website:
parentlinemanawatu.org.nz or on our Facebook
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Volunteer Central
Welcome 2021 & Let's get to business!
2021 has come and Volunteer Central hit the ground running! We are looking for organisations keen to collaborate on some of our initiatives, so get in touch with us if you want to participate.
Download flyer here.
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Te Whare o Ngā Wāhine
Palmerston North Women’s Centre
and
Te Hā o Hine-ahu-one
Palmerston North Women’s Health Collective
53 Waldegrave St, Palmerston North
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Information / resources, cervical smears, pregnancy tests, condoms, osteopath, naturopath / herbalist / massage / reflexology, noticeboards, women’s health information, library, lounge and small and larger meeting rooms that can be booked, use of kitchen facilities, space for workshops and courses for women, and pātaka kai (community pantry).
Contact
Women's Health Collective: 06 357 0314 | palmerstonwomenscentre@gmail.com
Women's Centre: 0220 464 268 | pnwhc@xtra.co.nz
Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm
Download poster
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Digits Charitable Trust
Digits wishes everyone a happy new year and we are looking forward to 2021.
It's exciting that the Digits hub reopens Tuesday 26th January and you can find our schedule on the Digits website. We are excited to welcome new volunteers who will be providing advice to citizens who need help with technology issues or wanting to learn something about technology.
This year one of our goals is to provide free workshops covering different topics... keep reading.
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TŪRANGA WĀTEA ME MAHI TŪAO
VACANCIES & VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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Te Aroha Noa Community Services
Family/Whānau Development Senior Practitioner
(Social Worker)
As an innovative community development organisation we require a Senior Practitioner to practice and lead our whānau social work team.
This fixed term position is to provide cover due to parental leave.
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Manawatū PARS
Volunteers Needed!
We require volunteers:
- Drivers
- Prison Visitors
- Prison Programmes
- Support People
We are a society working in the Manawatū to support those who have been affected by the justice system and assist in the reintegration into the community. We support both offender and family/whānau.
If interested please phone for more information or come and see us between 10am-3pm Monday to Friday.
Hancock Community House
77 King Street, Palmerston North
Phone: 06 357 9218 or 0800 727 700
Email: Regional@manawatupars.org.nz
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Lottery COVID-19 Community Wellbeing Fund | DIA
The Lottery COVID-19 Community Wellbeing Fund is a new $40 million Lottery fund that has been established to support hapū, iwi and communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fund will provide one-off grants for community or social initiatives that increase the strength and resilience of communities that are responding to the impacts of COVID-19. More information on Community Matters website.
COVID-19 Relief Fund | Palmerston North City Council
The fund assists community groups to survive the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. More information at available here.
Community Development Emergency Grants | PNCSC (on behalf of PNCC)
Community groups in Palmerston North facing unexpected costs for can apply for the Emergency Grant, which can be used for the same expenses as the Community Development Small Grants. The Community Services Council administers this fund on behalf of PNCC, so please get in touch with us for further information.
Community Capability and Resilience Fund | Ministry of Social Development
The Community Capability and Resilience Fund (CCRF) is a fund available to community groups for initiatives that support the rebuild and recovery from COVID-19. The $36 million fund is available from 1 August 2020 to support communities over the next two years. More information here.
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