About the programme
What is Welcoming Communities and why is it needed?
Welcoming Communities is a settlement programme that supports local councils and their communities to create welcoming and inclusive environments for newcomers.
The programme creates communities where everyone can belong, participate, contribute and thrive. It increases social engagement and connections and grows inclusion. Ultimately, generating economic, social, civic and cultural benefits for the community.
Who are newcomers?
Recent migrants, former refugees and international students. Newcomers are also New Zealanders returning home or moving from other parts of the country.
How is the Welcoming Communities programme funded?
New councils (those joined after 2020) receive a combination of financial and non-financial support from Immigration New Zealand (INZ) to implement the programme.
Grant funding is for three years and provided by the Ministry of Business innovation and Employment (MBIE) to appoint a coordinator tasked with collaborating with the community and stakeholders to develop a ‘Welcoming Plan’.
What are the benefits of this programme?
The Welcoming Communities programme implementation generates social, economic, civic and cultural benefits for the community and Aotearoa, New Zealand. It does this by:
- Building an economic advantage to attract, support and retain newcomers;
- Growing social inclusion through Welcoming Plan activities which increase social engagement and build connections;
- Proactively fostering an environment where everyone can be included;
- Building community resilience to respond to significant events such as natural disasters;
- Enhancing trust so that newcomers feel confident to raise unfair or biased behaviour, pressure or exploitation;
- The programme supports councils to build on and strengthen existing relationships and initiatives that welcome newcomers as well as identifying and creating new ones.
What can I do to support newcomers?
Moving and re-establishing yourself in a new community can be challenging. Here are some practical ways to welcome newcomers to our city:
- Start a conversation and share your knowledge;
- Help our newcomers find places they need and link them to local services;
- Connect them with community groups and activities;
- Introduce to others and help them understand Kiwi culture and language;
- Keep in touch to see how they’re doing.
How do I join the programme if I am a newcomer?
For further information about Welcoming Communities, please contact Rotorua Lakes Council.