East Coast Regional Plan 2006/2007
Foreword from the Regional Commissioner for Social Development
This is the first Ministry of Social Development Plan for the East Coast region. Previous plans focused on Work and Income aspects as they related to clients in receipt of income support.
This has a wider scope, encompassing the total Ministry presence in the region. It draws together the work of all our business units to present a coherent overview of the full range of activities in our region.
In developing the Plan we have started with the Government’s goals, especially those for the social sector. These are reflected in our Statement of Intent Outcomes Framework, and to an extent are also mirrored in the Long Term Council Community Plans of our local councils. Into these conceptual frameworks we have woven the feedback we have gleaned from our staff, our clients and our community stakeholders.
So what does this all mean?
Our region stands out as having high levels of unemployment, particularly for young people. The region is also characterised by having low household incomes, household overcrowding and some serious health issues affecting life expectancy such as obesity and diabetes. These adverse factors often coincide in our smaller remote communities where opportunities for work are limited and where there are pockets of real disadvantage.
Taking all of this into account, we recognise that there needs to be a clear focus on finding ways to support young people into sustainable employment. Equally we need to work alongside schools and health services providers to ensure that all young people have the opportunity to gain employment.
The region is also committed to encouraging and supporting those clients facing health and disability barriers to participate in the workforce. To be successful in this we need to draw on expertise available in the community to derive individual solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of clients. Quite simply, we cannot achieve these sorts of social development outcomes on our own and will need to work collaboratively with all those in the social services sector.
Our senior citizens are important. They anchor our communities by fulfilling a critical leadership and support role, particularly as mentors and kaumatua, and we need to support them to remain active in their communities because it is the right thing to do.
Ultimately any success will rest on the foundation of the skill, professionalism, passion and goodwill of our frontline staff and their managers. Each day Work and Income, StudyLink, Family and Community Services, Benefit Integrity Services, Senior Services and Ministry of Youth Development staff interact with hundreds of citizens on a one-on-one basis. This is where we can make a positive difference to people’s lives and the wellbeing of our communities. We all share a commitment to learn, to improve and to achieve a high standard of service delivery. By working together in a co-ordinated way, we are more likely to be able to meet client needs.
We are a provincial and largely rural region where it remains important to be able to talk face to face with people, to listen and to respond in a practical way. Despite having some adverse indicators of wellbeing, we live in a wonderful region whose wealth rests in the land and the indomitable qualities of its people.
Lindsay Scott
Regional Commissioner for Social Development
