Southern Regional Plan 2006/2007
Foreword from the Regional Commissioner for Social Development
Welcome to the 2006/2007 Southern Regional Plan. We have published this plan to let you know who we are and what we are trying to achieve. Our success will depend on our ability to work in partnership with others - government agencies, local government organisations, community agencies and groups and non-governmental organisations - as well as with families and individuals. We cannot achieve our goals alone and I hope that through understanding our work you will find opportunities for us to work together either now, or in the future.
Our work includes all aspects of social development; the Ministry provides social policy advice to the Government, social services to more than 1 million New Zealanders and we work in partnership with communities to help maximise regional development and employment opportunities. With our broad span of responsibilities, we affect the lives of everyone within the region either directly or indirectly.
At this time last year, our planning had very much a Work and Income and employment focus. As my role has broadened from a Work and Income focus to a social development focus and as we have developed the Ministry’s regional presence, the plan has become much more about the co-ordinated work of all of the Ministry’s business units that deliver services to the people and communities in the Southern region.
This plan is about people, families and communities and most of all, working together. We set out to address our challenges and the opportunities for action that they present through:
- leading social development - working with other organisations, developing our services, understanding complex social issues and developing local responses and programmes
- helping our children, young people and families to succeed - giving our children a great start, supporting families, getting young people involved and supporting young people in transition
- improving employment opportunities for our working-age people – getting them in to work, making work pay and developing the labour market
- enhancing the wellbeing of older people - encouraging participation, whether it be in the workforce or in the community and voluntary sector and through the provision and availability of services
- partnering with our communities - to strengthen and support community organisations through consultation, by providing information and resources and through funding.
I would like to thank all of the community groups, providers and the many organisations that we work with to achieve our goals. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our staff for their extensive contribution throughout the last year. You have all contributed to Southern’s achievements through your knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm.
John Allen
Regional Commissioner for Social Development
