Northland Regional Plan 2007/2008
Foreword from the Regional Commissioner for Social Development
E ngā mana
E ngā reo
E ngā tini karanga maha
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā rā tātou katoa.
Welcome to the Ministry of Social Development’s Northland Regional Plan for 2007/2008.
Our Plan reflects the strong relationships we have built both internally and externally. Over the last year our various service lines have collaborated to develop a shared vision and find better ways to work together in Northland. Our merger with Child, Youth and Family has enabled us to explore how to provide a better service to our joint clients. Over the coming year one of our aims is to enhance the ‘single face’ of the Ministry in Northland.
Our regional social indicators, particularly for Māori, continue to concern us. Having said that, our relationships with other agencies are creating opportunities to jointly tackle the many social issues we face in Northland. We will be championing the Government’s priority of Families - Young and Old in the Northland Intersectoral Forum. We are the lead agency for eliminating family violence, giving our children the best start in life, and promoting positive ageing. By working together we can bring our many skills and resources together to provide for the needs of the most vulnerable people in our communities.
We will also support other agencies in addressing the Government’s priorities of Economic Transformation and strengthening our National Identity. Our main contribution to economic development occurs in two ways. The first is working with local businesses to source people to meet their labour demands. This can include training and skill development. The second area is working with community organisations to develop sustainable enterprises and job opportunities.
The Ministry continues to undergo many changes.
The next few years offer some exciting challenges as we strengthen our partnerships with stakeholders, and strive to give our various clients the best service possible. With reducing levels of unemployment, we now find that we are assisting a different group of people. Many face significant barriers in their search for employment or participation in their community. Irrespective of whether we are working at the individual, family or community level we endeavour to have a positive impact on those individuals that we work with.
The aim of this Plan is to show you what we are trying to achieve in our region and how we can work together. It also provides me with an opportunity to acknowledge our staff, and the many agency and community groups we work with, for their continued commitment.
We look forward to working with you in creating a better Northland.
E ngā karanga maha o Te Taitokerau
Maranga ake r ki ngā mahi kei mua i a tātou mō
tēnei tau
Kia puawai, kia whakaotia i runga i te whakaaro kotahi
Kia hoe ngatahi tātou hei oranga mō te Taitokerau.
Marama Wiki
Regional Commissioner for Social Development
