Southern Regional Plan 2007/2008
Foreword from the Regional Commissioner for Social Development
Welcome to the 2007/2008 Southern Regional Plan. The Plan provides a picture of who we are, what we are trying to achieve and outlines what we are doing to promote social development.
We will be working hard this year to improve collaboration at all levels with our partners and particularly within the government and local government sectors. Over the coming year, our service lines along with other government agencies will work towards the Government’s priorities for the next decade and identify the areas of work that we all believe will make a difference.
Our challenge is to take the opportunities that present themselves and focus on the solutions that we, as individuals, families and whānau, in collaboration with our partners in government agencies, councils, non-government organisations, community groups, iwi and as a region, can bring.
Collaboration on its own is not a goal, but a way of aligning our available resources to address the issues that our region faces. We have identified problems for some young people who are not reaching their potential, and some families who are under pressure. Our challenge is to apply our resources to these areas where they will be most effective.
Maximising the potential of young people by working on improvements to education and training, addressing mental health issues and helping them transition from school into a positive future, will be our focus.
We want to help families facing pressure by raising income levels, building skills for life and employment and working towards reducing family violence. We also need to increase our involvement in the development of Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago Districts where sustained growth is placing pressure on social services, and where the labour market is not currently meeting skill and labour demands.
As I said, our challenge is to take the opportunities and find solutions. We have to work together to do that, because what we do, and our responsibilities, touch the lives of everyone in the region in one way or another.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all of the partners that we have worked with over the last year, and to thank our staff for their outstanding contributions. Working together we have a great opportunity to move forward and make a difference in our communities.
John Allen
Regional Commissioner for Social Development
