Regional Commissioner's foreword

Welcome to the Ministry of Social Development’s 2009/2010 Regional Plan for the Taranaki, King Country and Wanganui Region.

We know that by supporting people through tough times we help make them stronger and support them to be independent. This in turn helps build strong families whose contributions can create robust economies and stronger communities. We are committed to helping those in need gain financial independence and create nurturing homes.

Employment, helping young people to thrive, keeping kids safe and ensuring value for money are our four key priorities for the coming year.

In our region employment is a key driver of success and we have achieved significant reductions in regional unemployment in recent years. However, the current economic climate is influencing our local economy. For many people, we are the face of employment - and hope - especially now. The new environment requires new thinking, but our region has a track record for innovation and it is well positioned to respond.

For every example of a recessional impact, there is a positive story to tell. Where some employers are downsizing, others are recruiting. This plan outlines the work we will do to help employers retain and upskill their employees. If that isn’t possible, our priority will be to get people back into work - we will seize every job opportunity to make this happen.

We will keep helping those in need and those who are vulnerable, such as the very young and older people. We will enhance our focus on under two-year-olds. We will also continue to help young people into education, training or employment. This includes building on the excellent progress we’ve made with our partners to curb youth unemployment. Our initiatives will help young people to achieve the qualifications and skills required in a changing economy; and encourage them to be involved in positive activities.

There is no question our economic situation will demand much of us in the coming year. But we are a resilient region and remain optimistic we can prepare for the economic upturn.

On behalf of the Ministry, I’d like to thank all the Ministry’s staff in the Taranaki, King Country and Wanganui Region, as well as the community, non-government and government groups working with us. It is our combined efforts that help us to make a real difference in the lives of people in our region.

Gloria Campbell
Regional Commissioner
for Social Development