Welcoming communities to the Whau

Publish Date : 31 Jan 2025
Welcoming Communities Whau

The Whau Local Board area welcomes many new residents year-round, including migrants, refugees and international students.

This can be a daunting and challenging time in the lives of these new community members. To help make the transition easier, the local board adopted a new Welcoming Plan at its December business meeting.

This is part of the commitment to the Welcoming Communities Programme - an international programme led in Aotearoa by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to assist councils and their communities to create more welcoming and inclusive environments for newcomers to their area.

Chair Kay Thomas says that adopting the plan is a way of formalising many different projects and programmes that recognise the incredible ethnic diversity of the Whau.

“Creating an inclusive and welcoming environment is an integral part of our work, and we’re proud to formalise our plans and intentions in the newly adopted Welcoming Whau Plan.

“Ensuring all new migrants can experience a sense of belonging is vital to encouraging full participation in the economic, civic and cultural life of our community, in turn strengthening the social fabric of community as a whole. 
“With the adoption of the plan now agreed, the next step is to seek accreditation as a Committed Welcoming Community, which will internationally recognise our commitment to fostering the Whau as a great place to be.”

The Whau Local Board has participated in the Welcoming Communities programme since March 2023, following a decision to join in August 2022, alongside four other local boards – Kaipātiki, Albert-Eden, Puketāpapa and Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Boards.

The Welcoming Communities programme forms part of the wider Welcoming International programme, a coalition of initiatives across seven countries.

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