Resourcing and Healing the Heart:
The Community
Community Development and Coordination:
What I loved most about the role of Albany Community Coordinator was the ability to create community networks that worked together for common goals such as the Upper Harbour Community Network. Our two big projects prior to me leaving this role was:
Coordinating Collaborative Action by combining the Upper Harbour Community Network and the Upper Harbour Newcomers Network to workshop with a common focus to identify opportunities and gaps and then to create shared initiatives addressing the common focus and opportunity.
Upper Harbour Strategy Team was created in conversation with Gavin Gunston from Hobsonville Community Trust amidst changes in coordination and funding of community groups with Council’s Empowered Communities Approach. We met regularly with local community coordinators, together with a Council and Local Board reps to strategise on opportunities and needs to work together and share resources.
Other networks included the Upper Harbour Community Gardens, Positive Aging, Family Violence Prevention Network, Child Focus Group and Youth Cyber Safety.
Community Events and Programmes:
Summer Fun 2014 & 2015 – coordinate and facilitate children’s, youth and senior’s events throughout the summer that include partnering with local community organisations such as: Albany Library, Bays Youth Community Trust, Greenhithe Community Trust, OnBoard Skate Art Barnz, Living Life in Colour, local schools and Birkenhead Leisure Centre. We introduced community music therapy to create a sense of connection and belonging in the multi-cultural communities we were in.
Our Amazing Place – coordinate and collaborate with key community leaders and organisations to create a community treasure hunt that showcases local parks, facilities, organisations and businesses, providing opportunities for fun with the community so families are more resourced and connected. Any community needs are highlighted to be worked through in the community networks and at the Local Board.
Community Programmes – preschool, afterschool and senior’s programmes developed and collaborated with at the Albany Community House.
Youth Work & Group Facilitation include facilitating the Go Girl Programme for Intermediate Schools and developing and facilitating the It’s All About Me Holiday workshops for teen girls. These interactive programmes gave the girls opportunities to share and connect with each other in a non-judgemental environment, where they learnt new skills and raised awareness about communication, boundaries, assertiveness, personal identity, body image, self-care and self-defence.
In high school I was inspired to be the first self-defence instructor teaching in schools when I discovered that Anita Roberts was already doing this. I trained under Anita and became her first SafeTeen Change Agent teaching sexual assault prevention in high schools, universities, night school, and in local business for roughly 5 years. SafeTeen is now being taught in several countries and reaching over 25,000 people a year!
Community Recreation and Environment Centre Management
and Facilitation:
I managed Manukau on the Move, a mobile recreation team providing sport, outdoor recreation, and Top Town Days in rural communities and local schools, as well as operating the Community Store for rental of outdoor gear and equipment.
I also managed the East Coast Bays Leisure Centre, providing sports leagues, fitness classes, gym, creche, and community programmes and events.
I was Project Manager and Fundraiser for the Kaipatiki Project Environment Centre that focussed on forest and stream restoration projects and a volunteer and education programme. I have also been a Naturalist Guide for Greater Vancouver Regional Parks developing and facilitating environmental education in many environments as well as organising and presenting at events.
