Background

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Background
Owen Lloyd Chair of the Gisborne and East Coast
Council of Social Services
This presentation is about Community Development
in its broadest sense and in particular, how we
may develop the community/voluntary sector to be
more effective and have more influence.
It is a joint effort between the Community
Development Unit of Gisborne District Council and
the Gisborne and East Coast Council for Social
Services (GISCOSS). GISCOSS has recently been
considering its own development and expansion and
accordingly mandated a subgroup to take forward
this explorative work. The group comprised
GISCOSS members

• Owen Lloyd
• Michelle Lexmond
• Dianne Saunders
• Nona Gaskin
• Suzy Read and

• Judy Livingston - CDU / GDC
• Mike MacLeod CDU / GDC and

• Manu Caddie - Te Ora Hou

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Background Contd
GISCOSS members received a similar presentation
at a previous meeting and endorsed the work 100.
At the same meeting, Councillor Hemi Hikawai,
chair of the Community Development Committee of
GDC gave it his unqualified support.
Such support is very encouraging and we hope to
secure more support tonight. To do so, we must
closely examine the issues and opportunities that
these ideas present. The team do not have all the
answers neither do they claim to have thought
through all the details. These will follow as the
ideas for a more influential community/voluntary
sector development take shape. Please join us in
that quest.
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Introducing
Mike MacLeod Community Development Unit Gisborne
District Council
Did you know that about one in every three people
is an active participant in some sort of
community / voluntary work or activity?
The community / voluntary sector makes a huge
contribution to Gross Domestic Product, but
society does not quantify it.
How is it that a sector that contributes so much
to society enjoys comparatively little influence?

• Community Centres

• Arts and Youth Powerhouse

• Community Sector Council

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Bubbles
A Picture of the Community/Voluntary Sectors in
Gisborne
GROUPS
NEEDS
VOICE
POTENTIAL
ORG
STRUCTURE
FACILITIES

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Imagine
COMMON PURPOSE
INFRA- STRUCTURE
POOLED RESOURCES
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Imagine
Community Sector Council
Aims of Community Sector Council
Community Centres
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Imagine when these concepts come together.
Community Sector Council
Aims of Community Sector Council
Community Centres

• Strength

• Influence

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How can we create an organisation that will
deliver the strength and influence that we want?
ANSWER
A Community Sector Council
DEFINE

• Community Organisations and groups working in
  the Community/Voluntary sector for the benefit of
  the community and not for profit.

• Sector An identifiable and distinct part of the
  community that shares common characteristics.

• Council A collective of people with some sense
  of common purpose.

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Values and Principles
A) Transparency
B) Mandate
C) Treaty Based Relationship
D) Every Group as a Member
E) Common Sector Issues
F) Equity and Fairness
G) Democratic
H) Sharing
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Structure
Community Groups

• Lobbying

• Services

• Advocacy

• Research

• Training

• Capacity Building

• Projects

• Other?

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The Entity
A) A registered Charity
B) A Collective
C) A Council of Equal Members
D) Elected Board
E) Annual Conference
i) Policies
ii) Resolutions
iii) Campaigns
iv) Activities and Plans
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Role as Advocate or Lobbyist

• Range of Views

• Informed Perspective

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Issues

• GISCOSS

• Funding

• Power

• Structure and Voting

• Membership

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Functions
The precise functions will be determined by the
aims and purpose but will be likely to include
the following

• TO MEMBERS

• Advice on Technical Issues
• Information
• Advocacy
• Training/ Education

• TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

• Facilitate Consultation Process
• Research to Inform Policy
• Projects
• Liaison and Communication

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Single Community Group
Government Agency
Community Sector Council
Government Agency
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Making Resolutions on Behalf of the Sector
A) Due Process
B) Percentage Levels of Agreement
C) Range of Views
D) Example of Resolutions that might be produced
by the Community Sector Council
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Example 1
The Community Sector Council unamimously urges
government to fund a fair proportion of the
actual cost of providing services in all its
contracting and funding determinations.
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Example 2
The Community Sector Council urges the District
Council to extend the Main Street Improvement
Programme to all the rural and coastal
communities.
This resolution has the support of 92 of members.
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Example 3
The Community Sector Council supports the
extension of time allocated by Government to
discussing seabed and foreshore issues. The
Community Sector Council has not determined a
position on the issue as its members have very
diverse views and the discussion is on-going.
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We have set out the concept for establishing a
Community Sector Council in Gisborne.
Such an entity has the potential to help grow and
develop the sector for the benefit of the whole
community

• A strong voice, lobbying for sector interests

• Organisation and Structure

• Adding strength and value to the
  community/voluntary sector.

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Potential for the Sector
A strong, vital and connected community/voluntary
community sector in Gisborne with a Community
Sector Council which has every group as a member