Community Outcomes: Spinning a Yarn or Weaving a Tapestry

1
Community Outcomes Spinning a Yarn or Weaving a
Tapestry?

• Sharon Torstonson
• Karen Johnston

2
Aim of Workshop

• To discuss practical ways at both the national
  level and the local level on how linkages may be
  strengthened between local COSS and local
  government.

3
Overview of Workshop

• Research overview
• Findings and recommendations
• What has happened since?
• Your experiences
• What practical things need to happen?

4
Reasons for Research

• LGA 2002 requires local authorities to engage
  communities and central government in new local
  authority planning processes (COP, LTCCP)
• Local COSS social and community sector network
• This network can be engaged by local authority in
  developing and implementing community outcomes
  (to achieve well-being)

5
Reasons for Research cont.

• NZCOSS seeks to support local COSS
• Baseline research on NZCOSS membership,
  involvement in COP and LTCCP, and strengths and
  development needs (2004)

6
Research overview

• May-August 2005
• Email questionnaire to 44 member organisations
  68 response rate
• Six case studies Alexandra, Christchurch,
  Feilding, Gisborne, North Shore, Tokoroa

7
Findings

• a diversity of structures and functions across
  COSS
• diversity in range and history of relationships
  between COSS and local authorities
• Local authority approach to long-term planning
  differs
• Aspirations and capacity of COSS
• Factors that enhanced COP for COSS

8
Key Recommendations

• That NZCOSS ensures COSS have good information
• That NZCOSS works closely with members to build
  and maintain linkages with local authority staff
• That COSS develop/consolidate relationships with
  local authority and central government agencies
• That NZCOSS makes representations to central
  government capacity building
• That NZCOSS works with other national umbrella
  groups in the community/voluntary sector

9
What has happened since?

• Copies of report went to all COSS members, to all
  local authorities and other interested parties
• Paper given to NZ Local Authority Community
  Development Association conference (NP Sept
  21-22, 2005)
• Presentation to NZCOSS National Coordinators hui
  (Porirua Oct 19, 2005)
• NZCOSS working with Community Sector Taskforce to
  establish a working group to address
  recommendations.

10
Your Experiences

• What was good.
• What was not good.
• Improvements you would like to see.
• Support needed from NZCOSS at the local level.
• Support needed from NZCOSS at the national level.

11
Timeline for next Community Outcomes

• At least once every 6 years - June 2012 will be
  finalised.
• Councils will start consultation 18 months to 1
  year out January -June 2011.
• Prior, monitoring and reporting. Annual Report.
  Formal monitoring report every 3 years 2009.
• Implementation working with the community?

12
Contact details

• karen_at_distill.co.nz
• C.M.Cheyne_at_massey.ac.nz
• NZCOSS, PO Box 5594, Wellington
• Ph 04 472 3364
• nzcoss_at_nzcoss.org.nz
• www.nzcoss.org.nz