Measures of Success:
Regular collaboration meetings of community and businesses are established with support from the board.
Progress to date:
March 2024
Working with Woolston Development Project, Governance Staff have initiated a Woolston Well-Being Network. The aim of the network is to bring together stakeholders from the Woolston suburb to continue the kōrero around Woolston safety initiatives. An inaugural hui was held on 21 February 2024, hosted by Woolston Development Project.
The network is intended to be an informal monthly hui, where interested parties can attend and offer their whakaaro and ideas on what they'd like to see for their community. The network will meet on the second Thursday of every month starting from 11 April.
Woolston Community Centre
Now established in the Centre, Youth Town are providing the following activations:
- Youth Hub every Friday from 4-6pm
- Study time drop-in every Monday from 3:30 – 5pm with Youth Town staff available to help with homework, job applications, learner license study and more
- Her Move – free girls only every Tuesday from 3:30 – 4:40pm session based out of the Community Centre
Since Youth Town have moved in the library volunteers have reported fewer occurrences of anti-social and disorderly behaviour and are generally feeling safer when working in the facility. The homeless couple who were residing under the eaves at the back of the building have moved on since the cement blocks were put in place by the facilities team and have not return since. The blocks were removed when Youth Town officially took over the lease and moved in. Since the couple have moved on the rubbish left strewn around the back of the building has also decreased significantly.
A new mural has been created on the wall adjacent to the Community Centre’s pergola to commemorate a local tane who died recently. The previously black painted wall now features a graffiti art style portrait of the resident and design work, bringing more colour to the space and generating a sense of belonging and connection to place and people.
September 2023
Staff from Community Governance and Facilities Teams have worked through an RFP process and secured Youth Town as a long-term tenant for Woolston Community Library. Youth Town now have a part time Coordinator based in the small meeting room at the facility who is working on a launch and planning the programs that are going to be run from there as a base. It is anticipated that having a more activated facility, particularly around late afternoons and early evenings will discourage the anti-social behaviour, littering and street begging in the immediate vicinity of the hub.
September 2023
At its meeting on 6 September 2023, the Council resolved to make the temporary alcohol ban in Woolston Village Permanent.
Measures of success:
Community Board have granted funding towards activation projects for the Woolston Village shops and library.
Measures of success:
New ideas for local events and activations are funded.
September 2024
Woolston Well-Being Network
The network has continued to meet bi-monthly since March and is steadily growing in its participant base. Hui have mainly been focused on sharing updates from the key agencies and planning for the Woolston Gala to be held on the 9 November 2024. Canterbury Neighbourhood Support are the most recent organisation to join the network.
Measures of success:
The temporary alcohol ban is evaluated and altered accordingly.
Progress to date:
September 2024
Through the 2024-5 Strengthening Communities funding round the Waitai Community Board granted the following groups funding towards projects which support initiatives to activate public spaces and build relationships with residents and local businesses.
- Smith Street Community Farm: $5,000
- Woolston Community Library: $1,250
- Woolston Development Project: $23,000
March 2024
Woolston Well-Being Network
Working with Woolston Development Project, Governance Staff have initiated a Woolston Well-Being Network. The aim of the network is to bring together stakeholders from the Woolston suburb to continue the kōrero around Woolston safety initiatives. An inaugural hui was held on 21 February 2024, hosted by Woolston Development Project.
The network is intended to be an informal monthly hui, where interested parties can attend and offer their whakaaro and ideas on what they'd like to see for their community. The network will meet on the second Thursday of every month starting from 11 April.
Measures of success:
There is an improvement is the perception of safety within Woolston Village.
Progress to date:
September 2024
Woolston Gala The Waitai Community Board allocated $7,000 per year for 3 years, towards delivery of the Woolston Gala event. The funds are held by Woolston Development Project. Planning for the event is underway and through the process of approaching and engaging with local businesses and organisations the planning group continue to build and strengthening relationships, building social capital and connection with the Woolston community. The Gala will be held on 9 November 2024 on Woolston Park.
Woolston Community Centre
- The Waitai Community Board granted Youthtown $20,000 from their Better off Fund towards the salary for a Kaimahi Rangatahi to be based in Woolston. The funding has allowed for the youth worker to complement their work in the local schools with additional time based at the Woolston Community Centre. Youthtown report that they notice less anti-social behaviour, littering and vandalism issues the more the building is being activated and occupied which is made more feasible with the support of the additional funding.
- In May, as part of Youth Week 2024, Youthtown ran a community engagement event for rangatahi to find out what they would like to see and do in Woolston and specifically at the Woolston Community Centre. The event had a good turn-out of youth people who gave their whakaaro on the activities they’d like to participate in at the centre. There was a strong call for a basketball hoop and safe place to play outside the facility. Community Governance staff are working with Youthtown to investigate the feasibility and process for this project.
March 2024
Woolston Well-Being Network
Working with Woolston Development Project, Governance Staff have initiated a Woolston Well-Being Network. The aim of the network is to bring together stakeholders from the Woolston suburb to continue the kōrero around Woolston safety initiatives. An inaugural hui was held on 21 February 2024, hosted by Woolston Development Project.
The network is intended to be an informal monthly hui, where interested parties can attend and offer their whakaaro and ideas on what they'd like to see for their community. The network will meet on the second Thursday of every month starting from 11 April.
Woolston Events – activating spaces
- Governance Staff supported Youth Town to deliver the Woolston Village Twilight Gala on the 28 November to lunch the organisation in their new home. The event activated the space behind the Woolston Community Centre and most of the car park area.
- Woolston Community Library held their Annual Gala on 24 November which utilised the space down the side and in front of the library with stalls, a plant sale and activities for whānau.
- Community Governance staff worked with Youth and Cultural Development and Te Waka Unua to plan and deliver a Streetball 3v3 Competition for rangatahi as part of YCD’s House of Hoopz series. This is the first time a youth basketball competition has been delivered in Woolston and the partners hope to make it an annual event.
September 2023
Staff are liaising with Woolston Development Project on the feasibility of creating and securing funding for an 'Activator' role whose remit would be to work with Christchurch City Council staff to re-instate the Woolston Gala with the aim of building connections between the local businesses, community groups, residents and agencies in the area.
Governance Staff have also initiated discussion with Te Waka Unua School and local Woolston groups about ideas for a community event in the area for 2023/24.
