Council Services

Community Services

The goal of the Community Services Division of the Upper Hutt City Council is to deliver services (funding, advocacy, facilitation, and support) that ensure the capability and capacity of community groups to respond to community issues.  Our work is driven by four guiding principles:

• to encourage participation
• to build partnerships
• to develop and strengthen the community, and
• to value social capital.

These principles ensure that our work conforms to the desired outcomes for the community established in the Upper Hutt Long Term Council Community Plan.  The outcomes are:

• opportunities for culture
• a vibrant city heart
• a safe, healthy, and strong community
• outstanding leisure, and
  
• a connection to the world.
  
  

Our work is divided into two broad areas: Community Development and Recreation. 

Community Development

Community Development is about addressing the needs of the community.  The most important way we do this is through a variety of Community Development Projects.  These projects connect central government policy and funding with local initiatives that impact on social development.  Our 2007/2008 Action Plans document lists the projects and activities we are currently undertaking.

We have developed a model of community consultation called ‘Safety, Health, and Wellbeing’ (SHAW) in order to best align areas of need within the community with available funding.  This model allows the Council to directly engage with the community and community groups through a number of public forums and events.

The Council also provides a number of networking, support and funding resources for community groups including a Community Services Directory.  Please refer to the Community Development Projects, Safety Health and Wellbeing (SHAW), and Community Resources sections of this website for further information. 

Recreation

Recreation and leisure opportunities are an important part of the attraction of Upper Hutt for residents and visitors.  Recreation and leisure also play a role in achieving a healthy community.  The primary recreation resources provided by the Council are the Parks and Reserves and H20 Xtream.

The focus of the Community Services Division is to encourage participation in recreational activities by members of the community and to strengthen the ability of clubs and organisations to provide recreation services.   We have implemented a three year project called Activation which sees us working in conjunction with SPARC, Youthtown, and Sport Wellington Region to lead the community in becoming more active.

Take this link to go to the Activation site

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