Some of New Zealand’s most talented young Pacific scholars can now apply for prestigious scholarships Minister for Pacific Peoples Alfred Ngaro says. 

The 2018 Toloa Tertiary Scholarships are now open.

Minister for Pacific Peoples Alfred Ngaro today welcomed an initiative from the Pacific Business Trust which will help young entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

Organisations building leadership and capability in volunteering, social enterprise and the community have been recognised with funding, says Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Alfred Ngaro.

‘Oku pehē ‘e he Minisitá ‘a e Potungāue ma’ae Kakai Pasifikí ko ‘Alfred Ngaro, ‘I he ‘uike ni, ‘e fakamamafa’i ‘a e makehe ‘ange ‘a e Faiva Faka-Tongá, Hiva Faka-Tongá, Lea Faka-Tongá pea mo e Anga Faka-Tongá.

Over 190 local Palmerston North families will be helped into a warm, dry place to stay through the Government’s social housing plans for the city.

An innovative scheme targeting our youngest New Zealanders will help secure the future of volunteering in New Zealand says Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Alfred Ngaro.

Student Volunteer Army (SVA) founder Sam Johnson has today launched a new programme targeting primary school student and already has 32,000 young people signed up.

“We know that people are more likely to continue volunteering the earlier they start so this great initiative will go a long way in helping to secure the volunteer sector in New Zealand in the future,” says Mr Ngaro.

New funding will give Polyfest, the world’s largest Pacific festival, the chance to grow even further, Minister for Pacific Peoples Alfred Ngaro says.

A total of $200,000 has been granted to explore options for the future direction of the festival.

The Ministry for Pacific Peoples will bring on a specialist to work with the Polyfest Trust in exploring opportunities for the future of the festival. An advisory group will also support the work.

Having a Pacific organisation providing housing will make a huge difference to families in need says Minister for Pacific Peoples and Associate Minister for Social Housing Alfred Ngaro.

Penina Health Trust is the first Pacific Community and Transitional Housing provider and today opens its first property- a 21 unit transitional housing complex in South Auckland which will support 84 families every year.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister, Maggie Barry and Pacific Peoples Minister Alfred Ngaro have today announced several appointments to the Board of the National Pacific Radio Trust.

From 1 August the Board will have a new Chair and Treasurer, and two new Board members.

“The National Pacific Radio Trust is responsible for maintaining the national Pacific Radio Network which exists to empower, encourage and nurture Pacific cultural identity and economic prosperity in New Zealand and to celebrate the Pacific spirit,” Ms Barry says.

Record funding to the voluntary sector is supporting it to make an even bigger difference says Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Alfred Ngaro.

Te akakite nei te Minita o te tangata Pacifica, a Alfred Ngaro, ka akatuera ia nei te epetoma o te reo Maori Kuki Airani a teia Sapati e tu mai nei e na te reira e turama i te Kuki Airani e ngai akatoroia e te au tangata orote.

One of New Zealand’s favourite holiday destinations is in the spotlight with Cook Islands Language week celebrations kicking off this Saturday says Minister for Pacific Peoples, Alfred Ngaro.

Three Pacific entrepreneurial teams started a four-month residency at Te Papa’s Mahuki innovation accelerator today.

The three teams were selected after taking part in a successful Pacific Innovation Workshop held earlier this month by Mahuki Te Papa and the Pacific Business Trust.

"Pacific people have showed innovation for centuries-you only need to read the stories of navigation and doubled hulled vaka that astounded Captain Cook to realise this,” says Mr Ngaro.

Community groups looking for outside help to upskill can today apply for funding to do so, says Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Alfred Ngaro.

The Community Internship Programme opens today with $231,000 available to community groups wanting to bring in outside expertise.

“The Community and Voluntary sector makes a massive contribution to New Zealand every day,” says Mr Ngaro.

Te Puea Memorial Marae and the Government have teamed up to support vulnerable Auckland families through winter.

“We’ve been clear that we all need to work together to address the challenges our communities face. Our partnership with Te Puea will see five cabins open for families next week,” Social Housing Minister Amy Adams says.

Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector Alfred Ngaro and Minister for Māori Development Te Ururoa Flavell say Government funding will help support the growth of businesses working to make a difference in their communities.

More Napier locals are closer to gaining housing with resource consent being lodged with the Napier City Council for a new 10-unit housing development in Kelvin Place, Maraenui, Associate Social Housing Minister Alfred Ngaro has announced.

“We’re hearing great things everyday about the difference that transitional housing is making to kiwis across the country and this new development will allow us to help even more people,” says Mr Ngaro.

Government commitment to housing and partnerships with local providers are helping more families in Blenheim, Associate Minister for Social Housing Alfred Ngaro says.

Christchurch Methodist Mission, in partnership with Crossroads, is now able to help 16 families a year with transitional housing after it signed a contract to manage four properties Housing New Zealand had recently purchased in the area.

Three places are now up and running with another family due to move into the fourth over the weekend.

Pacific People’s Minister Alfred Ngaro says the launch of Kapasa: the Pacific Policy Analysis Tool, signals a major turning point in government policy decision-making for Pacific peoples. 

“Kapasa is the Tongan and Samoan translation for compass,” says Mr Ngaro.

“It echoes how our Pacific ancestors successfully navigated their way across the Pacific Ocean.

“It’s an apt name as the tool will help guide our policy practitioners to understand and incorporate Pacific perspectives into their policy and service design.

The purchase of a former motel in Gisborne is an example of the commitment Government has made to helping local Gisborne families with housing, Associate Minister for Social Housing Alfred Ngaro says.

The Eastland Motel is in the final stages of being purchased by the Government to use as transitional housing and with 19 units will be able to support 76 locals and their families a year.

Months of hard work is coming to fruition and benefiting local Hawke’s Bay families with another 23 short-term transitional housing places due to open in the next few weeks, Associate Minister for Social Housing Alfred Ngaro says.

Two former motels, The Clansman Motel in Hastings and the Napier Garden Motel in Napier, are in the final stages of being purchased by the Government to use as transitional housing.

Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector Alfred Ngaro says National Volunteer Week is an opportunity to mark the contribution of volunteers across the country and to get involved.

National Volunteer Week runs from 18-24 June.

“Volunteering does so much for New Zealand. Every week over 400,000 kiwis volunteer for registered charities. That obviously doesn’t represent all the other sectors where volunteers play a vital role, but adds up to over 2 million hours contributed to our communities,” says Mr Ngaro.

More transitional housing is coming online every week across New Zealand, helping more vulnerable families in urgent need of housing.

“We’ve made a commitment to help New Zealanders find their feet in tough times, and our transitional housing places do just that,” Social Housing Minister Amy Adams says.

Hundreds of families in the Hawkes Bay will be helped through the Government’s social housing plans for the region, Ministers say.

“We’ve made a commitment to help New Zealanders find their feet when times are tough, and our plans for the Hawkes Bay will do just that,” Social Housing Minister Amy Adams says.

Plans for 195 social housing places and 129 short-term transitional housing places will benefit around 711 local families a year.