Funding available to grow community expertise

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.

“But because the priority for many in the sector is to invest any capital and profits into their community it can often be a challenge to find funding to upskill or employ specialist staff.

“That’s where the Community Internship Programme comes in. It gives Community groups grants to employ skilled workers as interns.

“Last year we were able to fund eight organisations including The Arthritis Foundation of New Zealand who bought on a Ministry of Health employee to help it develop an online presence. Other examples include interns who provided help with marketing and with cultural competency.”

Community groups can submit their applications between now and 6 September 2017, with decisions to be made in early November.

More information can be found on www.communitymatters.govt.nz or on 0800 824 824.