Enhancing Social Service Delivery for Pacific people in Counties Manukau.

Introduction
Kia orana, Ni sa bula, Taloha ni, Fakalofa lahi atu, Ni sa Bula Vinaka, Malo e lelei, Halo olaketa, Kam na mauri, la orana, Kia ora, Talofa lava and warm Pacific greetings to you all.

I would like to begin by thanking you all for being here to attend the latest quarterly forum on enhancing social service delivery for Pacific people.

I would especially like to acknowledge His Worship Seiuli Sir Barry Curtis, the Mayor for Manukau City; Isabel Evans, Regional Commissioner for Social Development in Auckland; Madhavan Raman, Area Manager Housing New Zealand Corporation; Marion Heeney, Regional Director, Child, Youth and Family and Dean Westerlund, Regional Manager, Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs.

This is the first time the Housing New Zealand Corporation has taken part in this forum and I am pleased to acknowledge your presence here.

The need for the forum
Local and central government collaboration is crucial if we are to ensure our social services can adequately cater for the growing population of the Auckland region. The population of Auckland is projected to reach 1.5 million by 2016, with Pacific people contributing significantly to that total.

Pacific people are one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s fastest growing ethnic groups. According to the 2001 census, Auckland’s total Pacific population stood at 176,000; by 2016 it is projected to reach 253,000.

Through the collaboration of local and central government, community and church leaders and employers, we have started to make real progress in enhancing social service delivery for our Pacific Community.

This progress is clearly visible nationally, but particularly in Manukau City.

Strategies

The Pacific Wave Strategy, delivered by Work and Income had as its goal to halve Pacific unemployment in Auckland by 50% in two years.

This goal was achieved two months early in April this year, when there were 2,622 Pacific people in Auckland receiving Unemployment related benefits, compared with 5,532 two years earlier.

Work and Income are continuing to develop ways to help communities and groups to find solutions to their own employment needs. The Enterprising Communities team focuses on supporting and investing in community based employment activities.

This team is continually receiving inquiries from groups in the Pacific community looking to develop sustainable employment opportunities.

The integrated service delivery project in Mangere is an example of successful social service delivery.

Work and Income and Housing New Zealand Corporation, working out of the Work and Income Mangere Office have been able to assist clients waiting for state housing to move into private rental properties.

Work and Income and Housing New Zealand are continuing to work together on a regional roll-out of this project.

As local and central government agencies work together, we need to continue to engage our youth population, particularly those who are “at risk” of not successfully transitioning from school to employment or training.

Work and Income are assisting young people as they leave the care of Child, Youth and Family to help them successfully transition to independence. This transition is a difficult time in the lives of young people and it is important that we do all we can to support and encourage them as they move towards the future.

Pacific youth are another group who benefit from the collaborative approach. This was demonstrated recently with the launch of the Auckland Pacific Youth Development Strategy.

The strategy aims to deliver positive life-change and affirmation for all Pacific youth in Auckland, through the three pillars of family, church and education. Representatives from local and central government joined leaders from the Pacific community to form the external reference group that developed the strategy.

The traditional Pacific process of Talanoa allowed the reference group to respectfully and openly consult with members of the Pacific community, and crucially, with Pacific youth. The outcome is a strategy which is strongly focused on their needs and views.

Conclusion
The success of these projects is testament to the social development approach of consultation and collaboration between local and central government, community and church leaders and employers. These will continue to be important factors as we move forward in enhancing social service delivery for Pacific people.