In August, the Kiwi Kit Community Trust was honoured to participate in two important Huis (gatherings) across Queenstown & Wanaka that were hosted by Welcoming Communities to gather feedback on their new Queenstown Lakes District Welcoming Plan. These gatherings marked significant steps in our transition toward becoming a multicultural entity and our commitment to fostering inclusivity and community engagement across the Queenstown Region.
Welcoming Communities is a nationwide programme that was created to support newcomers to feel welcome and able to participate in the economic, civic, cultural and social life of their new community.
Locally, this programme has been collaborating with the Queenstown Lakes community to develop a three-year Welcoming Plan for our district that reflects the unique characteristics of our place and people to ensure that all newcomers are able to thrive.
At each hui, participants were invited to engage with the draft Queenstown Lakes District Welcoming Plan and discuss how community partners can contribute to its initiatives. The Kiwi Kit Community Trust was also given the opportunity to take the stage and briefly discuss our mission and the future vision for evolution into a Multicultural Entity. It was inspiring to be included in the conversation while connecting with iwi representatives, key stakeholders, newcomers, and members from Pacific and ethnic communities, along with elected officials and Council staff.
All community feedback from each hui was considered and used to guide the final Welcoming Plan, and the Queenstown Lakes District Welcoming Plan 2024-2027 was officially endorsed and adopted by the Community & Services Committee this September.
The final Welcoming Plan is available to view on the Let’s Talk platform, along with all collated feedback from the Community Engagement Hui, and we encourage everyone to take a look and see the ways in which our local council has committed to creating a welcoming environment for all.
We extend our gratitude to the QLDC Welcoming Communities team for hosting these milestone events and including us in the conversation. Together, we can continue to build a vibrant and inclusive Queenstown!
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