Newcomers officially welcome

Newcomers moving to Horowhenua can expect a warm welcome as the council joins a programme to make the district more inviting.

The Horowhenua District Council has joined the Welcoming Communities programme, aimed at welcoming people to the district and improving engagement with the local community.

The Immigration New Zealand programme started in 2017, and was designed to create inclusive environments where all residents could thrive and belong.

Immigration New Zealand general manager of refugee and migrant services Fiona Whiteridge said the programme had helped to build links in communities and promote diversity and inclusion.

‘‘Making newcomers welcome and included, be they migrants or

Kiwis who are shifting towns, can only make our communities stronger’’.

Immigration New Zealand had developed a Welcoming Communities Standard, that provided benchmark practices of what a successful welcoming committee looked like.

This included inclusive leadership, welcoming communications, equitable access, connected and inclusive communities, welcoming public spaces and civic engagement and participation. The participants of the programme would develop and implement their own plans to make their region more welcoming, before gaining accreditation.

Horowhenua District Council mayor Bernie Wanden said it was important for the council to be leaders in welcoming new people into the community.

‘‘We’re looking forward to fostering an environment that is welcoming and safe and that newcomers are proud to call Horowhenua home’’.

A review by consultancy firm Sense Partners last year predicted the district’s population would grow 2.6 per cent a year from now to 2029, compared with 1.2 per cent growth nationally.

Wanden said new arrivals from varying ethnicities further enriched Horowhenua’s vibrant community, and added new perspectives and culture.

There were now 12 councils and eight regions in the programme, including the Palmerston North City Council.