Three new Councils and regions are joining the programme, designed to create inclusive environments where all residents can thrive and belong.

The Nelson City Council, the Tasman District Council, and the Hastings District Council are new additions to the programme. Their involvement follows six Councils joining the programme in 2021.

It means there are now 18 Councils and their associated regions across New Zealand that are part of the Welcoming Communities family.

Fiona Whiteridge, Immigration New Zealand’s General Manager of Refugee and Migrant Services is happy to see the continuing enthusiasm from local councils and communities for being part of Welcoming Communities.

“This programme is an incredibly important tool for building strong and integrated communities, for making newcomers, no matter their background, feel included”, she says.

Ms Whiteridge is thanking all participants, those who have just joined and those involved since the programme began almost five years ago, for their commitment.

“It is great to see so many councils come on board and be part of something truly special. The bigger Welcoming Communities becomes, the more effective it gets. I’d encourage other Councils and communities to come on board and be part of the journey”, Ms Whiteridge says.

The next steps will see INZ work with the new participants to help them meet the standards required to achieve formal Welcoming Communities accreditation. You can find out more about this and the support provided on the INZ website.

Welcoming Communities