Sally Furniss
Well-known member
Campaign launched for better neighbourly relations
Friday, 09 May 2008
A new campaign has been launched to encourage people to get to know their neighbours better, after research found most New Zealanders have little or no contact with who lives next door.
A survey found eight per cent of people had no contact at all with their neighbours, while 47 per cent had only occasional neighbour contact.
However, the research also showed that 72 per cent of respondents wanted to get to know their neighbours better, but time pressures and an overall reduction in community friendliness and trust impacted on this.
To encourage better neighbourly relations a community focused campaign, TogetherNES, (crrct) has this week been launched by Neighbourhood Support and Nescafe.
The campaign invites people to submit local projects for funding from a total pool of $100,000.
One project will be selected each month from May to September, with a maximum allocation of $40,000 to any one project.
People polled said they would like to see funding for community projects ranging from clean-up and maintenance programmes for litter, graffiti and parks, through to setting up Neighbourhood Support offices, and helping develop sports activities and social facilities for families and youth.
Neighbourhood Support NZ national manager Roger Eynon, said the opportunity to apply for local project support was invaluable.
"The. . .campaign aims to help people find local solutions and empower communities to make their own neighbourhoods more friendly and inclusive.
"More than half (57 per cent) the respondents are keen to help improve their neighbourhood and a third of them are willing to commit 10 or more hours a month ? we need to tap into this resource."
Mr Eynon said the result from Wellington was particularly heartening, with 66 per cent willing to help improve their neighbourhoods and communities.
The study was conducted on-line in March and April, with 654 adult respondents.
Applications for the community project funding were now open and forms and information could be found on www.togethernes.co.nz.
Some key features from the survey:
- The types of things that bring us into contact with our neighbours include chatting regularly, collecting mail when they are away, and sharing a cuppa ;
- Fifteen per cent of us have meals with our neighbours ? this drops to 7 per cent in Wellington; and
- The top three things that bug us in our area are people driving too fast, anti-social behaviour and boy racers with loud cars.[/B]
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4518165a11.html
Friday, 09 May 2008
A new campaign has been launched to encourage people to get to know their neighbours better, after research found most New Zealanders have little or no contact with who lives next door.
A survey found eight per cent of people had no contact at all with their neighbours, while 47 per cent had only occasional neighbour contact.
However, the research also showed that 72 per cent of respondents wanted to get to know their neighbours better, but time pressures and an overall reduction in community friendliness and trust impacted on this.
To encourage better neighbourly relations a community focused campaign, TogetherNES, (crrct) has this week been launched by Neighbourhood Support and Nescafe.
The campaign invites people to submit local projects for funding from a total pool of $100,000.
One project will be selected each month from May to September, with a maximum allocation of $40,000 to any one project.
People polled said they would like to see funding for community projects ranging from clean-up and maintenance programmes for litter, graffiti and parks, through to setting up Neighbourhood Support offices, and helping develop sports activities and social facilities for families and youth.
Neighbourhood Support NZ national manager Roger Eynon, said the opportunity to apply for local project support was invaluable.
"The. . .campaign aims to help people find local solutions and empower communities to make their own neighbourhoods more friendly and inclusive.
"More than half (57 per cent) the respondents are keen to help improve their neighbourhood and a third of them are willing to commit 10 or more hours a month ? we need to tap into this resource."
Mr Eynon said the result from Wellington was particularly heartening, with 66 per cent willing to help improve their neighbourhoods and communities.
The study was conducted on-line in March and April, with 654 adult respondents.
Applications for the community project funding were now open and forms and information could be found on www.togethernes.co.nz.
Some key features from the survey:
- The types of things that bring us into contact with our neighbours include chatting regularly, collecting mail when they are away, and sharing a cuppa ;
- Fifteen per cent of us have meals with our neighbours ? this drops to 7 per cent in Wellington; and
- The top three things that bug us in our area are people driving too fast, anti-social behaviour and boy racers with loud cars.[/B]
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4518165a11.html