Entry received from: Nelson City Council
Category: The Minister of Local Government’s Award for Excellence in Council-Community Relations
The Nelson community is ageing at a rate well ahead of the national average. Statistics New Zealand projections are that by 2040 one third of our population will be over 65.
We have an opportunity to harness the wealth of skills, knowledge and experience of our older residents for the good of all. Supporting older Nelsonians to stay connected and contributing is not only good for our city; it can provide a sense of purpose and increase the wellbeing of individuals.
Equally, there will be those who face hardships, be they financial, health or otherwise, in their later years, and we need to find ways to support and keep them connected. We need to ensure all older residents of Nelson have the opportunity to experience a positive later life in our community.
The City For All Ages Project saw a diverse steering group of community volunteers empowered to develop a new Strategy. While significant Council resourcing (including meeting management, research, analysis, contracting of expertise and drafting) was available to the group, it had full authority to decide the issues of focus, engage the community, and develop an action plan that would be funded, in large part, through Council's Long-Term Plan.
Thank you to our category sponsor