Entry received from: Greater Wellington Regional Council
Category: Te Tohu Waka Hourua - The Buddle Findlay Award for Māori-Council Partnerships
For communities across Aotearoa, regional councils' flood protection schemes provide the first line of defence against flooding, which is being accelerated by climate change. In Wellington Region, approximately 200,000 people live alongside rivers. Our work helps to reduce their flood risk.
Greater Wellington launched our Climate Resilience Programme in November 2020 to help build more flood resilient river communities.
This was our first programme to expressly set out to deliver broader cultural, social, economic and environmental benefits alongside our BAU flood protection projects.
Two-and-a-half years later, through partnership with mana whenua, this 'Broader Outcomes' work has:
- provided wellbeing training to over 90 people in the construction industry. This is a critical step toward helping to reduce the historical stigma around mental health issues in an industry with high suicide rates
- helped to improve the career prospects for 34 people through targeted training opportunities
- seen Ngāti Toa Rangatira gain civil construction jobs
- started a programme to help Kahungunu in prison reconnect with the whenua, their people and their marae to support their transition back into the community.
This approach provides a model for how councils can authentically partner with mana whenua to deliver broader outcomes for the community alongside BAU work.
Thank you to our category sponsor