Network News April 2020

• CNA Executive Officer Ros Rice
• Delivering Community Services During the COVID-19 L4 Lockdown?
• Communal Cuppa Zoom Anyone?
• The Joy of Zoom
• Meet the Members – Community Access Media Alliance
• Parenting Through The Current Crisis
• What You Should Expect At Work – an update from the PSA
• Neighbours Day 2020
• Got Creatives In Your Membership? Creative New Zealand Response
• MSD Update #2
• How’s Your Well Being?
• Collaborative Voices 
• ComVoices Blogs
• About Community Networks Aotearoa

CNA Executive Officer Ros Rice

Kia ora my friends,

How things can change in a month!!  Paddy and I are at home like most of the rest of you.  To those who are essential workers, please take care of yourselves and we are so grateful to you for that work.
On that note a quick musing on the role of the Community and Voluntary Sector in times like this.  It will be interesting to see how the public and Government recognises the role we all play especially when we are embedded in communities. 

We are so important in providing services and information out to our communities, and we can often do it in a way that the State can’t.  Many of you are working at the coal face with frightened people, not only now, but in everyday life over many years.  You are the first responders!
It’s great to see the $27 million being put into our essential community services.  I hope money continues to flow and our worth is recognised in future funding.  We are worth it!

Ros

And lastly, as always, remember we’re here to help. If you’re a member of CNA and have a problem or issue, or just need some information, please don’t hesitate to contact me on (04) 472 3364 or eo@communitynetworksaotearoa.org.nz. 

Delivering Community Services
During the COVID-19 L4 Lockdown?

•    The Ministry of Social Development have released their COVID-19 Community Awareness and Preparedness Fund
•    Grants of up to $5000 (+ GST) are available on application
•    Funded community groups must be contributing towards the provision of essential community-led solutions to support local resilience and community well being in relation to COVID-19
•    Priority requests are those that support Maori, Pacific, older people, people with disabilities, people with current significant health considerations, migrant communities and people who are rurally isolated.
•    A total budget of $4.8M (+ GST) for grants is available. This is part of the NZ Government’s $27.0m support package for the community sector.

Communal Cuppa Zoom Anyone?

As we mostly work from home and are away from our team members and volunteers, we all need take a break every now and then.

To that end Ros and I have started the Communal Cuppa Zoom – it’s like cuppa soup, but better for you. Every Wednesday at 10am and Friday at 3pm we’ll be hosting a Communal Cuppa Zoom and we invite you to join us for a chat. You don’t have to stay the entire time – it might just be to pop in and say ‘Hi”.

This is a purely social group of like-minded peeps who deserve to sit back, connect and catch up. Tell us what’s happening for you, tell us problems you might need help with; solutions you’ve discovered, or even what your next crochet project will be. HINT: Mine involves Star Trek.

If you’d like to join us casually, or be added to a weekly invite please email Ros (as she’s hosting) at eo@communitynetworksaotearoa.org.nz .

The Joy of Zoom

A lot of people are using Zoom as a great way to have meetings or just to hang out – like my weekly lunch with my 87yr-old Mum who is self-isolating alone in Dunedin. All you need is a computer with a mic (or headphones); a camera (if you want to use that too) and an internet connection.

Including : Effective Remote Working  – Educating Over Zoom – Hosting Virtual Events – TeleHealth

Meet the Members –
Community Access Media Alliance

Alessandra Keighley is the current chair of CAMA, last week I got to chat with her via phone about their work.

CAMA is the executive body in support of community access media – which is media made by, for and about the diverse communities in and around Aotearoa. We provide facilities, service, support, training, equipment for people to make their own broadcasts about what matters to them, in their own languages, expressing their own belief systems and their own cultures. 

In 1989 the Broadcasting Act changed, after fierce lobbying, to include section 36c which guarantees access for all New Zealanders and not just private interests. Essentially the section gives a broadcast voice to women, youth, children, the disabled, religious, ethnical, elders, men and other minority groups in the community by which to share beyond their group, their thoughts, beliefs, feelings, knowledge, culture and ideals.

This is media with people at its heart, its content is created by the local communities. Years ago, in the world of slick radio, Access Radio may have been seen as worthy but dull, now Access Media leads at the forefront of authentic local-centred broadcasting on a global stage. There are more than fifty languages spoken on the 12 radio stations in Aotearoa.

As the corporate medias stagger transitioning from their outdated market models, Access Media, who have usually been the poor cousin, ‘stuck to its knitting’ and now relies on the authentic relationships its forged. Those years, making do, applying for funding, etc. in an ever shifting world, relying on each other, ‘has created a beautiful weave of relationships of respect and reciprocity’. The way to get things done is to help one another. Each station helps create and shares its content. CAMA disseminates information, skill sets and support, with everyone sharing the knowledge. But it doesn’t sit at the top – this is a circle where every voice is heard. This is the media that has been set aside for the right time, especially now that we are isolated and self-isolating.

And it’s these communities that are usually the first responders to any events around Aotearoa. In the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake Plains FM was on air – the local voice enabled residents to hear from someone right there, in their own shoes, sharing the experience. Hearing information in your own language can help; it might be what roads are currently out of use; where to go for particular help; where you can buy petrol; where water trucks are. That local knowledge and voice are right there with you and for you. In last year’s horrific terrorism Plains FM again played it’s part having established Muslim broadcasters, who could speak from and for the people being impacted. These strong relationships of trust have been built over time with care.

We’ve seen how kiwis can come together and where else is it better to hear the voice of Aotearoa than from the locals, it’s time to listen.

If you’d like to investigate how your voice might be heard please get in touch with your local Access Radio Station, they’d be more than happy to listen and help how and where they can.

Parenting Through The Current Crisis

A large number of people are now in the same bubble with their children, Nathan Wallis from NIB Health Insurance has some valuable advice about you and your children.

To watch please CLICK HERE

What You Should Expect At Work
– an update from the PSA

The pandemic has changed business as usual. Over the last weeks we have been actively working through options with employers and central agencies to ensure that you are supported and that we can keep public and community services working for New Zealanders at this difficult time

For information workers in the Public Service and State Sector; DHBs; Community Public Services and Contractors please CLICK HERE

Got Creatives In Your Membership?
Creative New Zealand Response

MSD Update #2

* Community Awareness and Preparedness Grant Fund – $4.8 million 
* $27 million for NGOs and Community Groups providing essential services

• The important information we want to get out there is:
  • Please don’t worry – you’ll continue to be paid your regular benefit payments.
  • MSD has already done a bunch of things to make it easier for now.
  • If you’re already getting Jobseeker Support, Sole Parent Support or Supported Living Payment, you don’t need to provide another medical certificate.
  • If you’re already getting Disability Allowance and Child Disability Allowance you don’t need to do anything – they will continue to be paid.
  • For now there will be no annual reviews or social housing reviews.
  • Special benefits won’t expire.
  • There will be no new obligation failures for now.

Remember, the Work and Income website, is the place to go for the latest information.

How’s Your Well Being?

The Hypnotherapy community has come together to create an impact on the well being of New Zealanders in their time of need.. With hypnosis you can strengthen and boost your  immune system, help to stay more calm and relaxed, improve your sleep quality and increase your overall well being.

Hypnosis can help you to strengthen and boost your immune system, it can help you to stay calm and relaxed, improve your sleep quality and increase your overall well being.

Hypnosis New Zealand have free downloadable audio recordings covering various areas to help you manage your anxiety.
To got to the recordings please CLICK HERE