8th March 2017

MEDIA RELEASE

Local Initiatives benefit from funding

Increasing social connection within local communities has inspired three new projects. The projects have all been granted funds from the Palmerston North City Council’s Local Initiative Fund.

The three organisations and their projects are:

Social Socks Charitable Trust: This group provides social interaction programmes for children, by using sock puppets as a fun, non–threatening way to teach kids how to socially interact. Developed by trained counsellors, primary and early childhood teachers, it offers programmes that encourage children to explore and develop their social and emotional skills. Social socks have booked John Parsons, an internet health and risk assessment consultant to carry out a series of free workshops in Palmerston North around internet safety.

Network of Skilled Migrants: It provides support for skilled migrants to become active in employment and contribute to the local economy. Their project is a series of professional networking events, aimed at addressing barriers migrants face such as language, unrecognised qualifications, cultural differences and a lack of understanding networks, and accessible information.

LEAP: (The Society for the Local Economy of Ashhurst and Pohangina Inc.).The funds will assist with developing a business directory for Ashhurst and the Pohangina Valley to encourage people to shop locally. The directory will be distributed online and in-print to an estimated 1,700 households.

The Local Initiatives Fund is administered by the PNCC. The fund supports initiatives from non-profit groups that are unique, innovative and benefit the local community, particularly in the areas of increasing social connectedness, building a strong voluntary sector, and encouraging active citizenship.

A total of $18,787 was granted for the above three initiatives.

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