$6 million community resilience fund launched

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel have launched a $6 million fund to help greater Christchurch communities in their earthquake recovery.

Ms Dalziel said that following the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, Christchurch and Canterbury faced challenges unlike those faced by any other community. 

“The earthquakes forced us to be creative in how we planned for recovery,’’ Ms Dalziel said. “We needed to find a way to support community resilience in innovative ways.’’ 

One idea the Council put to the Government was a partnership between the Crown and the Council to fund community resilience and wellbeing initiatives.

“Today’s launch of the Community Resilience Partnership Fund is the culmination of that idea,’’ Ms Dalziel said.

The fund comprises a Government funding commitment of $1 million a year for three years, with the Council matching that amount.

“We are delighted that this initiative has come to fruition, and know it will be of great benefit to local communities throughout greater Christchurch,’’ Ms Dalziel said.

“As a Council, we are very well placed to support community-led recovery initiatives, and this is what the Government has recognised in this unique co-funding arrangement. It truly is an investment in our local communities.’’

Ms Dalziel said the Council would now work with communities and local organisations to identify and develop local projects and initiatives that will improve social connectedness and encourage active participation in community life.

“One thing the earthquakes have reinforced is the value of community,’’ she said. “We have seen first-hand that strong communities are built from the ground up – the things people do at a local level really do make a difference in strengthening communities.’’

Ms Dalziel said the Community Resilience Partnership Fund will be used to empower communities and local organisations in the work they do to improve collective wellbeing, and “that will be of benefit not only to individuals and local communities, but to greater Christchurch as a whole’’.

More information about the fund will soon be available at Community Resilience Partnership Fund