Cultural Wellbeing Strategy for Waitakere - Auckland Council

More documents

Recommendations

Info

CULTURAL WELLBEING CONTINUEDHoani Waititi MaraeSECTION ONE CULTURAL WELLBEINGCULTURAL WELLBEING ANDSUSTAINABILITY“If we don’t begin to take some responsibilityfor the welfare of future generations byincluding them in our decision makingconcerns of today, we are in effect stealingtheir future wellbeing. This understanding liesat the heart of sustainable development andeco city thinking.”(Council Community Long Term Plan 2006-2016).Since Waitakere declared itself an eco city in 1993, theimportance of acting sustainably has taken centre stageworld wide. Much has been written about the urgent need torestore the environment, develop sustainable economies andlive more in balance with the rest of life. These changes willrequire signifi cant cultural shifts, including a shift to valuessupporting more sustainable ways of life.According to Sustainability Aotearoa New Zealand (SANZ) 6 ,the societal ethics and values needed in New Zealand tomove to strong sustainability include:• Place great importance on non-material sources ofhappiness• Remove the perceived linkage between economic growthand success• Affi rm the deep interdependence of all people – in NewZealand and in global communities• Support community values that include a robust senseof mutual respect, fairness, cooperation, gratitude,compassion, forgiveness, humility, courage, mutual aid,charity, confi dence, trust, courtesy, integrity, loyalty, andrespectful use of resources• Affi rm the value of local community, with associatedbenefi ts of reduced environmental footprints andincreased cooperation between people• Have reverence for nature and know that we areresponsible for our impact on the integrity of allecosystems in the biosphere.These values also underpin cultural and social wellbeing andinform the principles guiding this strategy.10 BEST FOR THE WEST - CULTURAL WELLBEING STRATEGY FOR WAITAKERE
SECTION ONE CULTURAL WELLBEINGBrass band, New LynnHorses grazing, Te AtatuWAITAKERE IN 2010 AND THECHALLENGES OF CHANGEThe profi le of Waitakere in 2010 presents richness,opportunities and challenges for cultural wellbeing into thefuture. This in turn will be infl uenced by wider dynamics ina fast changing world which include the impacts of climatechange, shifting to alternative fuels, changes in technology,growing gaps in income, potential confl icts over resources,pandemics and increased migration.Key aspects of Waitakere’s profi le that will infl uence culturalwellbeing into the future are:• At around 190,000 people in 2009, the City’s populationcontinues to grow at one of the fastest rates in thecountry at around two percent per annum, with 250,000expected residents in 2020. The median age is 33 yearsand rising, though a quarter of the City’s population isaged under 15 years• This growth places pressure on infrastructure, theenvironment, preserving heritage assets and protectingthe wild places in Waitakere, caring for vulnerablegroups and ensuring equal access to resources andopportunities• As more and more people rub shoulders together, carewill be needed to avoid creating ghettoes through poorquality housing and urban design. Cultural and socialinfrastructure provision will also need to refl ect increasingcultural diversity, including opportunities for people tospeak their own languages and adhere to their spiritualand cultural practices, while interacting with wider society• In 2006 59 percent of the population was European (plusanother eight percent identifying as ‘New Zealander’which will include some European), 13 percent Maori, 15percent Pacifi c peoples, 16 percent Asian peoples andtwo percent in total from the Middle East, Latin Americaand Africa• In 2006 34 percent of Waitakere residents was bornoverseas, most commonly in Asia (11 percent), Pacifi cIslands (8 percent) and the UK and Ireland (7 percent).Almost three quarters of residents (72 percent) spokeonly one language, 21 percent two languages, threepercent three languages and one percent four languages• Community facilities from libraries to recreation centresneed to cater for increased cultural diversity and forincreasing numbers of older people in Waitakere. Findingways to cater for a changing population and householdstructures, and to bring people together positively, is apivotal challenge for the Council• A large percentage of new residents to Waitakere arelikely to be new settlers. These residents will needsupport to get settled and adapt to life in Waitakere, andthe communities they come in to will need to be open toaccepting people from other cultures, with different waysof seeing and doing things.SECTION ONE CULTURAL WELLBEINGBEST FOR THE WEST - CULTURAL WELLBEING STRATEGY FOR WAITAKERE 11
Page 3 and 4: celebration creativityWaitakere Way
Page 5: THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARYHenna applicat
Page 9 and 10: SECTION ONE CULTURAL WELLBEINGKapah
Page 11: SECTION ONE CULTURAL WELLBEINGArata
Page 16 and 17: SECTION TWO:THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION
Page 19 and 20: SECTION TWO THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION
Page 28 and 29: APPENDICES CONTINUEDWaitakere potte
Page 30: Best for the WestCultural Wellbeing

Cultural Wellbeing Strategy for Waitakere - Auckland Council

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?