About us

Who we are

Council of Social Services (Dunedin) was established in 1979, and has evolved continuously since then. Based in Dunedin Community House, COSSD has an ongoing relationship with 137 member organisations and over 500 local community groups.

The executive committee consists of nine elected members, plus three appointed members representing the Mayor of Dunedin, the Ministry of Social Development, and tangata whenua.

What we do

Our purpose is to promote social equity, justice, and well-being through advocacy, empowering groups, and facilitating collaboration in the social services sector.

Leading:

  • Undertaking research on social issues.
  • Making submissions on and engaging with local and central government regarding social policies and community outcomes.
  • Coordinating sector learning, service provision, and networking opportunities.

Informing:

  • Updating members on sector news and activities via our Newslink newsletter, targeted email broadcasts, our website, and our radio show Informed.
  • Producing the Dunedin Directory of community organisations.
  • Hosting forums on sector and community topics.
  • Providing advice to, and linking, not-for-profit organisations.

Enabling:

Liaising:

  • With other organisations nationwide through our affiliation to the New Zealand Council of Social Services.
  • With other community stakeholders around community and economic development to foster resilient communities.

Mission statement

The Council of Social Services (Dunedin) vision is to foster an inclusive, informed, and enabled Dunedin community by being a visionary leader in building cohesive and robust Dunedin communities through co-operation, communication, and connectedness.

Annual report

Download the 2011-2012 Council of Social Services (Dunedin) Annual Report (PDF, 1.7 MB)

Charity status

Council of Social Services (Dunedin) is a registered charity, number CC35292.