Forums

We occasionally host forums covering topics of direct relevance to the not-for-profit sector in Dunedin. Recent forums include:

If you would like to be notified of news related to any of these forums, please subscribe to updates via the form on the right of this page.

Community dialogues: Opportunities & challenges in the current climate

1 May 2013

NZ Council of Social Services, Community Research, Volunteering NZ and Social Development Partners invite you to join us and other local community organisations to discuss the current environment, and the considerable impact it is having on community organisations. We will discuss our national perspectives on key issues for the community sector, and how to best [...]

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Report: Health Status of Māori Children and Young People

11 December 2012

A report released this week explores the health status of Māori infants, children and young people using a range of routinely collected data sources. Due to its large size, the report is presented as reference manual, which is divided into three main sections: 1) Issues More Common in Infants (<1 Year): Indicators include Fetal Deaths, Preterm Birth, [...]

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Video from Te Papa forums: Closing the gap between rich and poor

12 November 2012

Forums for the Future: Between Rich and Poor were held at Te Papa on 13 September and 4 October 2012. 13 September 2012 Political columnist Colin James, health researcher Philippa Howden-Chapman, and Stephanie McIntyre, Downtown Community Ministry Director, discuss the effects of inequality. Video 1: Panel discussion Video 2: Q&A 4 October 2012 Four leading [...]

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White Paper for Vulnerable Children: Upcoming public meeting

9 November 2012

Dunedin list MP Michael Woodhouse is hosting a public meeting on 20 November to discuss the White Paper for Vulnerable Children. Please note that RSVPs are required by 15 November 2012. See full details of this event on our online calendar Download a flyer (PDF, 280 KB)

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White Paper for Vulnerable Children released

11 October 2012

The Ministry of Social Development White Paper Team have today released the White Paper for Vulnerable Children. The proposals in the White Paper are based on what New Zealanders told the Ministry in their submissions on the Green Paper for Vulnerable Children. The White Paper is the Government’s response to all that feedback. The White [...]

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‘Solutions to Child Poverty in NZ’ report: Feedback due this week

8 October 2012

The Children’s Commissioner’s Expert Advisory Group on Child Poverty is gathering feedback on the solutions put forward in their report Solutions to Child Poverty in New Zealand. For example, the Public Health Association is really pleased to see housing as a priority in the Children’s Commissioner’s experts report. Feedback is due by 12 October. Easy ways of providing [...]

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Forum seeks ways to reduce child poverty

3 October 2012

Last night’s child poverty forum at the University of Otago considered ways to combat deprivation in New Zealand. The group’s co-chairman, Prof Jonathan Boston, of Victoria University, told the audience of about 150 that child poverty was costing the country dearly and “we need to do something about it”. As of 2010, using the deprivation [...]

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Otago study reveals persistent deprivation for NZ children

24 September 2012

A sizeable and “difficult to ignore” proportion of New Zealand children have experienced persistent low income and deprivation in recent years, according to a new University of Otago study using seven years of longitudinal survey data. The researchers, Dr Fiona Imlach Gunasekara and Dr Kristie Carter from the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, [...]

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Upcoming Dunedin child poverty forum and panel discussion

13 September 2012

Solutions to child poverty: Issues and options will be jointly hosted by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, the Institute for Governance and Policy Studies, and Every Child Counts, in association with the University of Otago on 3 October 2012. This event will specifically cater to social service providers, academics, practitioners, and community leaders. A [...]

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White Paper for Vulnerable Children on track for October release

7 September 2012

The White Paper for Vulnerable Children is on track to be released in October 2012. The White Paper and the associated Children’s Action Plan will set out key actions Government will take alongside families and communities to improve the lives of vulnerable children. It will lay out a way forward for better protecting them. The [...]

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CORRECTION: Panel discussion on poverty and child health proceeding as planned

4 September 2012

Earlier today we advised that Thursday’s panel discussion on poverty and child health had been postponed. That information was wrong. The panel discussion has not been postponed. It is proceeding as planned. Please note that the venue has changed. The discussion will now be held in room G10, Hunter Annex, 71 Frederick Street, at 12:30pm [...]

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Household Incomes Report: Inequality at highest level ever

28 August 2012

Household Incomes in New Zealand: Trends in Indicators of Inequality and Hardship 1982 to 2011, a report by the Ministry of Social Development, was released this past week. It shows that, in 2011, inequality in New Zealand was at its highest level ever. Inequality Inequality decreased significantly from 2009 to 2010, then rose from 2010 [...]

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Upcoming forum: Hello, I’m a researcher

24 August 2012

The next Dunedin Community Research Forum will be held on 5 September 2012 at Dunedin Community House. The theme will be ‘Hello, I’m a researcher: Five social science undergraduates talk about their experiences with their first community research project’. You’ll also have an opportunity to discuss the community research code of practice. We’d appreciate it if [...]

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Green Paper submissions released

15 August 2012

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has released a summary of submissions to the Green Paper for Vulnerable Children and over 600 full submissions from various organisations. This surprising and welcomed news comes after Minister Bennett earlier said that she was unable to release the submissions. From the New Zealand government press release: Thousands of people [...]

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White Paper for Vulnerable Children release to be delayed

2 August 2012

The White Paper for Vulnerable Children is a report looking at improving outcomes for children who are abused and neglected, and had been due to be released this month. Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has indicated that the report now likely will be delayed until September at earliest: “So there will be volume one which will [...]

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Minister unable to release Green Paper submissions

18 May 2012

In response to requests for copies of Green Paper submissions, Minister for Social Development Paula Bennett has explained why she is unable to make these publicly available: Unfortunately we are unable to release submissions as we do not have express permission and as you can imagine some people have put very personal and private information [...]

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Request for copies of Green Paper submissions

8 May 2012

Update 18/05/2012: Minister Bennett has stated that she is unable to make the submissions publicly available. Labour MP Jacinda Adern is struggling to get hold of submissions on the Green Paper for Vulnerable Children, and asked whether we could pass on a request to those who submitted earlier this year to send a copy of their submission [...]

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New legislation designed to protect vulnerable children

4 May 2012

Changes to the Crimes Act put a spotlight on the importance of speaking up for vulnerable children, and target people who know a child is being seriously abused and fail to protect them and get them the help they need. The amendment of the Crimes Act took effect in March 2012. It applies to adults living in [...]

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Welfare Reform Update

10 April 2012

Last month the Government announced details of its welfare reforms. The reforms are largely based on the recommendations of the Welfare Working Group, set up by the Government in 2010. The reforms will be introduced in two stages. Critics of the reform have particular concerns about the requirement that single parents who have another child while [...]

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Upcoming Forum: Young People in Focus

3 April 2012

Learning from community knowledge-building projects. The presenters will talk about: The reason for undertaking their knowledge-building exercise The process used for knowledge-building Ethical and other complex issues experienced Key outcomes from their knowledge-building exercise Programme 12:00pm – Arrive, coffee and conversation 12:30pm – Round-robin introducing ourselves and our interest in community research / knowledge-building Jenny Munro [...]

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Call Over Vulnerable Children

7 March 2012

7 March 2012 From the Otago Daily Times, 5 March 2012: More action is needed to counter social inequality and poverty if New Zealand’s “vulnerable children” are to thrive and achieve, the University of Otago’s Prof Mark Henaghan says. Prof Henaghan, who is dean of the university law faculty and a specialist on laws protecting [...]

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Government announces next phase of welfare reform

29 February 2012

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has announced that stage one of the National-led Government’s comprehensive welfare reforms will get underway next month. Delivering better public services is one of the Government’s four key priorities for its second term and welfare reform is central to that. The welfare reform programme will put a clear emphasis on [...]

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Child Matters Update: Increasing Awareness

20 February 2012

Child abuse is the nation’s single most important public health challenge affecting communities, business, justice, health, education, and social services. It is estimated that one million people are either currently suffering abuse or living with the long term effects of past child abuse. This affects all of us one way or another. Child Matters encourages [...]

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Presentations from 9 February Green Paper Forum

20 February 2012

Social Service Providers Aotearoa (SSPA) have uploaded two of the presentations from the 9 February 2012 Green Paper forum, at which the Otago Museum’s Hutton Theatre was filled to capacity with attendees: Treasury: Addressing the funding barriers to providing effective services for vulnerable children (PDF; 1 MB) Dr Nicola Atwood: Does the Green Paper for Vulnerable Children Reflect Best [...]

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Green Paper Public Square Discussion

15 February 2012

Thursday 23 February 2012, 5:10pm to 6:30pm University of Otago AV Studio, Owheo Building, corner of Forth and Union Streets, Dunedin “Our Vulnerable Children” A special Public Square discussion devoted to what must be one of the most pressing concerns in New Zealand today – the appalling record of child maltreatment and death in this [...]

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