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26. 11. 97
COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE
10 NOVEMBER 1997
A meeting of the Community Services Committee
was held on Monday 10 November 1997 at 4 pm
| PRESENT: | Councillor Garry Moore (Chairperson), Councillors Carole Anderton, David Cox, Anna Crighton, Carole Evans, Ishwar Ganda, Pat Harrow, Lesley Keast and Barbara Stewart. |
| APOLOGIES: | Apologies for absence were received and accepted from the Mayor and Councillor Graham Condon and Councillor Lesley Keast for lateness. |
| Councillor Carole Anderson retired at
6.15 pm and was absent for clauses 1 and 8. Councillor David Cox retired at 5.35 pm and was absent for clauses 1, 2, 4, 6.1, 6.2 and 8. Councillor Anna Crighton retired at 5.50 pm and was absent for clauses 1, 4 and 8. Councillor Lesley Keast arrived at 4.10 pm, temporarily retired from 4.50 pm to 5.10 pm, and was absent for part of clause 3. |
The Committee reports that:
PART A - MATTERS REQUIRING A COUNCIL DECISION
| 1. | LIBRARY ALIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS FOR CANTERBURY PUBLIC LIBRARY 1997-2007 | RR 6498 |
The Committee considered a final version of the Strategic Directions for Library and Information Services for the ten year period from 1997 which contained input from a seminar meeting of the Community Services Committee held on 31 October 1997.
The document entitled 'Library Alive in our Community' has been circulated separately and is the result of a workshop for staff, consultation with customers, Councillors and other stakeholders and research into the social and demographic environment and information industry trends.
It contains a broad strategic framework with objectives clustered round four key vision statements:
information, when, where and how you want it
leisure, learning and literacy
discovery place for Taonga and culture
the library alive in our community which indicate the key roles
the library will play in the coming decade
| Recommendation: |
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2. YOUTH COUNCIL 1998 RR 6463
| Officer responsible | Author |
| Leisure and Community Services Unit Manager | Julie Macdonald, Community Adviser - Youth |
| Corporate Plan Output: Information and Advice to Council | |
The purpose of this report is to request an extension of the term of the current Youth Council to two years.
BACKGROUND
At the end of 1996 Council endorsed the process proposed by the Community Adviser - Youth for restructuring the Youth Council. This included expanding the Youth Council to include a broad range of young people from a variety of occupations (ages 13 - 25). The new Youth Council was established and began meeting in March 1997.
ACTIVITIES
The Youth Council has spent time this year getting to know Council systems and becoming involved in a variety of youth focused projects. The following are some of the activities undertaken by the Youth Council so far this year:
Youth views
Participation in a survey on the drinking age and research by the Office of the Commissioner for Children
Providing two representatives to Youth Parliament (for Lianne Dalziel and Derek Quigley)
Youth representatives on youth strategy working group
Youth representatives on 4YP youth entertainment project
Submission on the Christchurch City Council Draft Plan
Submissions to the Christchurch Safer Community Council and the Christchurch City Council on plans to regulate the use of skateboards in the city
Support for youth initiatives
Involvement in Njoy - the Youth Health Awareness Day event
Participation in Youth Health Trust
Endorsement and support for GLADYS
Successfully sought funding for 1998 Youth Information Booklet from Trust Bank Canterbury Community Trust
Liaison
Links established with a wide variety of organisations including Christchurch Council of Social Services, Youth and Cultural Development Society, Christchurch Safer Community Council, Burwood/Pegasus Youth Advisory Council, Community Law Centre's Youth Law Worker, High Schools and youth centres
Currently running a competition to design a new Youth Council logo
Deborah Morris (Minister of Youth Affairs) will meet with the Youth Council in December
Sent information about the Youth Council to all Councillors, Community Boards and Council Units asking to be included in any Council projects affecting young people
Established a Youth Council web page through the Christchurch City Council's web server
Met with Turning Point 2000 staff about the development of a youth project for the year 2000
DISCUSSION
The Youth Council members have requested that their term of membership be extended to the end of 1998. This request is supported by staff for the following reasons:
None of the 1997 Youth Council members had experience of Council processes or Youth Council prior to the beginning of 1997. The opportunity to continue next year would allow the Youth Council members to build on the skills and experience gained this year.
Extending the term of the Youth Council would allow Youth Council members to continue working on projects over the summer (such as the Youth Information Book) and would avoid the usual two month break necessary to convene a new Youth Council (given that it is usual to finish at the end of the year and advertise for new members once school has started).
Time constraints have meant that the Youth Council has had only limited support from the Community Adviser - Youth. Given that this position is being disestablished it is unlikely that an adequate system for recruiting a new Youth Council could be run in the new year by the Community Advisory team or by the newly appointed Youth Advocate. Allowing the current Youth Council to continue for 1998 would enable some continuity despite changes in Council staffing.
In keeping with the shift of youth activities from the Community Advisory team it seems sensible to move responsibility for the Youth Council to the new Youth Advocate position. Extending the term of the 1997 Youth Council would enable the new Youth Advocate to begin work with an already operating Youth Council rather than having to take time to establish a new Youth Council.
A potential disadvantage of extending the term of the Youth Council is that some young people who want to join may not have the opportunity to do so. However this will always be the case where limited positions are advertised. In 1997 the Youth Council took responsibility for co-opting members when a vacancy arose (due to personal circumstances) and there is no reason why this system could not continue to allow inclusion of extra members. Similarly, the Youth Council is able to involve large numbers of young people in processes of consultation, events or other activities (such as the logo competition operating at present).
CONCLUSION
The 1997 Christchurch Youth Council is continuing to build on skills and experience gained throughout the year to further its objectives. Given that Council is also undergoing some staffing changes which will impact on the Youth Council it seems appropriate to extend the term of the Youth Council to enable continuity.
| Recommendation: |
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PART B - REPORTS FOR INFORMATION
3. DEPUTATIONS BY APPOINTMENT
TEAM XTREME
Jon and Tracey Weir, Co-ordinators, provided a presentation to members on the work of the programme which provides life skill programmes for 10-14 year old youth.
Details of how the programme operates, its aims, funding, and costs were provided to the Committee.
The programme is presented by volunteers, is secular in nature, has previously been provided in the Auckland area and is now being introduced into Christchurch, at primary and intermediate schools.
It was agreed that a report on the programme be provided for the next meeting of the Community Services Committee.
AROHA RANGI - MAORI COMMUNITY ARTS WORKER,
CHRISTCHURCH COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL
Ms Rangi provided information to the Committee on the work she had undertaken in this position over the last ten months. Currently her contract is due to finish on 19 December 1997 and additional funding will be required for 1998 if the position is to continue. Currently funding of $10,000 has been made available from Te Waka Toi on the basis of partnership funding providing the remaining $35,000 required for a 12 month period.
Members congratulated Ms Rangi on the work she had undertaken over this period and it was agreed a report on the possibility of funding the position until 1 July 1998 be brought to the December meeting of the Committee. It is intended that funding assistance for the 1998/99 financial year will be discussed as part of the normal budget process.
SALLY THOMPSON
Ms Sally Thompson, together with Beverley McNab and Peter Neilson from the Methodist Mission attended the meeting and spoke to members about their concept for a community child care resource centre which would act as a 'one stop shop' for parents who were currently 'isolated'.
The saw the centre as providing parenting seminars, toy library facilities, wellchild programmes, counselling, and food banks etc and wished to commence a dialogue with the Council as a partner. Areas in which the Council could possibly assist were seen as in the provision of accommodation, support with rent and the provision of equipment. The target group would be people who did not currently go to institutions such as play centres, kindergartens and who found it difficult to meet new people. Contact would be via child care centres and the concept was still in a preliminary stage.
It was agreed that a report be provided to the February meeting of the Committee on this proposal.
4. KIDS WHO READ SUCCEED RR 6449
The Committee considered the report from the Children's and Young Adults Services Co-ordinator, Central Library, on the pre-school project.
The report summarised the results of a survey conducted with 60 pre-school groups who had received visits from the Pre-school Outreach Librarian during the 1996/97 financial year. The report summarised the survey results which indicated that the 'Kids Who Read Pre-school Outreach Project' had been on target in delivering a service which had met the needs of pre-school groups and had enhanced the services those groups in turn provided to children and caregivers.
The information was received and the Committee thanked staff who had been involved in the project for their efforts and asked that consideration be given in future into the incorporation of other cultures into the programme.
5. CORRESPONDENCE
Mr Peter Wakeman
The Chairperson tabled a copy of correspondence he had received from Mr Peter Wakeman which requested that the Council make a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission concerning the Air New Zealand, Ansett, Singapore and United Airlines flight proposals.
Mr Wakeman had requested that the correspondence be placed before the Committee for its consideration.
It was agreed that the matter should be referred to the Canterbury Development Corporation for action if considered appropriate.
6. ITEMS RECEIVED
The Committee received the following reports:
6.1 4YP YOUTH ENTERTAINMENT PROJECT RR 6464
The report provided an update on the activities of the 4YP Youth Entertainment Project together with details of a proposal for a new youth entertainment venue. A detailed proposal is currently being developed for this and will be included in the 1998/99 budget service add-ons.
6.2 YOUTH ADVOCATE RR 6499
The report updated Councillors on progress with the appointment of a Youth Advocate and consequential changes within the Leisure and Communities Services Unit.
PART C - REPORT ON DELEGATED DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE COMMITTEE
7. RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC AND SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT
The Committee resolved:
CONSIDERED THIS 26TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 1997
MAYOR