Kia ora
Today marks the official start of spring and just in time for the new season, the majority of the country moves back to Alert level 1 from tomorrow, Tuesday 22 September. As the days get longer and warmer, we at Multicultural Nelson Tasman are looking forward to several exciting events that will happen over the coming weeks and months.
This year's Nelson Arts Festival offers a variety of opportunities to learn, celebrate and interact while "keeping it local" and we are proud to co-host three events. We are also starting to prepare a number of our own regular events, such as Tasman Asian Night Food Fair and the Multicultural Festival (formerly: Race Unity Day), and plan new activities to bring the members of our communities closer together.
In the past month, we were also finally able to offer the first Cross-Cultural Awareness workshops of 2020. The positive feedback from participants and the ongoing requests for cross-cultural supervision from within the community encourage us to offer more workshops in the next months.
Through our workshops, other activities, events and a close collaboration with other community organisations, we want to ensure that Nelson Tasman remains the culturally vibrant and open community in diversity it is today,
Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa
Let us keep close together not far apart
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| - MULTICULTURAL NELSON TASMAN - |
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CROSS-CULTURAL AWARENESS WORKSHOPS
Increase your Cultural Intelligence to be ready for life in a diverse society and make “Unity in Diversity” happen!
Do you interact with a variety of people from different nationalities? Are you a teacher, early childcare worker or work in the health sector? Do you work or volunteer for a community organisation or simply want to increase your intercultural understanding?
Join our next Cross-Cultural Awareness Workshops on Saturday, 31st October 2020 or Monday, 2nd November at the Earth Hub, 235 Haven Road, Nelson.
In our one-day workshops you will:
- reflect your own cultural identity and the impact of beliefs and values
- increase your knowledge about culturally related behaviour and gain insight into cultural traits beyond confining stereotypes
- get to know models and tools to compare and understand cultures better
- learn about appropriate ways to communicate in different settings and minimize misunderstandings
Please contact us for more information and/or to register!
Farewell
We say a fond farewell to Pablo Salas, who has been our fabulous Events and Communications Coordinator for the past year. Pablo aimed at "lending a voice to ethnical minorities" when starting his volunteer work for Multicultural Nelson Tasman nearly two years ago. He supported us through challenging times with his passion and commitment, and certainly accomplished his mission. We wish Pablo all the best with his future endeavours.
Welcome
From mid-October, we welcome the Migrants and Former Refugee Community Navigator at Victory Community Centre (VCC), Jenni Bancroft, to our office.
The Community Navigator service is to signpost, refer or accompany people to external services and to support Nelson newcomers. The service which has been jointly established by VCC, English Language Partners (ELP) and MNT engages in a range of settings, coordinating and facilitating effective interaction with essential and social services to help build independence. Needs, priorities, and issues may relate to education, justice, housing, languages, finance, and whanau needs. This service is specifically for migrants and former refugees (who have been exited from the Red Cross support).
Jenni will offer her services once a week from our office at Hardy Street.
To make an appointment please call or email Jenni: ph: 0275 460016 or email: vcccomnav@victory.school.nz
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| - MULTICULTURAL YOUTH NELSON TASMAN - |
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GIVING AROHA
MYNTies give a little arhoa in the park - Alongside a number of wonderful volunteers, some of our MYNTies have supported Giving Aroha in Anzac Park.
Giving Aroha is a group entirely run by volunteers that provides an evening meal for those in need on Sundays at Anzac Park in Nelson starting at 5pm (weather dependent).
https://www.tpo.org.nz/te-puna-march-2020/2020/3/16/giving-aroha-in-anzac-park
The group has an own facebook page that you can join to donate food and/or time: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2661367630617824/about/
Our People, Our Cultures, Our Languages
One of Nelson Arts Festival's talks features MYNT co-leader Resika Sapkota. Together with Behrouz Boochani (Kurdish refugee and author of No Friend But the Mountains), Chinese NZ writer Rose Lu (author of All Who Live on Islands) and a yet-to-be announced Māori speaker, in conversation with Dana Wensley (NZSA PEN representative), Resika will discuss about our multicultural whenua.
Panel members will explore what ethnic diversity looks like in Aotearoa, how we can find common ground, how social policy can support race unity and counter racism, how we can unpack the legacy of colonisation, what we can learn from tangata whenua—and what this all means for us on a personal, practical level.
When: Saturday, 24 October 2020 from 11:00-12:30
Where: The Suter Art Gallery, Te Aratoi o Whakatu, 208 Bridge Street, Nelson
Become a member
Do you want to empower other young people to thrive in an environment of diversity, unity and acceptance? Do you want to help us make Nelson Tasman a paradise of unity? Do you have children that would like to get involved with the MYNTies?
We are a group of young people between 14 and 21 living in the Nelson-Tasman region. Some of us have been in Nelson for a long time; some for only a few years. We are different in many ways. We speak different languages. We come from all corners of the globe. And we have different ideas for our community.
Get in touch with us if you require more information or want to join the group!
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Tackling temporary migrant worker exploitation
by employment.govt.nz
A $50 million government investment over the next four years will address temporary migrant worker exploitation in the New Zealand workplace.
The changes will reduce the risk of exploitation occurring in the workplace, remove barriers to report exploitation, and improve response systems for helping migrant workers...Read the full article HERE
2020 NZ General Election - Make your voice heard and vote
The 2020 General Election will be held on 17 October. You need to be enrolled to vote in the election and referendums.
To enrol and vote, you need to be 18 years or older, a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, and have lived in New Zealand continuously for 12 months or more at some time in your life.
Voting starts on 3 October
If you’re in New Zealand, you’ll be able to vote from Saturday 3 October to 7pm on election day, Saturday 17 October.
The Electoral Commission recommends to vote early to help maintain physical distancing. On election day, voting places are open from 9am to 7pm.
To find out where your nearest voting place is, click here. The Electoral Commission also offers information on the elections in different languages - click here to find out more or contact us if you need support.
Multicultural New Zealand Advocacy - Recommendations to the New Zealand Government 2020-2024
The multicultural communities of New Zealand have have come together and contributed toward putting an 8 point proviso together to guide politicians and incoming Government. The proviso provides expectations for the incoming Government, and a benchmark for recent migrants and former refugees to measure the achievements of the current Government during their term in office, including:
1. Establishment of an independent Ministry for Ethnic Communities.
2. Changes to legislation and regulation to prevent hate speech and crimes.
3. A Treaty-based approach to cultural cohesion.
4. Establishment of an independent governing body for religious matters.
5. Changes to immigration policy.
6. A Public Holidays Act.
7. Changes to education policy.
8. An equitable health system.
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Citizens Advice Bureau
Did you know??? The Citizen Advice Bureau can assist you with all your visa inquiries. Some of the common immigration enquiries they can assist with include:
- Helping client find and COMPLETE applications
- How to extend visas
- How to lodge a complaint or appeal
- How to apply for residency.
Open Monday-Friday 9-4.30pm
9 Para Para Road
Nelson
03 548 2117
Nelson Newcomers Network
Volunteer Nelson has restarted their regular Coffee & Connections series - a monthly coffee morning for those new to Nelson - whether you've come from overseas or elsewhere in NZ we'd love to meet you. Come and join representatives from Nelson Newcomers, Citizens Advice, Volunteer Nelson and Multicultural Nelson Tasman.
Where: The Halifax Cafe, 28 Halifax Street,
When: 20 October 2020 from 10am.
Your chance to meet other newcomers and find ways to connect with your local community and feel settled.
Meetings are monthly. Kids welcome.
No need to rsvp but if you'd like to call first, give Jane a ring on 03 546 7681 extn. 2.
Cycle-In Flix - Thursdays in October
A variation of drive-in movies - bike in, enjoy live Latino performances and learn about Hispanic & Latino culture on the big screen. Koha to community!
Venture out on your bike and catch a short documentary or two on Kirby Lane between 8.00 and 9.00pm every Thursday in October. Come at 7.30pm to enjoy live performances, guaranteed to bring Latino-style ambience into central Nelson.
Cycle-in Flix brings Latino culture/flavour to Nelson in a new and exciting way in place of LASFF (Latin America and Spain Film Fest), which could not be held this year. Films are in Spanish and/or Portuguese, and all have English subtitles.
Celebrate spring with NZCFS in Nelson's Chinese Garden
As the ginkgo tree in Nelson’s Huangshi Chinese Garden springs into life again, Nelson Branch of the China Friendship Society (NZCF) celebrates Chinese Language Week with an event in the Chinese Garden. 在尼尔森黄石花园的银杏树悄悄地萌发新芽之际,新中友好协会尼尔森分会将在中国花园举办新 西兰中文周庆典活动。
Come along and bring your friends for music, mooncakes, Chinese tea, calligraphy. 欢迎您和亲友的光临 共赏音乐,月饼,茶和书法
When: Sunday, September 27, 2pm - 4pm
Where: Huangshi Chinese Garden, Nelson
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We always appreciate your help
Multicultural Nelson Tasman is an independent charitable organisation focused on supporting migrants, former refugees and people from minority ethnicities in the Nelson/Tasman region with their settlement process.
It also promotes positive race relations through community education, ensuring people of all ethnicities feel empowered so that they can actively contribute to our community.
By becoming a supporter, you'll be helping us to carry out our mahi!
Your participation within our organisation makes the difference! Whatever your age or lifestyle, ethnic background or individual living situation, you can help to make the world a better place and influence the course of society. Your membership, collaboration, insights and/or kind donation will enable us to continue doing our vital work. Only a strong organisation that acts as the voice of many is capable of achieving our common goal! And only through increased funding, we will have the capacity to make this voice heard.
You can support us by becoming a member or simply giving a contribution towards our cause.
Are you an organisation or do you own a local business? You can support us by donating here:
Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi -
With your basket and my basket the people will live!
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Thanks to all our wonderful founders and sponsors.
Your support is kindly appreciated.
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