Hamilton one step closer to become accredited 'excelling' welcoming community

Hamilton has been recognised as a Committed Community under Immigration New Zealand's Welcoming Communities Te Waharoa ki ngā hapori programme. Photo / Supplied

Hamilton Kirikiriroa is on the way to becoming an accredited Excelling Welcoming Community that greets anyone new to the city with open arms.

Hamilton City Council is participating in Immigration New Zealand's Welcoming Communities Te Waharoa ki ngā Hapori programme which aims to help migrants, former refugees, international students, and anyone new to the city feel more supported and included.

Along with 10 other councils, Hamilton City Council has now achieved the first of four stages of accreditation and is one step closer to becoming a fully certified Excelling Welcoming Community.

Councillor Kesh Naidoo-Rauf says there was a lot of hard mahi going on behind the scenes between the council and partner community groups.

"Our Community and Social Development team have put a huge amount of effort into building up and maintaining positive, genuine connections with different ethnic communities in Hamilton and providing migrants with tools and resources to help them settle into their new home," Naidoo-Rauf said.

In April this year, the council launched a Welcoming Plan and signed a commitment and also approved a budget of $75,000 through the (2022/23) Annual Plan to support community groups in delivering the Welcoming Plan.

The funding is aimed at supporting new welcoming initiatives over and above what is already being provided.

About becoming an accredited Welcoming Community, Naidoo-Rauf said: "There are so many diverse and interesting communities in Hamilton, and this step towards being a fully recognised Welcoming Community is an exciting milestone and vital step to make sure Hamilton Kirikiriroa continues thriving far into the future."

Mayor Paula Southgate said she was delighted the city's plan has been recognised at a national level.

"I really look forward to continuing this work," Southgate said.

Hamilton Kirikiriroa has an incredibly diverse community already, with more than 160 ethnicities represented.

According to the latest census data, more than 46,000 Hamiltonians were born overseas. This is more than 27 per cent of the city's population.

The city has been a resettlement centre for refugees since 2005 and around 1300 of them now call Hamilton home.