- Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector

LATEST NEWS – READ THIS!

Community sector dates and events
See the CommunityNet Aoteroa calendar
Abstracts sought for Volunteering Conference 2011 – Raising the Bar Abstracts due by 27 Sept 2010
Read the current OCVS e-newsletter 12 August 2010
Kia Tutahi Standing Together Steering Group reviews feedback on draft Agreement
Read the consultation document featuring the draft Agreement. See updates from meetings, steering group member bios and frequently asked questions.
See seminar presentations on good community engagement, partnerships and contracting
Key data about NZ's community and voluntary sector
Research on giving and volunteering in NZ October 2009
Become a volunteer

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Welcome to the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector (OCVS) website. We guide and promote government agencies' engagement with community, voluntary and Maori organisations to help create strong and respectful community-government relationships. We also build knowledge about the community and voluntary sector and how it contributes to New Zealand society.

Kia Tutahi steering group

New: Payroll giving guides to print

KEY AREAS OF OUR CURRENT WORK INCLUDE:

» Analysis of Community-Government Relationship Agreement consultation feedback begins
The Kia Tutahi Standing Together Steering Group began work in April 2010 to develop a Relationship Agreement to replace the Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationship.
The group held 17 regional and 2 national consultation hui and sought online feedback about the draft Agreement during July and August. They are now considering all this feedback and taking the range of views into account as they revise the Relationship Agreement and create a new version. A summary of all the feedback is being compiled and will be made available soon. The OCVS acts as secretariat to the group, whose work is part of the follow-up to 2009's national Community-Government Forum.

» Government commitment to building strong community relationships
A future report to Cabinet will identify progress on a range of actions to strengthen government engagement with citizens and communities. The actions were identified in response to the Good Intentions report by ANGOA and the From Talk to Action report from the Building Better Government Engagement project.
This work to improve community involvement in policy and service development processes includes ongoing seminars and developing A Guide to Effective Engagement.

» Improving government funding practice
A Code of Funding Practice is being developed to improve government’s funding and accountability arrangements with community and voluntary organisations.

» The Generosity Hub - encouraging all forms of giving
With Philanthropy NZ and Volunteering NZ, the OCVS is supporting work to inspire individuals and businesses to give time, money or in-kind donations.
This includes ongoing research on how New Zealanders give and promoting payroll giving.

» Guidance for public servants on working with community sector organisations and engaging with communities.

» Find a list of community groups in New Zealand

» Guidance to assist community groups and help communities successfully emerge from the economic downturn: