Community centre policy

Contents | Foreword | Context of the policy | Auckland City's role | Policy framework | Philosophy of operation for community centres | Governance and management of community centres | Support for community centres | Measuring the success of community centres | Monitoring and review of the policy | Appendix one

Foreword

Auckland City Council is pleased to release this policy to guide the governance and management of community centres. The policy aims to support community centres to meet their overall purpose while also providing flexibility to enable individual centres to tailor their programmes and activities to meet the needs in their local communities.

The council has been involved with community centres for many years. This policy builds on the set of objectives, approved by the council in 1994, for how community centres were to be managed.

The policy is intended to be operational in focus. It defines what a community centre is and the types of facilities that the policy applies to. It sets out the overall purpose, outcome and policy objectives for community centres. The policy clarifies what governance is along with the roles of a governance committee and clarifies what management is along with the roles of a manager.

Three models of management and operation for community centres are presented in the policy. Each management model includes mechanisms for effective community input, such as governance or advisory committees.

Auckland City has a role in supporting community centres through providing or facilitating training and development, providing information, including a comprehensive resource manual, and facilitating community networks. The council also has a role in providing operational funding, buildings and maintenance on council-owned buildings.

A process will be put in place to monitor the implementation of the policy, with a full review planned for three years after implementation.

I hope this policy contributes to the effective governance and management of community centres and assists community centres to respond to the needs in their local communities for community centre programmes and activities.

Councillor Graeme Mulholland, JP
Chair
Community Services Committee

Published June 2002