Albert-Eden

Albert-Eden’s Local Board is passionate about community development and increasing neighbourhood connectedness. The Local Board is reviewing its three-year plan and will be calling for submissions in May-June. You can see the current plan here.

Capacity building

Community development should be community driven. Auckland Council’s Empowered Communities team is currently working to build the capacity of local organisations to take on volunteers so they can be grow and be more sustainable long-term.

Youth Development

Albert-Eden Local Youth board are in the early stages of establishing themselves. In the past they focused on young migrants writing their stories. These stories were well-received by the community and represented the experiences of migrants well. The project was so successful the stories have been collected into a book, set to be released soon.

Already they have been active in making young people aware of the youth board and gaining their feedback on the Albert-Eden Local Board plan.

Local food initiatives – Community gardens

With more than six community gardens already, Albert-Eden community is active in bringing its community together through gardening. The Board wants to encourage more local residents to participate.

The learning that communities gain through gardens is being harnessed as gardens are used for teaching as well. Monthly workshops and training sessions are run which ensure the sharing of knowledge on a range of topics including recycling, to creating compost and of course, gardening itself.

The community gardens are operated according to communal values. Everyone is welcome to participate, and is encouraged to contribute. If you take some, you grow some.

Local economic development projects

The Albert-Eden business scene has numerous small businesses, many owned and operated and migrants. The community, including businesses, benefits when local businesses work collectively. Auckland Council’s Empowered Communities team is facilitating these businesses to form business associations and invest back into the spaces they work.

This work has resulted in new business associations in Point Chevalier and a Balmoral Chinese Business Association.