Neighbourly Seeks More Organisations

Neighbourly Seeks More Organisations as First Council Partnership Announced

New Zealand’s first free and private neighbourhood website is inviting more organisations and leaders to ‘get Neighbourly’.

As well as fostering interaction between neighbours, Neighbourly creates an easy way for organisations to talk and share online with local residents and the wider community.

Hundreds of organisations across New Zealand including MPs, residents and business associations, Rotary, crime and safety support groups, community centres, schools and churches are already using the site to connect with their neighbourhoods but Community Partnerships Manager Maureen Glassey is encouraging more organisations to use the platform.

“It’s a completely free service for community organisations and leaders to showcase the brilliant work they’re doing,” says Glassey. “Neighbourly provides an opportunity for organisations to be even more accessible to the communities immediately around them - as well as creating a forum for members to easily access the amazing services they provide.”

While members use Neighbourly to share advice, make recommendations, buy and sell unwanted items, plan events, discuss local issues and even find missing pets, organisations are encouraged to seek public consultation, promote events, find staff and volunteers, and share important community messages and resources.

Last month Neighbourly and Rotorua District Council (RDC) announced a formal partnership with the goal of working together to help strengthen communications between Council and residents, and residents with one another. Neighbourly is now being used by the Council as an official communications platform complementing existing channels.

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick says the site “provides an excellent platform for the council to promote the community’s Rotorua 2030 vision, and specifically the goal of creating a resilient community”.

“Our goal of inclusive, liveable and safe neighbourhoods can be further supported by our use of Neighbourly,” she says. “We believe it’s a tool that will give our community the confidence to be more involved and form stronger connections with each other.”

RDC will be using Neighbourly for engaging with local Rotorua communities, providing information on council–led events and meetings, keeping people informed about service interruptions and seeking feedback on issues.

Neighbourly is currently in discussion with a further 26 councils around New Zealand and will be announcing more partnerships over coming weeks.

Neighbourly launched across New Zealand in May after a successful two month pilot in Auckland. The site fosters interaction and conversation between neighbours and community organisations by creating an easy way for them to talk and share online through free and private websites for their suburbs.

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