Booklet on neighbourhoods

Press, 18 March 1982, Page 26

Booklet on neighbourhoods

An 85-page booklet on how to start neighbourhood groups has been published in Christchurch.

Entitled “Neighbourhood Groups (Ideas to get you Started).’’ the booklet is being distributed nationally by the Workers’ Educationa’l Association.

The booklet is said by its authors to be the first book on the subject published in New Zealand. Mrs Adrienne Jansen and Mrs Sally Tripp started work on the booklet in Christchurch in 1979. The idea for it came from Mrs Jansen’s work at Christchurch Polytechnic, and Mrs Tripp’s involvement with church groups. “We both knew there were a lot of people who wanted to start a group who did not know how,” Mrs Jansen said. The two women spent

about two years looking at J the way neighbourhood groups worked in • Christchurch and Wellington. They define a “neighbour- ’ hood group" as one based in the community that needs no extra money, buildings or professional help, and is independent of large organisations.

Groups dealt with in the booklet include discussion groups, child-care and play groups, craft groups, food cooperatives. and lending groups.

The women received a $4lOO grant from the Community Development Fund of the New Zealand Lottery Board to cover printing costs.

About 3000 copies of the booklet were printed. They are- being sold for $2 ai W.E.A. offices.