Community Partnerships Team established to streamline Council support
Published on 22 June 2023
A Community Partnerships team has been established as a new business unit within our Council – with part of their role being to work collaboratively to support our communities and whānau as part of our Cyclone Recovery Plan.
The team includes a Community Relationships Co-ordinator and two Social Navigators, who will focus on strengthening connections between people and support services. The Social Navigator positions are funded by a Department of Internal Affairs recovery grant and are fixed term for 12 months.
In our cyclone recovery work, the team will support individuals and whānau to navigate their way through the range of social and economic issues being faced from recent weather events, by connecting them up to the right agencies and support networks. They’ll also support initiatives by local iwi and community organisations to build resilience and prepare for future events.
Leading the team is Community Partnerships co-ordinator Helen Flynn. Helen has spent the last 11 years supporting communities as our Civil Defence team’s Senior Emergency Management Officer. She brings a wealth of strong partnerships established with our partner agencies and communities.
“I’m excited about the focus we can put into social recovery and the opportunity to work with our fabulous community organisations,” says Helen. “It's great to be part of a team that has the wellbeing of our community as its main focus.”
Our Social Navigators bring strong experience in social services, education and wellbeing. Sheryll FitzPatrick has worked in the community sector for over 30 years, most of those in the Thames-Coromandel and Hauraki Districts. She has joined us from Whitianga Social Services where she has worked for the past three and a half years.
Kath Makiri was born and raised in Coromandel Town. Kath worked for CILT in Adult Community Education and was responsible for organising courses and workshops in Coromandel Town and the wider community. She has spent the last 11 years at community health organisation Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki.
“It’s great that we have the experience Kath and Sheryll will bring to our team,” says Helen.
“It’s our first week and we’ve already made a great start implementing some of the actions in our Council’s Recovery Plan.”
To begin, their key focus areas will include implementing the socially focused actions of our Council’s Recovery Plan, coordinating employment opportunities including the Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs programme, and connecting our arts, culture and heritage organisations.
To find out if you can benefit from the social navigation service, contact our friendly team on 07 868 0200 or email our Social Navigators: