Tararua REAP focuses on building connections in community

Tararua REAP staff get into the Christmas spirit. Photo / Supplied

Building connections and trust with the community was a goal Tararua REAP worked hard on over the past year, general manager Claire Chapman said in her report to the annual meeting.

But it was not the past she wanted to speak about, it was the now and the future that she was keen to focus on.

The meeting was held via audio-visual link four weeks into the Covid-19 level 4 lockdown.

Chapman said one positive thing about the Covid-19 response was that Tararua REAP was able to establish a great platform in a bad situation.

"I can't thank the board, the community and the team at REAP, who have all stepped up.

"Two years ago, when I took on the role of general manager, I would have had no idea how exciting and vibrant this community could be.

"It is phenomenal to have this role."

Chapman said she was hugely grateful to her team, who were not essential workers but were all working from home and were involved in the emergency welfare group.

"They are working hard to meet any hardship needs of people in difficulty in the community.

"Staff are actively seeking out those who are needing help."

Looking to the future, Chapman said REAP needed to be flexible and agile.

"We need to be keeping in touch with everybody. The team are good at connecting with those who are vulnerable but now we have the new vulnerable, and we are not sure we are connecting with them and getting them the help they need. But we are prepared to jump through hoops to achieve this."

Chapman said Covid-19 was certainly disrupting REAP's plans.

"But what it isn't disrupting is our dedication to our vision of helping build stronger, more confident, educated communities. We are just having to go about this in a different way."

Financial manager Kerri Verwaayen said the team at REAP were a flexible bunch and would make sure the message got out there.

"But there's a new group of vulnerable people out there who have not had to ask for help, especially with budgeting, so we need to spread the message as far as we can."

REAP board chairman Stephen Paewai congratulated Chapman and her colleagues on another successful year.

"The team continues to meet the targets, ensuring our contract numbers are achieved and in most cases exceeded."

Paewai said although REAP posted a financial loss for the year, it was in line with the budget approved by the board.

"However, I see this as an investment as we build the capacity of the organisation, especially as we had a number of new staff joining the organisation during the year.

"This will not be sustainable over the next couple of years as we work our way through difficult economic times as a result of coronavirus."

He said another highlight over the year was the increased profile of Tararua REAP and the number of relationships that had developed.

"It is very important that we build and foster relationships because in the foreseeable future funding will be extremely tight and therefore collaboration will be vital as we work our way through difficult financial times.

"However, I'm sure there will be opportunities and these need to be identified and pursued."

During the year Roly Ellis resigned from the board.

Paewai acknowledged Ellis's wealth of experience and said he had been a valuable voice at the board table.

Former Dannevirke Chamber of Commerce chair Sue Berry was welcomed as a new board member.