Waipā launches World Cafe

Waipā District Council will run their first ever World Cafe as part of Ahu Ake – Waipā Community Spatial Plan. Photo / Supplied

Waipā District Council is preparing to run its first ever ‘World Café’ bringing together residents, staff and experts to share knowledge, collaborate and generate ideas on complex issues.

Participation is open to all Waipā residents over the age of 16.

The initiative is part of Ahu Ake – Waipā Community Spatial Plan – a blueprint for the district for the next 30+ years.

For Ahu Ake, residents will have the opportunity to discuss topics including growth and housing, the economy, parks and public facilities and heritage, arts and culture.

Council’s strategy group manager Kirsty Downey said it was a fantastic opportunity for Council to work with the community in a way it never had before.

“In March this year, we heard from hundreds of residents and received valuable feedback on what the future of our district could look like.

“Now, we need to delve deeper into some of the more complex issues in the spatial plan like growth, housing and the economy. A World Café is the perfect way to do this.”

Council is looking for 40-45 people to get involved. Participants will be required to attend 3-4 online and face-to-face workshops in September and October 2023 and will make recommendations for elected councillors to consider. Those participants will be given a $150 Prezzy Card as a thank-you for their time. Council will also arrange transport for people to attend the workshops.

The workshops will be hosted in a café-like environment where different topics will be discussed at tables around the room.

Residents can express interest in taking part by completing a short survey – available online and in hardcopy.

From these, 40-45 people will be selected who represent the Waipā's population in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, education levels, home ownership and family makeup.

The World Café and selection process will be run in collaboration with the University of Waikato.

Kirsty said it was important to hear from a variety of people with different backgrounds and experiences of living in Waipā.

“If you are a resident and want to take part, we want to hear from you! This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the future of our district.”

More information is available at www.ahuakewaipa.nz/our-spatial-plan. Sign-up closes at 5pm, Sunday, August 20.