Two third-year occupational therapy students, Emma Steer and Ruth French, have organised free welcome packs for new residents as part of the community outreach component of the students' studies.
The pair were at Brockville School on Saturday to hand over the first of the packs, stuffed full of goodies, to two of the suburb's newest residents, Ronnie Janke and Helen Jamieson, formerly of Auckland.
The students had arranged three types of $20 gift packs, suitable for parents with young children, teenagers or older families.
The goodies ranged from a ball and kite to nail polish and lip gloss or crosswords and playing cards, depending on the age of the recipients, Miss Steer said.
Each basket was made up of items bought for less than $20, but it was hoped they would help make new residents feel welcome, encourage interaction and keep them in the suburb longer, she said.
''People were moving in and moving out quite quickly. There wasn't that real connection with people that have lived here for a long time.
''If they welcome these people to the community, it instantly forms that bond,'' she said.
The initiative was the result of work by members of the Brockville Community Development Project, a community association, who approached the students about carrying out the initiative in their area, she said.
The project also encouraged the students to get out of their more familiar hospital surroundings and into the community, she said.
The students had made up nine gift baskets initially, paid for by the community association, and they would be offered to new residents as they arrived, she said.
Mr Janke said the welcome baskets were a ''very kind'' offer.
''We have been [made] so welcome by the community here. It's just amazing.''
