Waimate District Council community services manager Carolyn Johns says for the past 10 years the council has produced an information pack for new residents, which is available from the Waimate Information Centre.
It included a list of clubs and organisations and gave information about schools and churches, Ms Johns said.
The question was how to get it to those who needed it.
According to feedback, it was most often neighbours who told new arrivals about the pack, she said.
The Resource Centre in Waimate, also a Heartland Services centre, was a "conduit" for all agencies, manager Steve Napper said.
"We point them [new arrivals] in the right direction."
The centre offered communication services such as internet access and fax.
It not only offered access to government services but also to other health, welfare and employment services, Mr Napper said.