Gore’s youth are facing a striking difference between expectation and reality, a new survey says.
The Gore District Council’s Council Vision and Community Outcomes survey shows the community wants to provide a future for its youth, but feels it is far away from being able to do that.
Those views reflected an overall pessimistic outlook, with 46.4% of respondents saying they were pessimistic about the town’s future as opposed to the 33.8% who were optimistic — and 19.8% who voted neutral.
The survey, which will help direct the long-term plan later in the year, includes feedback from 422 respondents.
Older people’s standard of living and a vibrant and welcoming town centre were voted as the strongest community outcomes.
Alongside diverse affordable and future-ready housing, the consensus for weakest outcome was young people’s future in the district.
Marking a difference between expectation and reality, young people being able to see a future in Gore was also voted as the most important community outcome for the future of the district.
The overall draft vision of "a district where people, talent and business grows" was supported overwhelmingly.
In total, 73.2% supported the vision, while 12.1% said they did not and 14.7% were neutral on the vision statement.
Commentary the council received was varied, with calls to be open to economic opportunities, a reason to move to the district, affordable housing, positivity around the town and other proactive opportunities around the district.
