Born in India, Ms Nistala lived in the United States and Canada, before moving to Christchurch in 2007 with her Kiwi husband and settling in the Waimakariri district after the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.
‘‘We came out here 12 years ago. It is the longest I have lived anywhere. It is the only place I’ve felt like I belong.’’
It was signed by mayor Dan Gordon, council chief executive Jeff Millward and community representative Adrienne McGowan.
Welcoming Communities is an initiative of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to help communities to support migrants.
The Waimakariri District Council was accepted into the programme in 2023 and received funding to employ a part-time facilitator to develop the plan.
Mr Gordon said as one of the fastest growing districts in the country, Waimakariri had a responsibility to ensure people felt ‘‘connected and supported’’.
‘‘We want them to feel Waimakariri is a place where they can build a future, contribute and belong.’’
Bob and Rica Bolanos moved to Canterbury from the Philippines in 2006, working on dairy farms in Culverden and Ashburton, before settling in Waimakariri after the earthquakes.
Mr Bolanos began working with farm owners and managers so they could better support their workers, while Mrs Bolanos began working for the council.
The couple worked with council staff and other volunteers, including Ms Nistala to establish the Migrants and Newcomers Group, which later became Global Locals of Waimakariri (Glow) to include locals.
‘‘And after awhile we became to feel like we were locals ourselves, rather than migrants,’’ Mrs Bolanos said
Mr Bolanos said it has become less of a novelty to meet a newcomer.
‘‘Every time I saw a Filipino I would go up and say hello, but now there’s so many.’’
Before that, CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) North Canterbury received funding from Immigration New Zealand to support migrants.
Mrs McGowan worked with international students at Mairehau and Rangiora high schools, before becoming a CAB volunteer.
She continued to volunteer with the Migrants and Newcomers Group and GLOW.
‘‘The GLOW socials are amazing. Sometimes we have 80 people coming along.’’
The plan has three key themes - collective responsibility (Kotahitanga), welcoming Waimakariri (Manaakitanga) and being advocates and supporters (Kaihāpa).
Newcomers include individuals arriving from overseas, former refugees, international students, returning citizens and anyone relocating from other parts of New Zealand.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
