Resources for neighbourhoods

Find out about getting to know your neighbours, planning a local project, keeping your street tidy and safe, and preparing for emergencies.

People talking on deck.
Get to know your neighbours

Guides, tips and resources

These resources provide ideas to start or maintain connections in your local community.

Neighbours contact cards

Use these cards to record your neighbours' names and / or support person's details. Keep a card in your wallet ready for use in a crisis or civil defence emergency. You never know when you may need to call upon your neighbours.

Printable neighbour contact card (1MB PDF)

Call us on 04 499 4444 to have some neighbours cards sent to you. Alternatively, you can pick the cards up from:

Offer of Support Cards

This is a neighbourly gesture inspired by a worldwide movement to help those living close-by who might be in self isolation. You can download the card, print it out, fill it in and drop it in your surrounding mailboxes. If you’re willing and able, this is great way to let your neighbours know that you’re there for them, should they need groceries picked up, mail delivered or just a friendly chat.

Support card (329KB PDF)

Neighbourhood resources register

Make a register of people's skills and needs, and the resources in your neighbourhood, so you can be ready to help each other out.

Neighbourhood resources register (203KB PDF)

What is a 'resilient' neighbourhood and how do you get one?

A resilient neighbourhood is one that's prepared for anything – from a power outage to an earthquake.

What's a 'resilient' neighbourhood? (176KB PDF)

Knowing your neighbours

Knowing your neighbours is good for your mental and physical health, and for everyone that lives around you. It is a key step in building your community resilience and finding ways to build social support around you.

Find small ways of reaching out to neighbours, creating or joining online neighbourhood groups, and setting up ways of supporting each other. Our Neighbours Day page also has some good ways that you can get more involved in your neighbourhood. And when you’re ready to get together or organise activities with your neighbours, our Getting Together Guide has some simple steps to get your started. You can also print off one of our customisable event posters to put up around your neighbourhood, or pick up these helpful mailbox invite cards to invite your neighbours to your activity or event. 

Getting Together Guide (22MB PDF) 
Printable event poster (2.7MB PDF)
Mailbox invite card (4.4MB PDF)

Join your local Neighbourhood Support group at neighbourhoodsupport.co.nz

Emergency preparedness

The Council works with the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO) to support emergency preparedness in the community. WREMO works directly with individuals and organisations to improve their readiness for emergencies.

See this handy poster to remind you of what to do in the event of an earthquake. This includes alternatives if you can’t do the standard 'drop, cover, hold' for mobility reasons. You can also see a list of items to store in your emergency kit.

In most emergencies you should be able to stay at home, so make sure you have everything you need for at least three days.

For more information how you or your community can get prepared, see: Get your community ready - WREMO.

Funding for neighbourhood projects

The Council's funding team can help with grant applications, and proposals for neighbourhood projects that aim to encourage community preparedness and strengthen local connectedness in a way that is sustainable and has ongoing benefit.

For more information, visit out Funding section.

Event planning and support

The Council supports and promotes events of all sizes in Wellington City – from major corporate-sponsored events to smaller community events and programmes. Our City Events Team can give you advice and has equipment and resources to help you with your event.

Find out more about event planning and support.

Kai cookers

You can borrow a kai cooker to help with catering for neighbourhood and community events (bond and fee may apply).

The MultiKai cooker has four baskets and can cook for up to 40 people. The cooker was originally designed as an alternative to produce a hangi as close as possible to a traditional Maori ground hangi.

Kai cookers are available from: