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Our 65+ community
Learn about older people living in Hamilton, our Age Friendly Plan and Steering Group and get related support and…
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Our youth community
Explore our youth (rangatahi) community and get related support and resources.
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Our ethnic community
Find out more and connect with our ethnic communities and get related support and resources.
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Our disabled community
Find out about people with disabilities in Hamilton and get related support and resources.
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Our Rainbow Community
Learn about Rainbow people living in Hamilton and get related support and resources.
Our communities
Overview of our communities
Here’s a quick overview of our city’s communities.
View our data and statistics to further help you understand our communities, including Census information, our Quality of Life surveys and community profiles.
What are diverse communities?
While focusing on all Hamiltonians, we also recognise the needs of specific groups within our wider community. These groups include Maaori, Pasifika and other ethnic communities, our rangatahi (youth), older people, and those with a disability.
Our Community and Social Development Strategy 2021-2026 (He Rautaki Whakawhanake Hapori) encompasses the needs of our diverse communities. One of its goals is high community use in our places and services because they are accessible, safe and welcoming.
What resources are out there to support our diverse communities?
We’re working alongside community organisations and others to ensure strong engagement with our diverse communities.
This includes:
- providing community funding and city event funding
- events and activities everyone can use and enjoy
- giving our communities the opportunity to have a say in Council decision-making
- making it easier for the community to use our public spaces and places.
Find out what to do and where to go on our activating our public spaces and places page.
How can I have a say in what Council does for me and my community?
There are several ways you and your community’s voice can be heard in Council decision-making:
- Share your voice to give feedback on Council’s consultations.
- Visit our youth, older people, ethnic communities or disability pages for details about the plans, policies and strategies we’re using to support these community groups and all Hamiltonians.
- Join Hamilton’s regular community network meetings for all residents, including those who have recently moved to the city.
- Find out about your Council, including Mangaai Maaori and external appointees – who they are and how it works.
Creating a welcoming place to live
We want to ensure that Hamilton is home to healthy, resilient and connected communities that have a positive impact on the wellbeing of everyone living here:
- Our Community and Social Development Strategy 2021-2026 (He Rautaki Whakawhanake Hapori) encompasses the needs of our diverse communities. One of our goals is high community use of our places and services because they are accessible, safe and welcoming.
- We’re making it easier for the community to use our public spaces and places too.
- Find out how you and your community can ensure your voice is heard in Council’s decision-making.
- See city events for information on places to go and what to do in Hamilton.
Welcoming plan
Our Welcoming Plan is Hamilton's commitment to ensure our city is more open and accepting, building on existing efforts to embrace cultural diversity and inclusion.
Community network meetings
Get involved in Hamilton’s regular community network meetings (north, north east, west, south east and H-Town Youth Connect).
The Hamilton Multicultural Trust also facilitates a New Settlers Focus Group community network meeting each term to connect agencies working with people who have recently moved to Hamilton. These meetings are held at the Waikato Migrant Resource Centre, Boundary Road, Claudelands Park between 9.30am and 11.30am.
Moving to Hamilton
Hamilton Kirikiriroa Welcoming Plan
Council was accepted into New Zealand’s Welcoming Communities - Te Waharoa ki ngā Hapori programme in 2021. The programme aims to help newcomers – including recent migrants, former refugees, international students – feel more supported and included.
Hamilton is already incredibly diverse with a long history of people moving here from other countries. Moving to a new country or town can be challenging, and developing a welcoming plan helps us to make it easier for newcomers to the city.
We’d like it to continue to grow and develop our Welcoming Plan as a living document, so get in touch with us if you or your organisation would like to contribute to its future development.
Phone 07 838 6699 or email info@hcc.govt.nz and ask for our Community Development Team.
You can also visit Te Waka’s website for information on living and working in the Waikato region.
Settling in
Check out our free Your Guide to Hamilton. It’ll tell you all about what Hamilton has to offer, plus it’s packed full of details on organisations, community groups, services and other resources you can access. You can download a copy – or pick up a copy from your local library.
New Zealand Citizenship
If you’ve already moved here and want to apply to be a New Zealand citizen, visit the Department of Internal Affairs’ website or give them a call on 0800 22 51 51. Once your application is approved, they’ll also let you know the date for your official citizenship ceremony.
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Last updated 27 July 2023