What is Neighbourhood Support?

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Neighbourhood Support is a nationwide community-led movement that brings people and neighbourhoods together to create safe, resilient and connected communities.  

 

We are a registered charity and since 1999 we have been working alongside New Zealand Police and other partners to equip neighbourhoods to improve safety, be prepared for emergencies and support one another so that our communities are great places to live.
 

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Who is Neighbourhood Support?

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Neighbourhood Support is a national network of 69 member organisations who support over 220,000 households across Aotearoa. We work closely with New Zealand Police and like-minded partners to achieve our common purpose: to create safe and caring neighbourhoods, prevent crime in our communities, build resilience and strengthen community connectedness to improve the quality of life and well-being for all.

 

Households are connected to local groups which come in many shapes and forms. Neighbourhood Support is run by the people for the people so that it can be tailored to suit your local needs.
 

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Why Should I Join?

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Neighbourhood Support empowers you to get to know your neighbours, stay up-to-date with important community news and alerts, employ tips and resources that improve your household and neighbourhood safety, learn how to be better prepared for emergencies, and more!

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By working together we can support each other, solve local issues and make our neighbourhoods safer and more welcoming.
 

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How Much Does it Cost to Join neighbourhood Support?

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Neighbourhood Support is always FREE to join!
 

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How Do I Get Involved?

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There's many ways to get involved and support the work that we do!

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To learn more visit our Get Involved page here.

 

Is Neighbourhood Watch the Same as Neighbourhood Support?

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Neighbourhood Support initially started out as Neighbourhood Watch which was introduced to New Zealand by the Police in the late 70’s as a crime prevention initiative. In the 1990’s the movement was renamed Neighbourhood Support to better reflect the work that we do in our communities. Around the same time, Neighbourhood Support New Zealand was also established as an independent not-for-profit organisation that works alongside New Zealand Police through a formal Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU).
 

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What is the Difference Between Neighbourhood Support and Neighbourly? Can I Be a Member of Both?

 

Neighbourhood Support and Neighbourly both have a common vision of uniting neighbours but are not the same organisation. Neighbourly is a privately-owned business run by Fairfax Media while Neighbourhood Support New Zealand is a registered charity and community-led movement.

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Neighbourhood Support is both a national and localised network to create community connectedness in an easy and proactive way. We focus on building and encouraging face-to-face connections rather than relying on online communications alone. Our Area Coordinators work with New Zealand Police to support households and groups with accurate and timely information to help keep your neighbourhood safe. We also offer a unique suite of resources to Neighbourhood Support households such as street signs, window and letterbox stickers, and other educational and crime prevention tools.

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Yes, you can definitely be a member of both!
 

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Where Do I Get A Neighbourhood Support Sign or Sticker?

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Our resources such as street signs and window / letterbox are provided to households and supporters by their local Neighbourhood Support contact once they've joined.

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To find your nearest group visit our Contact page here.
 

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How Do I Set Up a Neighbourhood Support Group?

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If there isn't already a Neighbourhood Support group in your area, we can assist in helping you set one up! Learn more here.

 

How Big Should A Group Be?

We are regularly asked about the ideal number of households that can be in a street group. Each street is different and some like to include the whole street, but a simple method that is common is a group of 12 households with 6 on either side of the road.