Joe Davies - Community Organizer

The National Distribution Union (Paul is the NDU's Southern Regional Secretary) has employed a union organizer to act as a community organizer. The appointee is Joe Davies, and his role is to help people, anyone. This position has great potential as Joe comes from a background of providing and building strong advocacy support, a form of assistance not available from most other agencies.

We have been sent the following information, which will better explain how Joe can help individuals (you don't have to be a union member), streets, and communities.
After the February 22 earthquake, the National Distribution Union, like many other organizations, wanted to make a contribution to help the people of Christchurch. Instead of making a donation to one of the charity appeals, the Union decided to do something more practical. They decided to employ a Union organizer as a community organizer to help people with problems and enable the communities affected to have a voice in decisions being made that affect them.
Joe Davies, an experienced Union organizer, is working mainly in the worst affected eastern suburban communities, helping people initially with problems in their streets and neighbourhoods, and helping them organize collectively to ensure that they receive the support they need and ensure their voices are heard in the corridors of power, especially regarding decisions being made that will impact on the quality of life in their communities.
Problems Joe can help with include things like dealing with WINZ and the various government agencies dealing with the earthquake, help with accessing agencies and community organizations set up to provide assistance, advice on where to go to get building and plumbing problems sorted out and general advocacy for earthquake victims. In the longer term, Joe will be trying to strengthen community organization and networks that will help communities to advocate for themselves, especially regarding rebuilding plans.
Joe is available to help anyone who is having problems related to the earthquake, whether they are (or have been) members of the Union or not. You can contact Joe through the Union, ph 0800 438 638, or via the Union's website at www.ndu.org.nz
NOTE added 16/04 - You can ring Joe direct on 021 618 394

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