Our Story

Taieri Network is the culmination of the hard work and dedication to support of the greater Taieri area by committed individuals wishing greater growth and resilience in our area. The need for a space and a place for the community to be able to work together, collaborate and connect has been an identified need for a number of years and it is the aim of Taieri Network to be able to accomplish that as it grows and strengthens its partnerships.

A number of research projects conducted in Taieri have highlighted a need for a place to source information, to run community groups and for community members to meet and connect. This has underpinned the commitment from community members who wish to see Taieri supported in the same way as other place based community groups - enabling and empowering the community to take action.

The 2008 Family Survey, run by two occupational therapy students, surveyed approximately 100 Mosgiel residents with the aim of identifying the specific needs of younger families. The most common theme from this research was the need and desire for a community hub in Mosgiel to act as a central place for community members to enter for information, guidance, support and possible groups.

The 2012 Mosgiel Community Survey was conducted by Joy Davis who was then the Community Facilitator at East Taieri Church and while the survey was generally very positive about the Mosgiel area, it was evident that many viewed the lack of activities for local teenagers as an issues, as well as the lack of connectdness and access to a range of facilities. From this survey, the Mosgiel Resource Group was established with the intention of providing a networking forum to facilitate communication within services and groups to explore local solutions for local needs. 

In addition to the Mosgiel Community Survey, a third year social work student gathered information on current services available to youth in the 2012 Mosgiel Youth Profile and another third year social work student researched the needs of families in Mosgiel, generating the 2012 Mosgiel Scoping Project - A look into the needs of families that interviewed professionals in the communities, local schools and early childhood centres. Again, lack of activities for youth, lack of connectedness and a lack of readily available information was hard to come by. Consistent themes were established across different demographics in the community centred around inclusion, connection and information.

2014 saw the Mosgiel Seniors Survey run by a social work student and supported by the Mosgiel RSA, East Taieri Church, Aurora Cafe, Mosgiel Library and Brooklands Village. This survey reported that just under half of senior people faced significant challenges in their lives through living in the Mosgiel-Taieri area with socialisation and intergenerational contact being the two main areas of concern.

Two occupational therapy students in 2016 built on the information provided in 2008, 2012 and 2014 and researched the possibility of a community hub for the Mosgiel community, one that concluded that the general consensus proved amenable to the idea. Common themes that were identified were a need for a space in which people can access information and assistance, a space where numerous types of groups can be held for the community across all ages and a place to facilitate connectedness amongst the community.

From January 2019, Saddle Hill Foundation Trust, partnering with Otago Neighbourhood Support, established the Encouraging Safety Project and it was from this, that the Taieri Network was born.

While plans for Taieri Network were initially put on hold due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, in late 2021, Taieri Network was successful in receiving its first round of funding from the Dunedin City Council to establish and sustainably build the new place based community group covering North Taieri to Waipori Falls.

In early January 2022, Taieri Network welcomed their first ever staff member, Leisa de Klerk, as Community Connector. With a background in the community and voluntary sector and a person experienced with establishing and raising awareness of community groups, Leisa's role was to discover and engage the community, build collaboration and support, while working towards the strategic vision for the area. In everything to do with community led development, Taieri Network will only support the community in goals and initiatives that the community wants or needs. We are here for the community - you will always inform us where we need to go.

Mid December 2022, Teresa Christie joined the Taieri Network team as Leisa moved onto another job. Teresa has been involved in local community activities for many years and will continue the mahi | work of the Trust, building on the community consultation to date and working with the community towards solutions through collaboration with various organisations.