Newcomer support

For free, friendly and local help with understanding life in Ashburton District, we recommend talking to the Hakatere Multi Cultural Council It operates the Mid Canterbury Newcomers Network and organises events, movie nights, workshops and other social activities. They are also in charge of the Migrant Centre and offer one-on-one support for migrants and newcomers who need help enrolling with a doctor, processing an IRD number, and queries about immigration, employment, banking, driver's licenses, etc.

You’ll find them based in Safer Mid Canterbury (255 Moore Street, Ashburton) their phone number is 027 220 8791, and can find out more on their Facebook page   Mid Canterbury Newcomers Network

They provide free, independent information and advice.  Volunteers help people know and understand their rights and responsibilities and find community services.  It is open Monday to Friday, from 10am to 1pm.  You'll find them based in Community House (44 Cass Street, Ashburton) their phone number is 03 928 8761.

The CAB has introduced a new language support system to help clients use their services in their preferred language. You can use this service from anywhere in the country by calling CAB or visiting your nearby bureau.

They also have a Community Directory where you can find information about services, early childhood education centres (ECE), community agencies and halls available for hire.

Community House is located at 44 Cass Street, Ashburton, it serves as a hub for social services, facilities, and activities in Ashburton community. They provide meeting room rentals, a community van for hire, and Justice of the Peace (JP) services every Tuesday and Friday from 12 pm to 2 pm, with no appointment required. If you want to get in touch their phone number is 03 308 1237.

You can find out more information on their website

Safer Mid Canterbury is the largest locally driven provider of community services in the Ashburton District. They are a non-profit organisation that has been operating for more than 25 years, providing free and confidential services that focus on a healthier, stronger and safer community for all.

They have several programmes available to the community free of charge.  To find out more about them, you can visit their website or their office on 255 Moore Street, Ashburton or give them a call 03 308 1395.

TAT is an organisation that offers Health and Social Services to the Pasifika communities.

Their services include:

• Mobile Nursing Services – Supporting people with long-term medical conditions who need assistance at home.
• Tamaiti Health Homes – Helping eligible families to live in houses which are warm, dry, and healthy.
• Island Wealth - A financial capabilities programme which covers budgeting, KiwiSaver, understanding debt, pathways to home ownership and more.
• Healthy Lifestyles Advisors – Creating individual plans to help you get active, eat well, and look after your wellbeing and that of your family.
• Quit Smoking – Providing support for anyone who would like to stop smoking.
• Community Support Workers – Assisting to navigate clients through the health system whether through transportation, translation and/or support.
• Vaccination Support – We provide a wide range of vaccines through our mobile clinics and home visits.
• Social Activities – Island Breeze – traditional crafting, Island Dance Beats, Digital Literacy classes – and many more!

To get in touch, you can find them at 132 Burnett Street, Ashburton or give them a call at 027 329 3802 or 0800 727 343.

This organisation creates opportunities for rural communities in Mayfield, Mt Somers, Staveley, Methven, Rakaia, Dorie, and Chertsey.

They use a community-led development approach to encourage the rural communities to build resilience. Their events, workshops, and gatherings help locals learn about their community, widen their social networks, and find new ways to get involved.

They are always open to ideas and encourage people to reach out if they have a project, initiative or event.

You can connect with them via their Facebook page call them on 027 302 5702.

Justice of the Peace are people from our community who offer notary-type services free of charge.  If you need a Justice for the Peace, you can visit community House on a Tuesday or Friday from 12 to 2 pm (No appointment needed) or find a list here 

• They can certify that copies of your documents match the originals.
• Witness signatures on documents.
• Perform declarations, including statutory declarations, affidavits or affirmations.

Some Justices of the Peace (JPs) have undergone specialized training to perform additional duties, which include the following:

• Hearing summary offenses.
• Imposing fines and some driving penalties.
• Hearing bail applications and requests for remand and adjournment.
• Issuing search warrants and some arrest warrants.

Hakatere Marae is a mātāwaka (pan-tribal) marae and community centre servicing the needs of other iwi Māori and the wider Ashburton community.

Hakatere Marae hosts regular health and community events open to the public, their venue is available for hiring and you can get involved by contacting them via their Facebook page

This is a newly established page to share information about what is happening in Ashburton.  You can follow the Facebook page here

They organise social, educational, health and sports events for the Filipino and wider Ashburton Community to enjoy.

Find here their Facebook group

They organise events for the Fijian community in Ashburton.

Find their Facebook group here

This group is for all the Pasifika Community in Mid Canterbury.

You can get in touch through their Facebook page

They organise social, sports and educational events for the Filipino community working in the agricultural sector.

Reach out to them through their Facebook group

They organise educational and social events for the Latin American Community in Canterbury.  They are based in Ashburton.

You can get in touch via their Facebook group

This is a community group for Samoans who live in Ashburton, to find out about events and other useful information.

Connect via the Facebook group

The Tongan Community also has a group on Facebook called Kainga Tonga Mid Canterbury.  In it, they share important information in Tongan language.  You can get in touch with them via this link

The Mid Canterbury Nepalese Community in Ashburton is a very well-organised community that hosts social and religious events in the district. You can contact them via their Facebook page

If you would like to get in touch with other South African families, you can find them on their Facebook group, South Africans living in Ashburton.

The Ashburton Indian Multicultural Charitable Trust are a very active group, which organises cultural and social events for the whole Ashburton community.

You can get in touch through their Facebook page and find out about their upcoming events.