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Wairarapa has a 'mover and shaker' who's been chosen to benefit from a government fund to support social innovation.
Wairarapa MP Georgina Beyer says Carterton's Helen Dew is among 51 New Zealanders to be recognised by the Social Entrepreneur Fund, which aims to make social innovators more effective in what they do.
Of the 200 people who applied to the fund, 51 community champions were successful in gaining support for activities which range from creating change in hardened prison inmates using therapeutic theatre, to researching the use of Māori land for native plants and lavender farming.
Helen Dew will use her $3000 grant to attend an international symposium on the use of 'Green dollars' for sustainable community economic and social development.
Ms Beyer says every community needs champions to advance the lives of New Zealanders or find solutions to societal challenges.
"There is a role here for government to assist these 'movers and shakers.' It is about providing them with some support and encouragement so they can get on with projects," said Ms Beyer.
Announcing the Social Entrepreneur Fund recipients, Social Development and Employment Minister Steve Maharey said the Government was moving from handouts towards a hand up by investing in people who can make a real difference.
Included among the high profile people to gain recognition from the fund are actor and director Jim Moriarty to support his prison theatre programmes; profoundly deaf youth leader Sonia Pivac, who'll research digital media's impact for the deaf community; and husband and wife team Puawai and Arahi Hagger to work on a digital archival history of the Ratana Movement.
The Community Employment Group, a service of the Department of Labour, administers the fund.
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