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time in NZ: 17 May, 2008 : 4:21 AM |
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home > about move2nz > unique organisation |
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move2nz: a unique organisation
Although there is a wide variety of small groups and websites offering information and assistance for migrants, move2nz is significantly different in many respects and should not be confused with these.
The Original move2nz
Originally launched in June 2003 and building on the ideas of sites such as UK2NZ, a forum site, move2nz expanded greatly the tools, resources and commitment of the idea.
With the full-time commitment of the move2nz team this organisation stands as a clear leader in the work to assist migrants looking at New Zealand as their new home. There are many sites copying the name and format of this site, but there is only one move2nz.
100% effort
From the very beginning it was clear that any organisation supporting migrants would only work if it was professionally approached. Tammy my wife and I have been working full time on this project, spending 100% of our time (generally up to 80 hours a week) over the past 4 years building the organisation. With the addition of a full-time employee – Radek Pokorný - to the team in May 2007 the amount of available hours to work on this project has increased significantly. Future plans involve using part-time employees and a team of willing volunteers to increase our ability to actively help people.It should also be pointed out that move2nz is intended to cater for all new, prospective and settled migrants to New Zealand, whether coming through the visitor route searching for work or directly through Permanent Residency. The scope alone of what we are working to achieve sets us far apart from any other service provider.
24/7 365 days a year
Assisting migrants settle into their new lives, as well as dealing with a worldwide network of members, is not a 9 – 5 job and this would not work if it was treated as such. Most of the social events, Seminars and workshops are hosted in the evenings and at weekends and we are available for support 24/7/365. Taking calls from tearful and desperate migrants at 11pm on a Sunday is not unknown!
A good example of the unusual requirement for availability is the meetup we held on Christmas Day 2006. Many migrants find their first Christmas a trying time in a new climate without friends and family in support.
We took a group of migrants to the beach (see aside) for a barbeque, cricket and to gain an appreciation for Christmas in this part of the world. This was extremely successful and something we intend to continue. In-house facility
With a background in dynamic Internet development, Mike Bell has been able to write and convert off-the-shelf packages to provide a range of tools and resources on the site that are unrivalled. This ability has meant that move2nz has been developed at a fraction of the cost of many other sites and is able to react to member ideas very quickly. We shall be adding many more resources to the site and undertaking a complete reworking of the layout and navigation over the next year.
Non Commercial
One difference that was decided very early on in the project’s history was that money to keep the organisation running would not be made from or at the expense of migrants. For example advertising on the site is strictly controlled with only Wellington City Council being permitted to advertise their “Move To Wellington” campaign last year. move2nz is aimed at helping migrants keep hold of their money rather than trying to take it from them.
Membership
The growth of the move2nz member base is a testament to the effort, energy and commitment of the team over the past four years. Despite other sites using aspects of our design and structure no other website has achieved anything like the interest or growth that move2nz has principally because of the amount of time, energy and personal commitment of the people behind move2nz has shown has never been matched. Recently exceeding 25,500 members, move2nz is still growing at a significant rate despite very little being spent in the way of advertising or marketing.
 A game of touch, London meetup, July 2007 |
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move2nz now has 26,560 members
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People on move2nz right now: 31
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© move2nz 2004 - 2008, all rights reserved |
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