Nelson City Council

Since 1997 the Kahurangi Employment Trust (KET) has helped hundreds of local people into sustainable employment. The Trust was founded by Nelson City and Tasman District Councils to help create employment opportunities and support our community.

Our offices are situated at 3 Halifax Street, Nelson (opposite Anzac Park) in the Refinery Artspace which is one of KET initiatives. We are a Nelson City Council organisation and are registered with them as a preferred contractor. Kahurangi Employment Trust has a strong focus on social and environmental responsibility. Kahurangi Employment Trust has a robust governance and management structure with a proven track record of experience in successfully delivering on outcomes and projects.

A wide range of projects have been undertaken since 1997, from running the area’s first kerbside recycling collection in Nelson and Tasman, maintenance of environs, tidy town, waste management household goods, tree planting and maintenance, Art exhibitions and graduate residency. Over time, funding sources have changed and KET supports itself through some contract work but as a not for profit organisation relies on the support of community funding.

Tidy Town litter and graffiti removal

Tidy Town litter and Graffiti is an ongoing initiative with the Kahurangi Employment Trust to make Nelson a cleaner and safer place. This provides a full time community contract to remove litter, graffiti and dirt from the city CBD and certain surrounds. KET also has a daily litter pick up service from the city streets parks and footpaths.

Those employed within these projects are from our community supportive agencies:

• Work and Income
• WorkStar
• Department of Justice
• Youth
• Support Works

In 2010/2011 this project removed 720 of graffiti/tagging. We also removed offensive material from poster towers, childrens playgrounds and walls/fences in the CBD as well as litter from streams and walkways.

Refinery Artspace - supporting our community artists

Kahurangi Employment Trust has placed Refinery Artspace into a niche position in the Nelson arts sector. We have strong support from organisations as well as increasing relations with creative and innovative individuals. As a result there is an ever increasing interest in the Refinery as a contemporary community arts space. Visit the Refinery Artspace page for more information.