The first steps are being taken to establish an official community centre in Greerton.

The Journey Restorative Trust, a registered trust linked to Greerton's Journey Vineyard Church, is applying for funding and meeting with Tauranga City Council to get the community hub underway.

Journey Restorative Trust chairperson Tina Salisbury.

Trust chairperson Tina Salisbury says the idea grew out of the church's current work with youth, which aims to help high school students make good life decisions.

'At the moment, we're mentoring them, trying to keep them in education programmes and equipping and empowering them to make good life choices.

'That's why we felt we needed to set up a separate trust and a custom facility, so we can get more resources and identify and meet the needs of our community, more than what our small church could do.”

Tina says there are also many elderly residents and young families who would benefit from a community centre.

'We didn't realise until we first started and spoke to council that it was identified as a community need in 2004, but nothing's been done.

'It's going to be an expensive undertaking.”

She says the idea will be to continue the work currently run through the church, and develop programmes as needs arise.

'We're about to start an after-school programme for families with young children who can't afford other ones – so that's a good example of where an community centre will be of benefit.”

Tina has spoken with leaders from Welcome Bay and Merivale community centres, who offered advice, and submitted multiple funding applications.

This week she also met with TCC's Community Development Committee chair Steve Morris.

Steve admires what community centres represent and is in favour of a Greerton centre.

'My personal view is that these are vital for connecting community groups together and also connecting people with different programmes – whether it be young mums, people wanting to get into work or wanting to contribute to their community.”

He's also looking at introducing discussions on policy to make establishing such establishments easier.

'I would like to see in the future ways in which council can reduce red tape for these community organisations; application fees, resources, consent fees.

'Because they're doing a social good in the community and I don't think we need to hold them to the same standard as a commercial application.”