It's been an exceptionally busy year for the Partnership Health Community Workers (PCWs). Working as part of the Service to Improve Access (SIA) programme, they provide the connections with general practice and other supports that people need to get well, stay well, and remain as independent as possible.

This last year, the role of PCWs and the wider project have been recognised both within the community and across the health sector. This growing reputation is largely due to word of mouth and the sheer size of the network of 120health and social service-related partner organisations that refer people to the PCWs. Our capacity to reach and meet the health needs of the diverse Christchurch population has been boosted with two PCWs, whose focus is on the Afghani, Nepalese and Bhutanese refugee communities.

After the September and February earthquakes, the PCWs put in extraordinarily long hours as one of the faces of health at the Civil Defence Recovery Assistance Centres. Being so well networked, and having a broad view of people's health and well-being needs, they were able to respond at a grass-roots level to ensure people were well linked to the resources and services they needed.

Collaboration between groups and organisations working with communities has become increasingly important in the face of traumatic change in Christchurch, says Methodist Mission Executive Director Mary Richardson. "The Mission has had to find new ways to meet the changing needs of the people and communities we are here to serve. Working together with Partnership Health has allowed us to provide services to those in need in innovative an