Using the qualitative methodologies of appreciative inquiry and participatory action, this thesis seeks to answer the question, “what are the merits and scope for implementing self-reliant policies in the Nelson regional economy?” It acknowledges the theoretical and philosophical underpinning provided by Sarkar’s Progressive Utilisation theory and provides an overview of the Nelson regional economy to provide a context for the data provided by the focus group comprised of community leaders from the region. A literature review provided the material necessary to assert the merit of implementing self-reliant policies. It became progressively possible to assess the scope for their implementation from the responses of the focus group and the subsequent survey as well as from incorporating analysis of Nelson City’s Nelson 2060 - Framing our Future document. As with Alperovitz and Shuman, (2014), the thesis sees self-reliance as a way regional economies can interact with the rest of the world from a position of strength.