Walking alongside others to build safer communities
Collaborations with other agencies are integral to our strategic pillar of Safer Communities, enabling us to work together to build safer and more resilient hapori whānui and a stronger Aotearoa.
To achieve this, we’re proud to partner with the New Zealand Police, community partners and other social services providers to provide even greater impact in the at-risk communities we serve.
A great example of collaboration at work was a recent ‘Whānau Vibes’ event, which was organised by a collective of NGOs, schools and health providers in the Far North. The event provided a safe space within the community for whānau and whanaungatanga – and where tamariki, rangatahi and their parents could enjoy a day of fun activities and kai together. It was also a unique opportunity for whānau to learn more about the social services available to them in priority areas.
To further strengthen our Safer Communities pillar, we have developed a partnership with Help@Hand, who provide safety watches for those experiencing family violence. Through this important collaboration, we can provide a safety watch for whānau in need of safety, once we have developed a safety plan. Our kaimahi can also wear these watches when they are first visiting whānau.
Once these watches are activated, they provide a GPS location to immediately dispatch emergency services – technology that’s proven to significantly improve the wearer’s safety and confidence. We are delighted to be part of this collaboration that’s making a tangible contribution to safer hapori whānui.
“Our whare will be safer”
Our safety programmes focus on keeping whānau safe, often following a family violence episode. This programme gives whānau the skills to identify what safety looks like, the resilience to know that they are worthy of being safe, and the tools to keep themselves and their tamariki safe moving forward.
Tui’s story is an example of the positive impact of our life-changing Wāhine Safety Programme. While participating in the programme, Tui* realised that she and her tamariki were at risk as soon as her violent partner was released from prison. She immediately packed up her family and headed home to her whānau in another region. Now settled in her new home, Tui is establishing a new life for her and her whānau
“If it weren’t for the mentoring from Te Whare, I would have struggled,” she says. “My family and I are really grateful for your support and I know from here on forward, our whare will be safer. I hope that every wāhine who walks through those doors gets as much out of the programme as we have.”
*A stock image used to protect privacy.