Posts by Te Whare team

With family and sexual violence incidents set to soar over the Christmas period, urgent action is required to protect our tamariki says the Te Whare CEO. For most of us, Christmas is a time of peace, love and joy. Yet, sadly, for many children, it’s the most terrifying time of the year – marked by…

“It’s about strengthening the whole ecosystem around our tamariki so what happens in schools is reinforced at home and in the community.” Shay Twomey The Franklin Times recently featured Thriving Tamariki Pukekohe, a free community event hosted by Te Whare that brought over 300 local whānau together to share tools and guidance for raising resilient…

Our kaimahi work on the frontline of family and sexual violence, so they need strong support and connection to sustain their vital mahi. A key part of this is ensuring that they have opportunities to become culturally grounded themselves, so they can pass these learnings onto the whānau they walk alongside. To that end, many…

Our Impact Roadmap outlines the process we follow to create impact, guiding our kaimahi towards a consistent approach and clear demonstration of the outcomes of their mahi. This Roadmap empowers our teams to focus on what truly counts: healing and restoring whānau oranga and creating positive change for generations. You can learn more about our…

A crucial step in supporting tamariki to thrive is teaching parents essential life and parenting skills so they can better nurture their children. To that end, we have collaborated with several other local community providers to deliver our inaugural ‘Thriving Tamariki Pukekohe’ event on 28 August. Featuring guest speaker, Nigel Latta, this free event focuses…

Feedback from a recent survey of whānau who have engaged with our services demonstrates the truly transformative impact of our work. Since engaging with Te Whare, respondents reported that: 83%  consider that their life and relationships have improved 66% feel more connected to their culture 79% feel more confident and better able to handle challenges…

We are thrilled to announce a partnership with Rongopai House in Kaitaia. This is a partnership with many connections, a common heritage through Te Hāhi Mihingare and The Anglican Church, and a shared vision of strengthening whānau so that tamariki can thrive. Over the years, we’ve also shared kaimahi, with several Te Whare staff having…

Te Whare Ruruhau O Meri Trust is proud to be part of a new, multi-agency initiative in Kaitaia. Brought together under the umbrella of Whiria Te Muka, Te Ahuru Mōwai Service (TAMS) is an innovative collaboration designed to help prevent and reduce family violence. By weaving together the strengths of the New Zealand Police and…

For many of the tāne we work with at Te Whare Ruruhau o Meri, the idea that they have the power to make their whare a safe, sacred space is transformational. It’s a moment that shifts anger, blame and whakamā/shame – and replaces it with responsibility, strength and a pathway to healing. At the heart…

At the recent launch of our new impact strategy, we reaffirmed our commitment to creating tangible, lasting change for all whānau. The strategy is built around four key pou: cultural connection, stronger whānau, safer communities and thriving tamariki. These pillars reflect what matters most — not just what we do, but the change we help…

A recent evaluation by The Kingi Ihaka Research Centre has highlighted the significant impact of our tāne non-violence behaviour change programme. The report demonstrates that the programme has led to positive shifts in the lives of tāne and their whānau, creating meaningful improvements in relationships and wellbeing. One of the key success factors identified in…

A student’s reflection on our Wāhine Programme As part of my social work degree at Manukau Institute of Technology, I’ve been privileged to undertake my placement at Te Whare Ruruhau O Meri. One of the most meaningful experiences during my time here has been supporting our kaiārahi in delivering Te Kawa o te Marae as…

Marianne is our Auckland kairuruku (co-ordinator) for Sexual Violence Court Support, supporting whānau who are survivors of sexual violence to navigate the criminal justice system. In December 2024, she completed her four-year Ngā Poutoko Whakarara Oranga Bicultural Social Work degree at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in order to gain a deeper knowledge of Te Ao…

The Right Reverend Te Kītohi Pikaahu, Bishop of Te Tai Tokerau and faith leader of the Mihingare (Māori Anglican Church) in Northland and Auckland, recently spoke about the profound importance of cultural connection at the launch of our Impact Strategy in Tāmaki Makaurau. As the founding Chair of Te Whare Ruruhau o Meri Trust in…

The government has launched the second stage of Te Aorerekura, Action Plan, 2025-2030. Te Aorerekura is a 25-year national strategy to eliminate family and sexual violence in Aotearoa through coordinated government and community action. The strategy was launched in December 2021 along with the first Action Plan, which concluded in December 2023. The second Te Aorerekura…

In December 2024, two of our kaimahi, Marianne and Aroha, completed their four-year Ngā Poutoko Whakarara Oranga Bicultural Social Work degree at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa (TWOA). They were fortunate to be fellow tauira as well as colleagues. Here, they share their experiences and their reasons for taking on the challenge of work, life and…

Nationwide efforts to combat family and sexual violence in Aotearoa are making little progress to overcome family harm and sexual violence, reports a recent RNZ article, with government agencies blamed for poor access to services. The government is launching a second action plan in December 2024, under the 25 year-long Te Aorerekura strategy. However, findings…