Welcome
This issue of Rise
is about community
Welcome to the November 2014 issue of Rise.
Community is a powerful thing. It joins people with common values and goals. It is something
shared, inclusive and open, as opposed to private or restricted. It also means kinship, identity,
belonging and co-operation. Community is the opposite of isolation, and it is indispensable in a
social sector committed to making a real difference.
In this issue, we’ve collected stories from dedicated and inspiring people, organisations and
communities working together for our most vulnerable New Zealanders.
In our cover story, we meet some of the determined people who are bringing Kawerau together
to change things for the children and young people in one of our poorest communities.
In rural Hawke’s Bay, an innovative team in a tin shed have created a social media
community that is building a sense of identity, pride and belonging among young Māori.
On the Kapiti Coast, the Shed Project is helping disabled people gain purpose and belonging in
their community, and in doing so it is opening up their world.
KickStart Breakfast is a wonderful example of how much we can achieve when government,
private enterprise and communities join together with a shared goal. On a smaller, but no less
significant scale, Northland mum Letitia Noah tells a powerful story of change with the united
support of two women who both backed her to succeed.
I hope you enjoy our stories.
Ka kite anō.
Brendan Boyle
Chief Executive, Ministry of Social Development
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
1
Contents
Technology, tikanga and a tin shed
3
Joining up for Kawerau kids
7
Kids and animals
13
KickStart
15
Migrating to meaningful work
18
Changing the world, one shed at a time
21
ArtsLab
24
Sanctuaries and safe havens
26
Spotlight on Northland
29
Spotlight on Waikato
34
Regional round-up
40
Tips, links and news
45
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
2
Technology, tikanga and a tin shed
In a shed in a paddock near Waiohiki, a team with technology, talent and ideas is out to
change things for young Māori and whānau in Hawke’s Bay.
In real life, AWA Transmedia Studio is a shed in a paddock. The last thing you expect, as you
open the door, is to step into a sort of cyber marae. Here, surrounded by their own art and
sculpture, a team of creative, tech-savvy and community-minded rangatahi are creating a virtual
community for local young people.
AWA stands for aroha, whānau and awhinatanga – love, family and community support.
In virtual life, AWA is a social media hub connecting young people with the good stuff in their
community and culture.
With a website and an app for their smartphones, it shares projects, music, videos, art and
events with a wide community of young people.
From a home-grown doco-series to rap music and anti-bullying campaigns, AWA is building the
community based on the kaupapa of tikanga Māori, but serving it up with the technology and
credibility to reach young people.
Reaching young Māori
Tareha O’Reilly is the man behind the idea, a community youth worker who became
increasingly concerned about the difficulty connecting with young Māori most in need.
“The penny dropped when I saw how these kids used their smartphones and digital technology
for everything. I started asking them questions and came to see that if you want to even begin
to reach them, technology is where you have to start.”
Tareha got in touch with the Ideas School at the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT). He
brainstormed with Johnathan Rodgers, a set designer and lecturer in screen production, and
EIT students helped to sharpen the ideas.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
3
The big step forward came when Tareha saw an empty shed that belonged to local families. All
it took was one phone call and the owners gave permission for him to fix it up and use it.
But in order to reach and connect with young people, Tareha knew AWA needed to prove its
credibility. Tipene Harmer was his answer.
Positive star quality
Tipene is an established rap artist, signed to Warner Music, with a big following, especially in
Hawke’s Bay.
His music is grounded in local stories and reality, the messages in his lyrics are positive, he’s
acutely aware of the influence he has and he takes the responsibility very seriously.
“You can be a cool rapper, but you influence a large group of people, young people especially,
so the messages have to be good ones. When I found that the tikanga and messages in my
music resonated… it just made me want to be better.”
Tipene grew up in Flaxmere and his own childhood was tough at times.
Like many locals, he ended up working at the freezing works for a long time, all the while
working on his music.
“On that robot schedule there was almost no room for anything creative, but I was always doing
stuff, cutting shapes out of the meat or writing songs on the fly.”
Tipene’s arrival has lifted AWA to a whole new level of credibility.
“He has brought a whole lot of other talent with him. Some of the best now want to come to this
space,” says Tareha.
The main room in the studio is testament to this – the ceiling is beautifully carved in polystyrene
by George Nuku, an internationally acclaimed local artist who has exhibited in Paris and London.
This carving is symbolic – it represents an underpinning philosophy that threads through all of the
work that AWA does which is about presenting the beauty, wisdom and strength of Māori
traditions in a contemporary manner.
“We wanted it as sort of a cyber marae, where there are certain principles and ways of doing
things.”
Ideas, projects and partners
AWA is a natural fit with E Tu Whānau, a Māori-driven initiative backed by the Ministry of Social
Development.
E Tu Whānau creates positive community change based on values of aroha, tikanga,
whakapapa, whānaungatanga, mana manaaki and kōrero awhi (that is, love, knowing who you
are, connection to whānau, giving, open communication and doing the right thing).
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
4
E Tu Whānau has since partnered with AWA on key projects for change, including positive
messages that work for whānau.
“This is all about families and their behaviours and that’s why I love the E Tu Whānau values,”
says Tareha. “We’re helping to create safe communities by showing these basic things that
we’ve forgotten about – breaking down the barriers and challenging normalised behaviours.”
Ideas and projects are constantly bubbling away, including an anti-bullying campaign at local
schools.
“The cool thing is we’re like the tuakana [elder brothers], showing them behaviour that they
rarely see because they might come from gang backgrounds or maybe mum’s struggling on her
own. So we’re like the big brothers to thousands of little kids out there,” says Tareha.
Another project, ‘Picnic at the Pou’, saw school kids visiting carved figures (pou) representing
ancestors from marae across Hawke’s Bay.
“We wanted the kids to have some cultural connection with the area, to become kaitiaki to the
pou in the area.
“Then we hope they’ll go back and teach their whānau about that awesome history – it’s about
sharing our culture with all of our community and making our kids feel good about their place in
that history,” says Tareha.
At Taradale Primary School, AWA has helped the kids to focus on the environment to restore the
mauri (vitality) to their local streams.
The REAL NZ
‘The REAL NZ’ is the current big project on the go, a 10-episode bilingual web series of music,
comedy and interviews with sports stars, artists and leaders who role model the AWA tikanga.
The show will be available on all social media platforms and on AWA’s app.
“We will show the best, the worst, the funniest and all things Māori in Hawke’s Bay,” says
Tipene. “A lot of what kids watch now is American and the values are not ours. We want to offer
something else, flood them with something better, fill them up with all the great stuff – tikanga
and goodness.”
Cyber tikanga
Cyber safety is the focus of another project – the team is developing a cyber tikanga based on
E Tu Whānau values to keep whānau safe and culture intact during online interactions.
“We believe this is ground-breaking stuff,” says Tareha. “We’re using an indigenous strengthsbased model to deal with a very current issue for our young people.”
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
5
From Waiohiki to the world
“The ideas here are just banging out. We are always looking for new ways to express that our
people are talented and have potential… to be great, great creators whether it’s in sports or music,
or carving or street art.
“We’re taking these cultural gifts and we’re using them in a new way – because you can’t forget
about innovation and technology or you’ll lose the pulse of the kids.”
Web links
Check out AWA’s videos, music and background at:
http://awatransmediastudio.com
www.facebook.com/AWATransmediaStudio
Download the free AWA app for iPhone and Android at:
www.reverbnation.com/awatransmediastudio
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
6
Joining up for Kawerau kids
Leaders and organisations are joining forces for the babies, kids and young people of
Kawerau – and rebuilding a community in the process.
For early childhood teacher Mihiata O’Brien it was time to speak up.
She was seeing some good changes in her small Bay of Plenty town, with a new Social Sector
Trial supporting Kawerau’s teenagers and school children since 2011.
Fewer kids were hanging around town during school hours; there was less vandalism and
bullying. More kids were hanging out at the newly-upgraded youth centres, the boxing club,
holiday programmes, and at church activities in the evenings.
New satellite polytech courses were being run locally for school leavers, and an alternative
education programme was up and running.
But nothing was changing for the youngest, most vulnerable kids of all.
So, earlier this year, Mihiata spoke up on behalf of her colleagues and peers for Kawerau’s
babies and preschoolers.
She told the community leaders of Kawerau’s Social Sector Trial that by the time those babies
and toddlers were six, and within the Trial’s target age range, it may be too late for some of
them.
She shared stories about babies attending preschool dirty or unfed, still wearing last night’s
nappy, not having enough kai each day, and unseen by health or social services. ECE
teachers were going above and beyond to support families with their needs. They felt the
responsibility falling heavily on their shoulders, with little co-ordinated early childhood support
for families.
It was a clear call to action for K-Oper-8, the group at the helm of the Social Sector Trial – iwi
and social service leaders, police, the Mayor, school principals, Grey Power, Work and Income
leaders – and for Trial manager Kevan McConnell.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
7
Kevan
Since 2011, the Kawerau community has taken control of youth-focused funding from the
Ministries of Social Development, Education, Health, Justice and the New Zealand Police.
Overseen by Kevan and a local advisory group led by Mayor Malcolm Campbell, the
community can reshuffle the funding as it sees fit to achieve four goals: getting more young
people engaged with education, training or work; reducing truancy; reducing youth crime
and reducing drug and alcohol issues.
As Trial manager, Kevan has a direct line to Government ministers and senior officials, and
the mandate to engage community and government agencies at a local and national level.
With a professional background in social services, and as a former gang member, he also has
the connections to open doors that others can’t.
Kevan’s first moves were to get community leaders, social service providers and agencies
around one table, and then to ask the community itself about its hopes and challenges.
It was a tough time to begin a Social Sector Trial. In 2011 Kawerau was devastated by the
suicides of 13 young people, and divided by the decision to close two of the town’s six schools.
“We had 500 people at a community meeting and it was pitchforks and torches stuff,” says
Matai Bennett, of Kawerau’s Manna Support Services.
People had plenty to say about what they needed and what social services weren’t achieving.
They wanted:

local youth services that deliver what local young people need

opportunities for young people to grow skills, confidence and knowledge for work

a positive youth culture, with young people engaged with each other, the community and
the larger world

positive role models and mentors for young people.
But the challenges were huge.
Warwick
Warwick Godfrey is a sports tutor, boxing coach, town councillor and community representative
for the Social Sector Trial. He is also one of several people who have put their hands up to
mentor young people as they make the step from school to work.
He says decades of high unemployment have fed a strong inter-generational gang culture,
characterised by drug and alcohol use, crime, and family violence.
Low self-belief, a narrow view of their options, and high alcohol and drug use was the norm
among young people. They faced limited work opportunities – a quarter of the town’s workforce
was unemployed on census day, the highest rate in the country.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
8
Isolated efforts by a whole range of social service agencies over many years had failed to make
any lasting impact. Services were duplicated and disconnected, operating in isolation and
competing for funding. Regional providers lacked local knowledge, and there was little useful
communication between social services providers and schools.
“In 20 years, I’ve seen more pilots here than Auckland airport, and I thought the Social Sector
Trial would be exactly the same. But it’s not. This one has teeth,” says Warwick.
One table
So how do you support a boy who uses alcohol and drugs every day, and doesn’t go to school?
How do you connect with him and work with his family, where no-one is in paid employment and
drugs are a source of income?
Sitting around a table on a Thursday morning are 15 people from a range of social service
and community organisations, including school principals, iwi and community social services,
a Child, Youth and Family social worker, the truancy officer, school social workers, the police
youth aid officer, a Ministry of Education official and three members of the Social Sector Trial
team.
It’s the weekly meeting of the Kawerau Engaging Youth Forum (KEY) to collectively case
manage Kawerau’s most at-risk kids. The conversation is frank and challenging as people
debate the best options and next steps, and assign roles and accountability.
Co-chairing the meeting, Kevan waits for people to work things out, stepping in only to keep
action and accountability on track.
“It’s not easy. We’re dealing with multiple problems that require multiple responses. Even
getting my four boys to agree around the table at home is hard enough, let alone four large
Ministries and independent local providers,” says Kevan.
“But in the end, they have to work it out. You can’t just say ‘oh, our workloads are too heavy
right now’, because there are kids who need help right now, right here. The Social Sector Trial
has made everyone accountable for getting the results Kawerau needs.”
Tarawera High School principal Helen Tuhoro says instead of working in silos, with education
having nothing to do with the council nor social services, the Social Sector Trial has worked like
glue.
“It brings us around the same table, focusing on the families we do all our mahi around.”
Child, Youth and Family has set up an office in Kawerau to be closer to the community and
partner agencies. It now sits in the same building as the Social Sector Trial team, along with a
host of other community services.
The results speak for themselves – a 33 percent increase in school attendance and a 25
percent drop in Youth Court appearances.
In the first two years of the Trial alone, the KEY Forum worked with 75 young people to help
them back into education.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
9
And in May 2012, the number of disengaged young people hit zero “for the first time in living
memory,” according to Mayor Malcolm Campbell.
Nanny Dolls
Meet Mereana ‘Dolls’ Rua, 61, a life-long resident and ‘Nan’ or ‘Nanny Dolls’ to almost everyone
in Kawerau, from kids to kaumatua to gang families.
Dolls has become Kawerau’s first local and fulltime truancy officer, replacing a regional role based
in Whakatane that was having little impact on Kawerau’s truant kids.
Putting Dolls in charge of school attendance was one of the first moves of the Social Sector
Trial.
“We moved funding around to make that happen,” says Kevan. “We needed a community
leader in that role, trusted and respected, to get through the door into people’s homes.”
Dolls knows the whānau of all the youngsters she deals with, and will knock on any door to
bundle them off to school in her car. She’ll connect with their families as well and she’s quick
to spot where more help is needed.
Faylene
Kawerau-born and bred Faylene Tunui was recruited as co-ordinator for the Social Sector
Trial team at the end of the Trial’s first year. Educated and strongly connected to the
community, Faylene has also become the youngest member of the district council.
“I was raised in Te Ao Māori. As a kid, I went from marae to marae to tautoko everyone.
Everyone is whānau.”
As Social Sector Trial co-ordinator, Faylene’s job has no easy definition – from cross-agency
facilitator to big sister and aunty. She’s just returned from a meeting with visiting Government
Minister Anne Tolley when the phone rings.
“Hey Aunty,” says a worried young male voice on the other end. A senior student has a work
experience programme with a local employer, but the boy’s Nan hasn’t made it back from her
doctor’s visit to drive
him there.
Faylene, who co-ordinated the programme, grabs her keys, prints an extra copy of his work
placement forms just in case, and heads out the door.
Recently, she’s been working with Work and Income to link local employers with training
providers, offering much-needed work training and experience in industries where local jobs
are.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
10
Joel
Across the road from the skate park, a youth centre is an after school hangout for up to 60 kids
of all ages each day, and an alternative education programme during school hours.
Youth centre worker Joel King-Hazel, 19, is chairman of Kawerau’s youth council, a Youth
Services mentor, and passionate about making a difference. He says there’s a sea-change
going on for many young people in Kawerau.
“Kids who have been coming to this centre for months are not coming in drunk or stoned
anymore. And I’m not just ‘hey you’, anymore. I’m Matua Joel.”
Also, he says local churches are starting to see up to 200 young people at evening services
from Wednesday to Sunday.
Kevan says that historically different parts of the community – churches, iwi, school, businesses
and agencies – didn’t relate much. “But the Social Sector Trial supports what we all do as a
community.”
Doing what is needed
The decision to close two of the town’s six schools was tough for Kawerau. The teachers were
made redundant and only three were re-hired. The 40 new teachers did not know the
students. Parents of intermediate-aged kids were worried about possible bullying by seniors.
Key community social service agencies Manna Support Services and Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau
Hauora committed to working openly together alongside schools.
For a year volunteers from across the community, from parents to police officer to the Mayor, took
turns to spend time with students during lunchtime and school breaks.
“We wanted to help the kids and teachers settle in, and to let them know that the whole
community was behind them.”
Matai Bennett and Chris Majoribanks are the respective leaders of Manna Support and
Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau Hauora, and they acknowledge change for the community will be a long
game.
“But at least we’re focused on how to put things together, rather than how dysfunctional
everything was,” says Chris.
“We’re no longer looking across the landscape and seeing gaps that we can’t plug, because we
can’t work together. Now we can change services to meet real community needs.”
Seeing a need to support young women involved with gangs, they went out and asked them
what sort of training would interest them if it were run locally.
Then they successfully challenged the regional polytechs to offer beauty, fashion and health
training, based in Kawerau.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
11
“We asked why the polytechs couldn’t consider building our young people’s confidence to the
point where they can take the step outside this community and carry on learning.
“For some of those young women this was their first ever success, the first thing they felt proud
of. And the transformation, as a result, was amazing.”
Mihiata
Mihiata, the early childhood teacher who challenged the Social Sector Trial to look after the 0 to
5-year-olds, is now part of the team as the ECE Participation Project Co-ordinator, with backing
from the Ministry of Education.
Ten years as an early childhood educator in Kawerau and a lifetime growing up and raising her
own kids in Kawerau means she is firmly part of the community.
In a short time she’s connected several families with early childhood services,
and other support services to help their kids stay safe and healthy, and engaged in early
learning education.
“It’s about helping families, using all the agencies and skills we’ve got here. And it’s about
forgetting to protect our own patch, and working together.”
Community leaders
Kevan is widely acknowledged in Kawerau for his commitment and success in uniting the
community and providers and taking the new approach forward.
Kevan says getting people like Faylene, Mihiata, Dolls and Warwick on board has been about
“developing the right people, people who weren’t on the radar of conventional authority, but who
are the right people to lead.
“This community is staunch about who they’ll listen to – if you’re not from here, you’re not from
here. There are good people in this community. And I’ve gone out looking for them.
“It’s about developing the next generation to take this into the future.”
Web links
Learn more about Social Sector Trials in Kawerau and other New Zealand communities:
http://www.msd.govt.nz/kawerau-sst-action-plan
http://www.msd.govt.nz/social-sector-trials
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
12
Kids and animals
Caring for a pet can teach us a lot about good relationships with animals and people.
That’s why the Canterbury SPCA is giving children in care a hands-on chance to care for
animals – helped by Myrtle the dog, and Vinnie the guinea pig.
“We know how vital it is for children who may have witnessed cruelty and negative role
modelling to have opportunities to develop respectful, nurturing and positive relationships with
animals,” says Rachel Norris, who is Child, Youth and Family’s Rangiora site manager.
She says the partnership with the SPCA came from a recent forum where children in care were
asked about the things that mattered to them.
“The children told us that their pets and other animals were really important.”
The SPCA was a perfect fit because its education programme taught children about
compassion and empathy for their furry, feathered and finned friends.
Richard, the SPCA Canterbury’s Education Manager, is passionate about educating children,
particularly those who may be at risk of developing negative behaviours towards animals. He
was very keen to work with Rangiora’s children in care.
“If we can teach young people to be empathetic towards animals, there is less risk of cruelty
later on – not just to animals, but to people.
“Our core message is based on the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare. To a young audience this
means making sure that pets have food and water, love and understanding, shelter, exercise and
vet care.”
Rachel and her team are very keen to continue working with the SPCA.
“We have a great opportunity to support children in care to develop a really good understanding
of what animals need, and encourage them to become advocates for animal welfare,” says
Rachel.
The children enjoyed the session and loved the hands-on time with the animals.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
13
One young person said, “Having this experience has inspired me even more to work with
animals.”
Another said, “Animal abuse is cruel and it needs to be stopped. If a person can’t look after
animals properly then they shouldn’t have pets.”
On their next visit, the children will get the chance to have a look around the animal centre,
meet the animals up for adoption and get hands-on with more animals, including Bertie the cow
and Doris the pig.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
14
KickStart
A public-private-community partnership means more Kiwi kids are starting their school
day on a full stomach.
Ten-year-old Logan arrives early at school every day, but it’s not to play with his mates in the
playground.
Instead, he looks forward to catching up with them over a Weet-Bix and milk in Wainuiomata
Primary School’s hall.
He’s one of about 40 Wainuiomata children who enjoy a daily fix of Weet-Bix and Anchor milk
as part of the KickStart Breakfast programme, which serves more than 95,000 breakfasts in
more than 760 schools nationwide.
With support from the Government to the tune of $1.9 million a year, Sanitarium provides the
Weet-Bix and Fonterra provides the milk. Schools and their communities provide the bowls and
spoons and of course the places and the people to run the breakfast clubs.
Hungry
“Children were coming to school hungry and we were feeding them out of our school finances,
but the need was getting greater,” says Deputy Principal Allison Burdon.
The increasing number of hungry children prompted the school to sign up to KickStart
Breakfast. In just a few months, the teachers, parents and community alike have embraced the
programme. With a pool of 20-or-so parent and staff helpers, the breakfast club goes through
about 40 litres of milk and 660 Weet-Bix each week, ensuring that children like Logan start their
day in a good way.
It has made a huge difference, says Allison.
“We had a lot of angry outbursts, and when you asked the kids what they had for breakfast
they’d say, ‘nothing’. We’ve identified those children and got them to our breakfast club, and
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
15
those outbursts have subsided now.
“Our teachers are really noticing that the children seem more settled in class and they settle into
work more.
“It’s also been good for other children who probably don’t need breakfast, in that it is building a
culture within our school. The breakfast table has a really nice feel about it, and it’s good for
them socially too.”
Bright brains and full tummies
Logan’s lot usually comprises two Weet-Bix, sometimes more depending on dinner the night
before.
“Having breakfast makes my brain think better. When I get milk in my head, when I go to class I
can think,” he says.
His school mates agree, with seven-year-old Fanua saying that breakfast makes it easier to do
schoolwork.
Her friend Anatea says she’d always arrive late for school and without much for breakfast, but
not any more.
“Now I come early and eat here. I like it because I get to see my friends and my tummy gets
full.”
Teacher Deb Neho is one of a number of staff who swing by the school hall to mingle with
students like Anatea over breakfast.
“It’s a great culture. It’s a great way to start the day, for the kids and for me. I teach years 4 to 6,
and a full tummy really does make a great day for learning.
“Then you get out into the playground and kids are running to give you a hug because you’ve
just had breakfast with them. It builds the bonds.
“They look at you as being normal, as in, ‘She eats and drinks with us, so she cares about us
out of the classroom as well’. So the kids believe in you and then they believe in themselves.”
Volunteer co-ordinator and school administrator Marlene Bell says KickStart Breakfast has had
plenty of backing from parents and the community.
“We have an amazing bunch of parents who help out, like Tania, who comes in twice a week
with her three kids, of whom one isn’t even at school yet, but she helps to serve breakfast too.”
Strong partners – community, business and government
KickStart Breakfast was launched by Fonterra and Sanitarium in 2009, serving breakfast twice a
week to children in low-decile schools.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
16
Since the Ministry of Social Development came on board in May 2013, the programme has
expanded to five days a week and opened up for all schools that want it. That financial backing
has prompted a 33 percent increase in schools involved. As of term three this year, 761 schools
were enrolled in the programme. More than half are now offering breakfast five days a week.
“This is a genuine partnership between the Government, the community and New Zealand
business,” says Ruth Palmer, the Ministry of Social Development’s Family and Community
Services General Manager.
“It’s a great, practical way to make a real difference in children’s lives by providing them with
nutritious food that sets them up for the day.”
Fonterra too is “immensely pleased, and very, very proud” of what it has done so far.
“The fact is, we are very good at making nutritious products, as is Sanitarium, so it’s really great
that our businesses can help to solve, in a small way, a big problem that exists within New
Zealand,” says Fonterra’s Louise Aitken.
And there’s been plenty of positive feedback, says Louise, along with some touching
experiences of her own.
“I’ve personally had an experience with a 15-year-old who received his schedule for his NCEA
Level 1 exams. His school serves breakfast three days a week, and he said to me that he knew
he’d pass his science exam because it had fallen on a day when the school had breakfast.”
Sanitarium also receives plenty of positive feedback from students and schools.
“Through KickStart Breakfast, we’re able to make a real and lasting difference in our
communities,” says Sanitarium’s Hayley Scott.
KickStart acknowledged
The Sustainable Business Council has highlighted the KickStart Breakfast programme as a
successful example of how businesses can work with partners, in its Practical Guide to Effective
Partnerships. The Guide provides practical guidance to businesses wanting to develop or
enhance partnerships to deliver social and environmental change. A copy of the Guide is
available on the Sustainable Business Council’s website at www.sbc.org.nz/resources-andtools/guides/partnerships
Web link
Learn more about KickStart Breakfast
https://kickstartbreakfast.co.nz
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
17
Migrating to meaningful work
Haiou Wang is excited. She’s nervous too, but mostly excited. The Chinese native is
about to start her first job in her adopted New Zealand.
Haiou Wang chats to her job mentor Liz Chin, gleaning some last advice before Liz officially
transforms from mentor to mate.
This time, rather than asking about how to get a job, she’s asking what to wear on the job,
which calls for business-casual wear.
“Maybe for the first week or so wear something a bit more dressed up,” advises Liz. “The first
impression always stays, and you never know when you’ll be called to an important meeting.”
Haiou’s new role is as Senior Planner in Inland Revenue’s performance and finance team.
Her experience in corporate finance at KPMG in China, and her excellent English, secured her
the job, but she says she couldn’t have done it without Liz’s guidance.
“Liz helped me to make sure it was all done in the Kiwi way. She taught me what the local job
market was looking for. She built up my confidence and helped me to believe in myself. She
took time in her weekends. She’s my hero.”
The Job Mentoring Service
Haiou and Liz are a success story from the Job Mentoring Service, run by English Language
Partners in Wellington.
“Our core business is developing English language skills and social support and helping
migrants and refugees to settle,” says English Language Partners’ manager Zlata Sosa.
“But about 12 years ago we noticed high levels of unemployment among skilled migrants from nonEnglish-speaking countries.
“Finding a job can be a prolonged process for anyone, but especially for people who don’t have
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
18
networks and don’t know the Kiwi way.
“So we set up the Job Mentoring Service to help skilled migrants and refugees to find
meaningful work.”
The programme matches a trained volunteer job mentor with a skilled migrant or refugee from a
non-English-speaking country.
They work one-on-one to help the newcomer get a foot in the door of their profession.
“We don’t find them the work, but our volunteers help jobseekers to prepare themselves for
work in the New Zealand job market and apply for jobs.
“It’s about teaching them what local employers are looking for, and building up their networks
and confidence so they don’t just take whatever work they can get.”
Zlata, an immigrant from Bosnia-Herzegovina, knows the difference that a meaningful job can
make in a new country.
“They feel valued and useful. They’re part of something, and all of their family benefits.”
As per its funding agreement with Work and Income, each year the Job Mentoring Service must
help at least 35 migrants to gain meaningful employment.
In the past 12 years the organisation has helped more than 350 migrants to find jobs.
The right match
Matching the right mentors and jobseekers is the key to success. That task falls to co-ordinator
Olga Smith, who came to New Zealand from the Czech Republic and has a background in
psychology and social work.
“The three main things we look at are personality, need and similarity of industry. It’s a
professional relationship, but they have to be able to work together.”
The amount of work involved depends largely on the jobseeker.
“We ask our volunteers to give each jobseeker at least six months, usually meeting weekly or
fortnightly for an hour or so,” says Olga.
“As the jobseeker grows in confidence they can do more on their own. Sometimes it’s more about
the mentor being there for questions, to run through interview scenarios, or to cast their eye over
a cover letter.”
Liz says she doesn’t think about the time she gives.
“It’s not a chore, especially if you’re matched with the right person.
“Haiou wanted a public sector job and, since I work in the public sector, it was more about
sharing my knowledge of how that job market worked, the processes and what jobs were
coming up.”
A job mentor also keeps people motivated, says Olga. “It’s no fun sitting at home on your own
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
19
looking for a job, but if you’ve got a mentor you’re meeting every week, you keep going.”
Jobseekers are invited to attend Network Nights too, to meet others and increase their
chances of finding meaningful work.
And mentors encourage them to take up voluntary work for experience, connections and –
crucially – local employers to act as referees.
“We recently had a woman who had worked in human resources in Indonesia, but was working
in a supermarket here,” says Zlata.
“Her mentor helped her to find volunteer administration work at the hospital, which led to a fulltime paid job in medical records.
“Working at the hospital voluntarily meant she heard about the job, had some local experience,
and had someone to vouch for her.”
The service has no trouble retaining its mentors. In fact, most take on new jobseekers once
their current one (or two) gets a job.
Liz has now helped six people; another dedicated volunteer mentor has helped 14.
Alice Hodder, who co-ordinated the programme for three years until July 2014, says the trend
she most appreciated was migrants helping migrants.
“About half of our mentors are former migrants themselves – some have used this service. They
know how hard it can be to find a good job here and how vital it is to get some help.
“That’s a strong indicator of the success of the programme and the great support it offers
coming back full circle.”
Web link
The Job Mentoring Service helps skilled migrant and refugee jobseekers looking for meaningful
work in Wellington. It trains and recruits volunteer mentors to support jobseekers and share
their experience of finding work.
http://jobmentor.org.nz
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
20
Changing the world, one shed at a
time
Step inside the Kapiti Shed Project and the conifer scent of macrocarpa is the first thing
you notice.
One man smooths the rough edges of macrocarpa blocks with a sanding machine. Another
uses sandpaper to finish the job. Four other men carefully brush the blocks with olive oil, giving
them a rich, deep colour.
The shaped blocks are destined to become children’s building toys.
It’s a scene that could be played out in any shed around the country – men, tools, wood.
At lunchtime there’s a hot sausage in a slice of bread; when they down tools, a pint. On the
weekends it’s a camping trip or movie evening with fish and chips.
It all sounds ordinary enough, but to Denis Wood, the Kapiti Shed Project’s founder and
dogsbody, it’s magic.
“It’s blokes and sheds. You don’t have to do anything in the Shed. Just be in the Shed. Hang
out in the Shed. Just turn up.”
The Kapiti Shed Project came about after Denis, who works in property maintenance, noticed
that activities on offer to men with disabilities were very limited.
“These guys are like you and me. During the day we’re not going swimming or 10-pin bowling.
We do that on the weekend. I can’t see why disabled people should be any different. These
guys are better than this.”
At the time, Denis was tutoring young unemployed men in building skills. Many of them had
learning disabilities, “and it wasn’t long before they started to appear on the weekends. Some
came to help in the workshop, others needed help, and some just came to hang out and drink
coffee.”
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
21
The Ministry of Social Development’s Think Differently fund, along with help from the Aotea
Community Trust, Capital Training and local businesses, allowed the Shed to expand. It
employed four people and was able to offer bloke-ish learning to many more.
“When the guys come to the Shed, they find out what they can do and we give them the means
to do it. When they become employed, pay tax, get holiday pay, contribute to KiwiSaver, then
people realise how much they’re really capable of.”
Many disabled people lead lives kept artificially narrow by the fears of well-meaning families and
caregivers, Denis says.
“Caregivers can be our biggest obstacles sometimes,” says Denis. “They don’t believe at first
that these guys can do it; they think they’re not up to it.
“But give them an opportunity to be part of the workforce, and they’re away. For some of these
guys it’s only now that people are starting to see them as adults.”
One of the Shed’s success stories is David Ledingham, who is paid to wield a sander, sew up
kindling bags to sell, cook lunch for the blokes and clean the workshop. A man of few words, he
says his favourite job is sewing.
Denis says the Shed is helping to change mainstream attitudes to disabled people, just by being
part of the Kapiti Coast community. They initially encountered brief discrimination, such as a
pub that didn’t want to serve them and a venue manager worried about letting them hire his hall.
“But with a bit of understanding people have really stepped up.”
Because of Denis’s property maintenance work, tradesmen and technicians regularly pop in to
the Shed, where they meet the shed blokes and see what they can do as workers.
“People are getting more accepting. We do sausage sizzles and the guys are in your face. If
you want a sausage, you have to talk to them.”
As well as making blocks and kindling, the Shed men upcycle and renovate furniture and other
items to sell on Trade Me.
They find treasure in other people’s trash, such as perfume bottles and antique tools, and shape
silver forks into quirky and useful hooks.
Trade Me listings – apt and often hilarious – are composed by Shed co-ordinator Robert
Cruickshank, who has a background in advertising and sales. Robert refers to himself as a
‘word strangler’ and is also behind the Shed’s Facebook page, Tumblr blog and website.
“I spent three years trying to get work and failing, failing, failing,” says Robert, who has
Asperger’s syndrome.
“Particularly when you’re young, Asperger’s affects your social processing because you don’t
know what you’re looking at when a social situation comes along. You don’t develop the
friendship or networking skills that help get jobs.”
He’s now thriving.
“I like having things stable and getting on with the job. I find the Shed very supportive, better
than other jobs in the past. I know exactly what the job is and what’s expected of me. I like the
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
22
autonomy.”
As well as increasing the paid positions, Denis has plans for the future.
“The Shed Project was founded on my belief that with patience and understanding we could
achieve social change, whereby older men could teach and mentor younger men, and by
incorporating the disability sector an understanding and respect could be realised between
different groups of men.
“We offer a working and creative environment where older and younger men can co-exist,
fostering mutual understanding and the sharing of skills and knowledge.”
He’s also clear on what success looks like.
“We battle for these guys, just to give them a normal life. The day I go to the pub and see a
couple of these guys there without support people, I’ll know we’re winning.”
Web links
Find out more about the Kapiti Shed Project at
http://shedproject.co.nz
http://shedprojectkapiti.tumblr.com
www.facebook.com/shedprojectkapiti
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
23
ArtsLab
Q: What do you get when you combine two talented jobseekers, a great idea and a lab
that fosters young creatives into work?
A: A business with a future and jobs for four people.
Jobs were scarce for architecture graduates when 23-year-old Paul Organ and 22-year-old Kurt
Meyer left the University of Auckland last year.
When they registered with Work and Income to look for work, they confided that they had an
idea to create a business app for boarding schools.
“I’d been a boarder at Mount Albert Grammar School, so I knew how hard it is for staff to
manage students with pens and clipboards,” explains Kurt. “We talked to boarding schools
around the world, and they all had the same problem.”
Kurt and Paul gained the chance to turn their idea into reality when Work and Income referred
them to ArtsLab at the Depot Artspace in Devonport. ArtsLab is a six-month employment and
professional development programme for people seeking careers in creative industries.
ArtsLab manager Lynn Lawton says that people referred by Work and Income are first
assessed for their potential in work or self-employment.
“I was convinced that Paul and Kurt had the skills, and the knowledge of the boarding school
environment, along with the passion and drive to give their business idea a really good go.”
“The ArtsLab programme gave us the support and time we needed to do the development,”
says Paul. “We were feeling nervous and excited at the same time!”
The pair approached staff at Auckland Grammar School, which Paul had attended, as well as
Mount Albert Grammar. Their approach was welcomed by both high schools who were keen to
be involved in the development. “We tested it with the boarding staff and they told us how they
would like it to work,” says Kurt.
Boardingware is an iPad app for boarding schools. Forget about paper-based systems, say Kurt
and Paul. The app lets staff manage student boarders via tablet, mobile phone or computer.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
24
The app quickly took off. By August this year there were 10 customers in New Zealand and
seven overseas, with predictions of around 50 customers by the year’s end.
The business is now a team of four, with two people on contract who have bought into the
business.
In November Kurt and Paul will showcase Boardingware at the American Association of
Boarding Schools’ conference in Washington DC. “We have several customers in the US who
love what we are doing and have encouraged us to attend,” says Paul.
Paul and Kurt say they love everything about their business and are grateful for the possibilities
that ArtsLab opened up for them. There’s a good chance that the two will develop more apps
and continue to grow their company, employing more people and generating overseas income
for New Zealand.
“That’s our next dream,” says Paul.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
25
Sanctuaries and safe havens
In Hastings, diverse church and community leaders are learning to lead a united stand
against family violence.
It’s a Tuesday night in Flaxmere, and leaders from different Pacific communities and churches
have gathered in the local community centre.
From Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Tokelau, Tuvalu and the Cook Islands, these men and women
are keen to learn how to lead the way against family violence.
When they’ve finished their 16-week course they will have the tools to run stopping violence
programmes in their own communities.
Among the group is a mother who says that she hopes parents will learn different ways to
discipline their children.
“If we are brought up in a violent discipline it is really hard to raise children in another way – to
know what to do instead. We need to learn how to raise our children differently.”
In the three years it has been running, DOVE Hawke’s Bay’s Kainga Pasifika programme has
helped to unite Pacific communities and churches against family violence.
It’s a programme for change that starts with leaders, developed in a uniquely Pacific way by
Tongan-born Tevita Faka’osi, who is well known in Flaxmere’s Pacific communities. The
businessman, church leader, Justice of the Peace, employer and interpreter is also the Kainga
Pasifika co-ordinator for DOVE Hawke’s Bay, a family violence prevention organisation based in
Napier.
The Pacific way
“I started looking at how to keep families safe in a Pacific way. I said to DOVE that if we want to
reach Pacific Islanders we need to involve the community, we need to pick the people who are
respected in that community, train them and send them back to their community.”
The first leader training took place in 2012, a 16-week course that focused on helping
participants to understand family violence. For many church and community leaders it was a
personal journey that challenged their own attitudes and behaviour.
“They discovered that violence is not OK. They learned the impact on the families and children.
Smacking is a no-no, there is a better way,” says Tevita.
“Then they started practising it and they saw the change themselves. Seeing it they believed it,
and when they believed it, they could change it.”
Since 2012, 22 church and community leaders have gone through the programme and taken
further training to lead stopping violence programmes in their own communities.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
26
They’ve already seen a drop in the incidence of violence – people are finding guidance and help
from their own leaders and churches, rather than reaching the point where agencies like New
Zealand Police or Child, Youth and Family are needed.
Call to action
In 2013, the Office of the Children’s Commissioner (OCC) invited faith leaders from all over New
Zealand to take a stand against family violence.
Leaders from churches across Hastings attended workshops alongside those already involved
with the DOVE Kainga Pasifika programme.
Subsequently, a think tank of local church leaders and family violence prevention practitioners
formed to support faith communities in Hawke’s Bay.
About 128 church leaders from 36 congregations have since attended training to respond to
family violence and partner abuse, as well as learn about child protection, policy and protocols.
Family violence specialist and counsellor Kara Duncan-Hewitt has played a pivotal role.
A survivor of a violent relationship, Kara has a passion to see faith communities do more to
support and heal people affected by family violence.
“I once thought that my only way out of my own abusive marriage was to die. After all, marriage
was supposed to be forever and I feared, because of my belief at the time, being on the wrong
side of God if I left.
“Faith leaders can preach from the pulpit, they can lead from the top down, they are often the first
people to be contacted in family crises. It just makes sense for them to know how to respond.
“For some people the church is their whole life, and their whole social life. While family violence
services support victims and perpetrators in many practical ways, faith communities can foster
healing in the long term – they are like a family.
“My hope is that faith communities will become known as safe places for victims and
perpetrators to go for the help they need.”
This initiative is supported by the Hastings District Council, the OCC and the ‘It’s not OK’
campaign.
Out in the open
Kayren Hatherell, pastor at Hastings’ independent Church of the Way, says leadership from the
OCC has opened the way for churches to be open about family violence.
“Many times we were called to a family crisis but family violence and child abuse weren’t ever
talked about.
“We attended the OCC workshop in Wellington and came back saying, ‘Yay, we can do it now,
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
27
it can be out in the open now’. And that has certainly strengthened what we are already doing.”
Spiritual wellbeing
Chris Badger is a counsellor who works with victims of domestic violence.
“I was seeing client after client coming in as a result of domestic abuse – they would have been
about 60 to 70 percent of my clients.
“With rates like that I thought family violence must be in our church community too, and if it is in
our church community, what are we going to do about it?”
She belongs to Hastings’ Station Community Church, which sent representatives to the OCC
workshop in Wellington.
“At our church we have our pastor and six other people involved in family violence workshops.
“It is giving more eyes on this issue, and teaching people to take a second look and ask the
right questions.
“My ideal would be that pastors and leaders embrace the training, put policies in place to protect
vulnerable people in their own community, and offer support and training.”
John Drower, elder at Station Church, says churches should be safe places.
“But to be safe we need to know how to respond to family violence. We have recognised stuff in
the past, but not necessarily had processes in place to handle it. Now we’ve realised we need to
be more proactive.”
Web link
This work is supported by the ‘It’s not OK’ campaign. Find out more at
www.areyouok.org.nz
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
28
Spotlight on Northland
Storm force
Northland growers and farmers could only stand by and watch in dismay as the worst
storms and flooding in decades battered their crops and farms in July.
As the clean-up began, Maungakaramea avocado grower Kathy Woods raced against the clock
to harvest thousands of avocados lying beneath storm-battered trees on her 22-hectare
orchard.
She was one of numerous Northland growers estimated to have suffered a collective industry
loss of up to $13 million in lost production, lost trees and tree damage.
She was also among the first to receive no-cost help from the Enhanced Task Force Green
crews, who were activated to help with the clean-up.
Unemployed locals were recruited to the teams, with the Ministry of Social Development paying
their wages and the Northland Regional Council overseeing the work.
For Manu Bilich, joining the Enhanced Task Force Green clean-up team was both a chance to
work and a chance to lead. He jumped at the opportunity.
With strong Te Uri o Hau ties, Manu had lived and worked in Australia for the previous 10 years.
Last year he returned home to Ruakaka with his partner and two children to care for his sick
mother.
It was the right move, to be home with whānau, and he was ready to work. But the hard reality
was that work wasn’t as plentiful as it had been across the Tasman.
Manu had a wealth of experience and qualifications in security, but he struggled to find work in
his field. He took a casual role at the port and registered with Work and Income as an active
jobseeker.
Manu’s determination and initiative quickly shone through to work brokers, who keenly
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
29
recommended him for a leadership role with the Enhanced Task Force Green clean-up. Not
scared of change and excited by the unknown, the former security guard decided he would try
his hand at it.
In two months, Manu and his crew mates have cleaned up 70 properties, in places from the Far
North to Whangarei. The crews have worked on orchards and dairy, beef and sheep farms,
where they have repaired fences, cleared debris and damaged crops, and removed fallen trees.
Manu says the work has been hard but rewarding. The experience of leading a crew and the
satisfaction of helping people will be the two things he will remember most, he says.
“It’s pretty satisfying to know that we are helping people who have been really affected. It is also
really humbling when I am able to guide some of my crew mates when they aren’t sure of what
to do.
“We have all worked really hard and I’m looking forward to whatever opportunities come about
from it.”
When the clean-up finishes, Work and Income will support the crew members into other jobs.
As for avocado grower Kathy Woods, she was delighted and grateful for the arrival of several,
much-needed extra pairs of hands so early in the clean-up, saying it was “really, really great”.
Key facts
Northland
spans from Te Hana in the south to Cape Reinga in the far north.
The economy
is based on agriculture, horticulture, tourism, forestry and wood processing, construction and
marine engineering. Emerging industries include mining, aquaculture and the creative sector.
148,470 people
live in Northland. Nearly one third of Northland’s population is Māori – more than double the
proportion for all of New Zealand.
Whangarei
contains one third of Northland’s population. The remainder live in small towns and rural areas.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
30
Where she wants to be
Courage and a determination to do better for her children have turned Letitia Noah’s life
around, along with a resolute work broker and a committed employer.
Letitia Noah has made a commitment to herself and her children to never look back. But today
the 46-year-old is going to delve into her past in the hope that her life change may inspire others
to do the same.
Letitia is quiet and shy, but she is determined – she needs others to know her story. She talks
quietly of growing up in state care without her family, being physically, sexually and verbally
abused as a child, the lack of contact with some of her grown children, the loss of a partner to
cancer, and suffering from a severe case of the chronic autoimmune disease lupus.
But for Letitia, rock bottom came with the loss of her 12-day-old son, born prematurely in August
2013. Her eyes fill with tears as she explains how, in those darkest of times, she lost herself to
alcohol.
“After I buried my son I went into a downward spiral. I drank solidly for a month. I can’t
remember most of it. The only memory is of the morning that I decided that I needed to
change.”
It was a change, she says, that saved her life and changed the lives of her children.
“I was woken one morning, after a few days of binge drinking, by my two children crying and
saying they were hungry.
“I went to look in the fridge and there was nothing but bottles for me. Then I went to the
cupboard and there was nothing but bottles for me.
“I didn’t know the last time they had been fed. Even after all these years of being on a benefit I
had never let my children go hungry.
“When your children have looks of hunger and desperation in their eyes, you have to change.
That was my turning point.”
Letitia’s mood lifts as she describes how her children are now the happiest she has ever seen
them. She says they’re happy because they know their mother is committed to giving them the
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
31
best she can.
She says words can’t express the positive impact her work has had on her family.
“They are walking around with their heads held high. Their attitudes have lifted and their pukus
are full. We have heaps of barriers in life, but I want my kids to know that we are never going
back.”
This month Letitia celebrates her one-year anniversary of working at Edgewater Palm
Apartments in Paihia. It is a real milestone, given that she had been out of the workforce for
almost 20 years.
Edgewater manager Nicki Kempthorne says Letitia is a dependable, honest, happy and loyal
team player.
“She is happy to work on her own and requires no leadership. In fact, leadership has now
become her role – as we head into the summer season she will run a team of six staff.”
It’s a stark contrast to how Letitia describes the person she was one year ago.
Depressed and grieving, she could hardly bring herself to attend a Work and Income
employment seminar. But she did.
She was so overwhelmed that she decided she wasn’t going back. But she did.
Every little step along the path to work was challenging, especially photographs.
As a lupus sufferer, she has large skin rashes on her face, which make her self-conscious. She
was horrified to learn that an employer might see her photo. She’d never attended an interview
either.
Work and Income workbroker Chrissy Murray could see how little self-belief and how much
insecurity Letitia had. “But I saw warmth and potential.”
Chrissy made a beeline for Letitia, and worked closely with her as she prepared for work. She
also convinced Nicki at Edgewater Palm Apartments to consider recruiting from Work and
Income.
“Together we are piloting a training programme with Work and Income that transitions people
from benefits into paid employment,” says Nicki.
While Letitia struggled to sell herself during the interview, Nicki says she showed a definite and
genuine willingness to work. She says Letitia is proof that the pilot training programme can
work.
Letitia says Chrissy and Nicki went above and beyond to support her. Chrissy continues to
provide pastoral and in-work support. And Nicki’s offer for Letitia and her children to stay two
nights in the five-star hotel completely blew her away.
“On top of giving me a job and extra hours, encouraging me to step up, and training me to
become a supervisor, she gave me and my kids the best Christmas we’ve ever had,” says
Letitia. “She accepted me, but she also showed me that I could be more.”
Sometimes people ask Letitia, “Where to from here?”.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
32
Her reply is, “I’m already there.
“This is where I have always wanted to be, a hardworking, happy mother. I value myself and the
work I do.”
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
33
Spotlight on
Waikato
You can do it, whaea
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and for
Susan Mahara that saying rings true.
The 50-something-year-old is happily employed in the
kitchen at Waikato’s Trevellyn Lifestyle Care and
Village, a rest home and residential care facility.
She puts her success down to communal support and
encouragement and to this day still can’t believe how
much confidence others had in her along the way.
She remembers one Work and Income case manager telling her, “You can do it, whaea”.
“He had more hope in me than I had in my own self,” she says.
The road to employment began when Susan was selected for work-focused case management,
a service that helps people to prepare for employment.
At the time she was on a widow’s benefit, working voluntarily at a local community centre as a
cleaner and kitchen hand.
She wondered why ‘they’ wanted her to work at her age. But her case manager was confident
that she could work – and get paid for it.
An opportunity then arose for Susan to participate in a caregiving and hospitality course. She
agreed to meet the course provider and remembers thinking, “Please don’t pick me”. But when
selection time came, they did.
Not wanting to be late on her first day, Susan caught the 7am bus into town and was
exceptionally early.
As for the course: “When the book came out... and I’m reading through it… I was just…”. Susan
stops and stares into space. She’s unsure how she made it through that first day; she didn’t
think she was going to make it.
“The first week was the longest week, but in the second I had more confidence. When the
course finished I was just getting into it! Those six weeks went so fast.”
Her course included two weeks’ work experience at Trevellyn Lifestyle Care and Village and at
St Joan’s Hospital and Rest Home, both in the kitchen.
After those two weeks ended Susan’s phone rang. It was one of the Trevellyn managers asking
if she could go in for an interview.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
34
Armed with new-found interview skills from the course, Susan got the job.
Now, as a part-timer and reliever at Trevellyn, most weeks she works at least 15 hours,
sometimes more than 30.
Up until now Susan has bought most of her clothes from second-hand shops, but her moko
(grandchildren) have told her that she can now afford to buy brand-new clothes.
“And I have – I went and got me two new tops and not from the second-hand shop.”
Despite her part-time work Susan still receives a benefit, albeit reduced depending on her
earnings, but she’s determined to find full-time work and come off it altogether.
Susan is thankful to those who have helped her on her journey so far, especially her case
managers, course tutor and the staff at Trevellyn and St Joan’s. Not one to take credit, she
reluctantly concedes that maybe her hard work has also had something to do with it.
Key facts
Work and Income
works with a range of industries to train our jobseekers with the right skills for the job, and to fill
skill or labour shortages.
Employers
can save time and money with skilled workbrokers finding the right people for the job, and
supporting them to succeed in work. We can tailor our no-cost recruitment service to meet
employers’ needs, including wage subsidies, training and in-work support. Free phone 0800 778
008.
Work-focused case management
is about personalised support for people who need extra help to get back into work. That can
include training and mentoring, help to arrange transport and child care, help to buy work
clothes, managing debt, budgeting and life skills.
Web link
Find out more about our employer services
www.workandincome.govt.nz/business
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
35
A good match
Ray Woolly has had Lance Archuleta on his payroll for the past year. The boss of
Hamilton garage door company Windsor Doors couldn’t be happier with 23-year-old
Lance, even though he’d set out looking to recruit someone much older.
Ray’s previous experiences were that young guys “broke things and wouldn’t turn up for work”.
This time when Ray started looking for a new installer, he wanted someone mature, married,
with a stable family life, maybe a mortgage – someone who wanted to work, had a reason to
work and would turn up.
Knowing that Work and Income helped people into employment and helped employers to find
staff, office manager Lynda Jordain called to see who was on its books. She met up with Work
Broker Sue Crackett to talk about what they needed.
When Sue heard about the sort of character they were looking for, she followed her gut instinct
and put forward just one person for the position – Lance.
Lance was not the older person Ray had envisaged. He was young, 23 in fact, not married, with
no children or a mortgage – hardly the person Ray had in mind.
What he did have was the right attitude, and that was enough for Ray.
Lance had been a caregiver for a number of years. When that job ended he had picked up
some contract work laying cables. However, a downturn in the industry meant his contract was
not renewed and he found himself living off his savings and eventually applying for the
unemployment benefit.
In Lance’s first three months at Windsor Doors, the company received a wage subsidy from
Work and Income to help pay for training. He was teamed up with experienced installer Rob
Sutton, who also helped to train him.
“Lance has picked it up quickly. It’s not a hard job, but not everyone can do it,”says Rob.
“If he wanted to he could go further – to a sales rep and even to a branch manager,” says Rob.
“He’s learning the business from the ground up.”
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
36
He’s happy with the way that Lance has turned out and says he’ll turn to Work and Income to
recruit staff next time.
Ask Lance about the job and he says, “You’re standing on your own two feet. Work keeps you
busy and it gives you security, and you can buy what you want.”
Lance’s tip for jobseekers and new employees is to be willing to fit in and learn a new set of
skills.
Web link
Learn more about how Work and Income can help employers to recruit and train their
workforce.
www.workandincome.govt.nz/business
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
37
Turning points
Just over a year ago Blake (not his real name) was on the brink of a prison sentence after
a string of bad decisions, alcohol and drug abuse and repeat offending.
Today it’s a completely different story. The 17-year-old is a new dad. He’s clean and sober and
finding the potential that his social worker Pam Porter always knew he had.
But it wasn’t that long ago that Blake’s drug and alcohol abuse, repeat offending and failure to
complete any of his Youth Court plans saw him sent to a youth justice residence five times
between 2011 and 2013.
His latest court-ordered sentence of five months’ supervision-with-residence, starting in May
2013 followed by a six-month supervision order, was his last chance.
The Youth Court judge told Blake that if he breached or offended again he’d wind up in the
District Court and be sentenced to prison due to the magnitude of the charges.
But for the first time Blake completed a Youth Court plan and he hasn’t reoffended in more than
14 months.
“If things hadn’t clicked for me this time I’d probably be in jail,” says Blake.
His turning point came when he was ordered to attend a military-style activity camp (MAC)
programme in Christchurch, delivered by the New Zealand Defence Force.
“MAC opened my eyes. They taught us the reality of what we were doing and what we could
have in life,” says Blake.
“Physically it was mean, because I like running and keeping fit, and it pushes you mentally and
physically – any boys going through the courts should have an opportunity to do it.”
Blake also credits Rick and Linda Wiringi’s Life Skills for Life programme in Hamurana for its
part in his journey.
Life Skills for Life consists of three key components: education and training (forestry), social and
personal development, and drug and alcohol education and rehabilitation.
“Rick shows you respect no matter what and I hadn’t had that before,” says Blake.
Pam, who’s known Blake since 2010, says Life Skills for Life and MAC have changed him
enormously.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
38
“He used to be self-pitying but now he takes responsibility for his own actions and stops blaming
everybody else. That’s made a huge difference,” she says.
Fatherhood is also helping to keep Blake on track.
“I want to be a good father. I want to be a good role model to my son, and I want him to be
proud of me.”
And Pam knows that’s realistic.
“For someone Blake’s age, he’s very responsible and mature, and his commitment to this child
is huge.”
Pam knew halfway through his plan that he’d turned a corner.
“This was the first time that he’d shown a willingness to make that change and be different, and
any change had to come from within.
“He’s remained positive and committed to maintaining the changes he has made in himself and
to his lifestyle, and I’m really proud of him,” she says.
Blake acknowledges that his past actions and offending have affected everyone, including
himself.
“I know that temptations are always out there, but when I look back on what I did it is hard to
understand why I did them.
“I look at the past few years and I wasted so much time. Everyone knows the past is the past
and it won’t change, but the past has made me who I am today and I would like to think that I
am a good dad and a good person.”
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
39
Regional round-up
Southern
Cosy Homes:
Work and Income Southern is working with other local organisations
on the Cosy Homes Project. The goal is that everyone lives in a home
that is warm and healthy by 2025. The project is still new, but work is
under way to help low-income clients gain cheap or free insulation
services.
Constructing Futures initiative:
Housing New Zealand maintenance contractors are now recruiting their staff from Work and
Income jobseekers. Work and Income has been working with the Department of Corrections to
find people who meet the needs of lead contractors and subcontractors.
Whānau services:
Child, Youth and Family Dunedin has teamed up with Te Hou Ora Whānau Services to launch
the Te Ara Taiohi programme, which adapts to meet the individual needs of young people and
their whānau.
Canterbury
$3k to Christchurch:
A new initiative to help with labour shortages in Canterbury is proving
effective in connecting Canterbury employers with skilled jobseekers
from other areas. So far it has helped more than 400 Work and
Income jobseekers to move to Canterbury and find work.
Thank you:
Ministry of Social Development staff in Canterbury received many messages of support
following the Ashburton tragedy on 1 September. Other staff came from across the country to
support Canterbury staff and deliver client services through a difficult time.
Sharing knowledge:
Te Oranga Care and Protection Residence is hosting training for professionals across sectors
working with young people. The training is based on the Neurosequential Model of
Therapeutics, which is a relatively new approach getting good results with at-risk youth.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
40
Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast
Getting ready:
Child, Youth and Family West Coast has teamed up with Civil
Defence and local city councils to develop a strong welfare response
during a civil defence event, including running welfare centres.
Seasonal jobs:
Horticulture, viticulture, retail, hospitality and tourism will provide the bulk of new job
opportunities in the next few months across the top of the South. Buller and the West Coast will
also see increased opportunities with the annual influx of tourists. The apple sector is the major
seasonal industry employer in Nelson/Tasman, providing apple thinning jobs from around
October to Christmas. But the big demand for workers comes through the picking and packing
season from February to May. Work and Income starts early with seminars to prepare
jobseekers for the work and meet with employers.
Wellington
Healthier Porirua:
A Social Sector Trial is under way in Porirua. The vision is that by
working more closely together, social service agencies can improve
the health of the Porirua community – keeping people well and
providing prompt local treatment when people are ill. The trial began in
August 2013 and progress towards its goals has been impressive. The trial has been extended
for a further two years.
Hutt Valley partnership:
The Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce is promoting Work and Income clients to its members.
The Chamber and Work and Income have signed a contract that sees jobseekers undergo
training to be work-ready for when employers have vacancies for staff. The goal is that up to
150 clients will be employed during the next 12-months.
Central
Children’s Team:
The Horowhenua/Otaki Children’s Team began operating in
September. Children’s Teams are a new initiative to connect
professionals from health, education, welfare and social services into
a single team to give individual support to vulnerable children and
their families. Children’s Teams have operated in Rotorua and
Whangarei since 2013. Horowhenua/Otaki is one of eight new teams now setting up elsewhere.
Students:
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
41
During the summer, StudyLink Student Support Centres are very busy helping people with
financial support for study. To help the 150 permanent StudyLink officers in Palmerston North in
the peak time, the Centre has taken on more than 100 temporary staff. Some of these are Work
and Income jobseekers who took an intensive four-week course covering key aspects of the
role.
East Coast
Work for young people:
Gisborne Work and Income organised an Industries for Youth
programme in September with a recruitment drive, including visits to
worksites and employers. Out of 30 young people, most gained work
following the event.
Sefton House:
A house for young people with high-need disabilities opened in Havelock North in August,
backed by the Open Home Foundation, Hawke’s Bay District Health Board and Child, Youth
and Family. Sefton House caters for two young people long-term and two on a respite basis.
Drive for work:
Lacking a driver licence is a major barrier to gaining a job. Three hundred and seventy East
Coast region Work and Income clients are training for learners’, restricted and full driver
licences. They will complete professional instruction by the end of the year.
Taranaki, King Country and Whanganui
White Ribbon Day:
On 25 November the Taumarunui community will reveal its new mural
in the middle of the town, painted with anti-family-violence messages
created by local school children.
Vulnerable kids:
Professionals from health, education and social services in Hawera have got together with Child
Matters and Child, Youth and Family to learn more about supporting vulnerable children by
knowing what to look for, understanding the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 and the Children’s
Action Plan, and knowing how to report a concern to Child, Youth and Family.
Recruiting for Taranaki employers:
Work and Income has connected with Taranaki employers at the Chamber of Commerce
Members Showcase, to promote wage and training subsidies and recruitment services, and to
attract job opportunities for clients with employers planning to recruit in the coming months.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
42
Bay of Plenty
Community guidance:
Community response hui across the Bay of Plenty have been
gathering people’s thoughts on the issues facing young people, what
success would look like for communities, and where money should be
invested to make a difference.
Award:
Youth in Emergency Services (YES) won the Education and Child/Youth Development category
at the Trustpower Taupō District Community Awards recently. YES is a joint project of the
Ministry of Youth Development and Mangakino and Turangi emergency services, offering young
people a chance to get involved with local emergency services.
Mountain jobs:
Twenty unemployed young people from the Central Plateau area gained pre-season and inwork training on the Whakapapa and Turoa ski fields through the Ruapehu Alpine Lifts
Cadetship programme.
Waikato
Waikato Expressway:
Work and Income has teamed up with recruitment agency Advanced
Personnel to provide staff to work on a brand-new section of State
Highway 1 – the Cambridge section of the Waikato Expressway. More
than 30 Work and Income clients have been placed into work on the
roading construction project. We expect more to be placed when work
begins on the Huntly section of the Waikato Expressway next year.
New Kmart, new jobs:
Kmart is opening a new store in Te Rapa, Hamilton in November. Work and Income has
managed this recruitment as part of the national agreement we have with Kmart. More than 80
people have gained jobs at the new store.
Auckland
Building workers:
A Skills for Industry partnership with the Russell Group saw 26 Work
and Income clients training in-house with the company for a month. As
well as construction skills, they focused on literacy, numeracy and
money management. The Russell Group offered permanent work to
21 of them, of whom 13 will continue their development in the
company’s Core Strength literacy programme. Read the full story at
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
43
http://eeotrust.org.nz/awards/winners.cfm?content_id=22273
Foster Care Awareness Week:
Caregivers provide the hearts and homes of Child, Youth and Family. They are ordinary people
who do an extraordinary job in providing love, care and support to the children who need it
most. The Auckland sites of Child, Youth and Family acknowledge and thank each of their
incredible caregivers.
Northland
Project Haere:
Northland is taking an innovative approach to moving clients from
benefit to work and personal independence. The Te Aupouri Māori
Trust Board trains, employs and mentors 18 to 24-year-olds and
accommodates them to work on Christchurch rebuild projects.
Intensive pastoral support and a highly structured work-life
environment help the young people to focus on working hard and developing themselves
through night classes and sport.
Northland cadetship success:
Long-term employment is now a reality for 37 young Northlanders who have taken part in
cadetships in the past six months. The Northland Regional and Whangarei District Councils’
cadetship resulted in jobs for five of seven cadets. Two Corporate Cadetships saw 30 young
people complete a business programme and gain work placements with local organisations.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
44
Tips, links and news
The conference will examine and discuss effective child abuse prevention systems and explore
innovations in prevention and intervention – from community-based programmes, to indigenous
initiatives and practices, to therapeutic health and family interventions, to statutory child
protection and criminal justice responses.
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
45
Rise in print, online or iPad – it’s
your choice
Rise for the iPad
Rise is available as a digital iBook on your Apple iPad. As well as flicking through the magazine
on-screen, you can access extra video and photo galleries, and interactive web links. Plus it will
update itself whenever a new issue is available.
Find it on the Apple iTunes App Store by searching for Rise magazine.
Rise online
www.msd.govt.nz/rise
Download past issues of Rise from the Ministry of Social Development website.
Subscribe to Rise
Subscribe to the printed magazine or Rise online (along with other Ministry publications and
newsletters) via www.msd.govt.nz/subscriptions
There is no charge to subscribe.
Contact Rise
Do you have suggestions, feedback or story ideas for Rise?
Please email us at rise@msd.govt.nz
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
46
RISE: Issue 28 – November 2014
47