Kotahitanga, Community partnerships – working with our partners and stakeholders

New approach to funding family violence

This year marks the start of a new funding approach for service providers in the family violence sector.

Following an announcement by the Government last year, $15.4 million is being invested into Whānau Resilience services, allowing our providers to give much longer-term whānau support, and to help break the intergenerational cycle of violence.

The new approach has allowed us to completely rethink our current funding model. Instead of nationally designed services that prescribe the work needing to be done, the change will see providers funded to co-design, then deliver services created by the region, for the region.

The new approach is being rolled out across the country, with stage two of the process taking place in the Tasman region, where involved providers participated in an open presentation to a panel, and their peers.

“This was a brand new and really different experience for everyone,” says Edwina James, Team Leader, Community, Partnerships and Programmes.

“The idea was to allow everyone to share their expertise and learn from each other, and meant the restrictions of a written tender didn’t have to be a barrier for people.

“The calibre and quality of presentations was very high, and we were impressed by how creative and diverse people’s approaches were.”

Providers from across the country who have also applied to take part in designing and developing Whānau Resilience services will be contacted in the next couple of weeks to let them know the outcome.

The initiative supports the wider cross-government Joint Venture to prevent and reduce family violence and sexual violence

Opportunity to provide feedback on Heartland Services

We are getting out and about in provincial areas this month as part of a review of the Heartland, and Information and Advisory Service, initiatives.

Heartland Services enable access to government services and information in rural and provincial communities, with the opportunity to meet face-to-face with government agency representatives.

The purpose of Information and Advisory Services is to assist people in the community, including whānau and individuals, to have access to up-to-date and relevant information and advice to meet their personal needs. Because many of these services are located within rural areas, we will be seeking to better understand the needs of some of our more isolated communities.

The review will include visiting a selection of sites throughout the country – from Whangarei to Invercargill – to learn about unique local needs and experiences. It is hoped that all providers will be able to contribute to this review, therefore, those we are unable to visit will have the opportunity to share their views via a survey after the provider visits have been completed.

This opportunity to learn from providers about their services will help inform our policy development and service delivery planning.

This engagement phase began at the end of May and will go through to the end of June 2019. This work is being led by our Safe, Strong Families and Communities team, working alongside our Client Service Delivery team.

E Tū Whānau investing in the potential of communities

E Tū Whānau kaimahi were asked to support the Māori Justice hui, Inaia Tonu Nei, in April 2019 by accurately recording the kōrero. But Iwi Justice advocate and Black Power member, Eugene Ryder [pictured] says, their influence went much further.

“There needs to be a shift of thinking in government agencies to invest in the potential and capacity of communities to resolve their own challenges. E Tū Whānau promotes that shift of power − by investing in communities at the top of the cliff so they don’t fall down that cliff. E Tū Whānau has made changes within whānau, hapū and iwi that no other [part of] government has been able to make.

“Some agencies see themselves as the experts in other people’s lives but those that are informed by the E Tū Whānau kaupapa are more likely to engage with the very communities that are impacted by their policies and support them to come up with solutions.

“If, for example, the Ministry of Justice takes on the kaupapa that E Tū Whānau has developed over the last 10 years, I believe there would be a major, positive change for our people.

“E Tū Whānau isn’t a method to stop crimes, but it is a kaupapa that allows one to think about their actions and seek tools to be able to deal with different situations.”

As a result, people who engage positively with E Tū Whānau no longer commit crimes and that’s good for everyone.”

Eugene’s belief in the E Tū Whānau kaupapa comes from personal experience.

“I’ve seen what E Tū Whānau has done in my family, my iwi, my community, and it’s not fair that other New Zealanders don’t get to see those positive changes.

“When I read the E Tū Whānau Charter of Commitment about not accepting or putting up with violence of all forms, I invested in that and knew that shift in thinking would be beneficial to my children and my partner.

“I didn’t turn into an angel overnight, but what it has done is help me identify tools to cope with situations that I wasn’t able to cope with prior to it.”