Our Programmes
Our main objective is to build a community where every child who has a parent or caregiver in prison or serving a community sentence, has access to support and appropriate services; to create a positive future for themselves.
Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou mahi consists of programmes which range across wraparound social work services for whānau to mentoring for children to youth-led advocacy.
Core Social Work Programme
Social Workers provide an evidence based and specialised response service, walking alongside whānau impacted by a family member’s involvement with Ara Poutama (The Department of Corrections). We work from a whānau-centred, strengths based approach – meaning we address the family’s immediate needs and emphasise strengths they already have.
Mentoring for Children
Once a whānau has received social work support and have achieved some of their goals, our Mentoring Coordinators match the tamariki with an askable, trusted adult from our community of volunteers. These volunteers are trained by our team and are well prepared to provide the tamariki with experiences and opportunities outside of their horizons.
Youth Advisory Panel
Ngā Rangatira Mō Āpōpō - Leaders for Tomorrow (Youth Advisory Panel) create change for young people with whānau in prison and ultimately contribute to the wider transformative justice conversation. Engaging with lived-experience insights in an effective, authentic way allows us to apply this knowledge to improve our practice and wider policy.
Family Pathway Centres
Our whānau-friendly visitation centres at Christchurch Men’s Prison and Invercargill Prison provide safe, welcoming spaces where tamariki and their whānau connect. These visits are crucial for maintaining strong family ties, reducing the isolation of imprisonment, and supporting tamariki wellbeing.