A Vital Tool in the Kete for Whānau Futures

“We’ve all got a journey with money.” - Clem, Financial Capability Specialist

CEO, Tuhi Leef, Clementine, Director of More Than Money and Sara, Team Lead Social Worker

For many of the families we walk alongside, financial insecurity can be part of daily life. Our Complexities at a Glance report (2021) showed that most whānau we support are living day-to-day, compounded by the rising cost-of-living.

That’s why expanding this kaupapa matters now more than ever.

We’re excited to share that Korowai Pūtea, our one-day financial literacy workshop delivered with More Than Money, is expanding to Hikurangi and Ōtautahi. This means whānau and rangatahi will now be able to access Korowai Pūtea across all three of our locations.

Intergenerational Knowledge

Financial literacy is one of the most powerful tools a person can hold.

At Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou, our services are whānau-centred and whānau-led. Again and again, whānau and rangatahi have told us: “We want more support with financial literacy.”

For rangatahi, these workshops are often a first introduction to money concepts. Learning with their whānau means:

• conversations continue at home,

• whānau can problem-solve together, and

• financial confidence becomes intergenerational.

Clementine, Director More Than Money and facilitator of Korowai Pūtea, puts it simply: many of us already have bits of knowledge, but without time and clarity, that knowledge sits out of reach. Korowai Pūtea creates that intentional space to focus on those financial tools that can make a real difference.

Inside the Korowai Pūtea Workshop

Korowai Pūtea is a one-day, hands-on workshop where participants gain practical knowledge to better understand, plan and manage finances.

Our first workshop of 2026 brought together rangatahi and their mums, capturing exactly what Korowai Pūtea is designed to be: a space that’s accessible and grounded in shared experience.

The social work team workshopping the programme with Clem from More Than Money.

When asked whether the session felt like a classroom, one rangatahi said an emphatic “No.”

“That’s what I want to hear. I don’t want it to feel like school.”

- Clem

Every session is tailored so whānau walk away with tools such as:

• Budgeting and managing day to day money

• Saving and future planning

• KiwiSaver

• Credit and debt

• Goal setting for the next steps

The workshop is interactive, supportive and practical. People share life experiences and stories without needing to disclose personal financial details. Many reflect on their tīpuna and what they learned about money growing up, bringing hundreds of years of collective experience into the room.

“The exercises helped spark ideas around solutions I’d never think of.” — Whānau participant

Whether participants apply everything immediately or return to it months later, this knowledge becomes a lifelong resource.

A key tool in the kete

Whānau and rangatahi are telling us they want to learn, they want support, and they want to feel confident with money. Expanding Korowai Pūtea means we can meet that growing demand in all three of our locations and offer a resource that can genuinely shift a whānau’s future.

Thanks to our supporters, we can offer this workshop at no cost and tailored to the realities whānau face. It is part of our wider commitment of wraparound support so whānau can choose a better future, on their terms.

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