"One of the reasons I joined Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou was the opportunity to expand our support into West Auckland. Our research showed a growing need for our services in West Auckland."
"As a proud Westie, who went to school and worked in Henderson, I want to give back to the community. I know Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou has a valuable role in providing support and services for whānau of people serving a sentence. We look forward to working alongside respected local social service providers and government agencies to achieve better outcomes for our whānau."
Tuhi Leef (Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Whātua), Pillars' General Manager, grew up in West Auckland. He shares his deep connection to his whakapapa and his excitement about our expansion.
Imagine a transformative justice system in Aotearoa New Zealand, where every family has access to the support, advocacy, education, and resources needed to break the intergenerational cycle of re-incarceration. This vision is becoming a reality as Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou expands our services into West Auckland to meet the community's growing needs. Our mission is clear: to help stop intergenerational offending, ensuring that children of people in prison do not become the next generation incarcerated.
With our new team members serving West Auckland tamariki and whānau, we are committed to building a community where every child with a parent or caregiver in prison can access the services they need to create positive futures for themselves.
Meeting the Growing Needs
The demand for our services is increasing across Aotearoa, and we are taking a significant step forward by expanding our support into West Auckland. Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou wraparound services aim to reduce reoffending by providing targeted support to children and their whānau affected by a parent's involvement with Ara Poutama (the Department of Corrections).
West Auckland Police have identified a number of children with a parent in prison who are in urgent need of our support. We are ready to meet this challenge with our wraparound services.
Our Whānau Wraparound Services
Our whānau wraparound services in West Auckland offer comprehensive support with several key components. First, we provide tailored case management and advocacy for families affected by a whānau member's involvement with Ara Poutama (the Department of Corrections). Finally, we develop individual family support plans to help families achieve self-sufficiency, with outcomes focused on confidence with:
Navigating the justice system: Police, courts, and prison systems
Financial Literacy: Empowerment and budgeting
Healthy Parenting: Complete child health assessments
Housing Stability: Long-term, safe, and affordable housing
Community Participation: Engagement in organised leisure activities
Introducing a New Youth Mentor Role
A new aspect of our West Auckland expansion is introducing a paid Youth Mentor role. Traditionally, at Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou, once a family is stabilised with the support of our social workers, tamariki are matched with a volunteer mentor.
In West Auckland, we've heard clearly from government agencies that there is a need for a dedicated Mentor. The Youth Mentor will be part of our team, providing ongoing support to tamariki and rangatahi, to whom our new Social Worker refers.
This new role is of utmost importance in guiding young people from a crisis-dominant lifestyle to self-sufficiency and positive futures. The Youth Mentor will work in close collaboration with the social worker to provide positive reinforcement and ensure that the aspirations and goals of the tamariki are at the heart of their support plans.
We invite you to celebrate this exciting expansion and support our mission to create positive futures for tamariki and their whānau in West Auckland. We are deeply grateful for your ongoing support, and together, we can weave a more positive and resilient community.
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