Community Development Initiatives

Family Works Northern instigates and delivers community development initiatives in response to particular needs in their area, often in partnership with other organisations. Brief details are provided below. For more information please contact the Family Works Northern office nearest to you.

In Northland Family Works Northern is involved in a community project in the Whangarei suburb of Raumanga.

The project, initially driven and funded by the Northland Intersectoral Forum but increasingly being 'owned' by the local community, is focused on addressing needs identified by the Raumanga community.

Family Works Northern has a community development worker who manages the project. She works alongside the community on the initiatives they want. For example, this has involved supporting families in their negotiations with the local council to have a playground designed and built.

Other initiatives include a regular newsletter - The Raumanga Times, a cooking class - Cooking on a Shoestring, addressing roading issues and working alongside the community to create events like Xmas in the Valley.
In Tauranga Family Works Northern is one of seven core agencies leading a collaborative community project aimed at reducing family violence in the Tauranga Moana district.

The main aim of the Tauranga Moana Abuse Prevention Strategy (TMAPS) project is to enhance the community and interagency response to family violence intervention and prevention.

Expected outcomes are:
- The creation of a collaborative network of Government and non-Government agencies who meet regularly
- Earlier, better co-ordinated and thus safer responses to families affected by violence (i.e. interagency case management)
- Increased awareness/understanding of family violence and decreased tolerance of family violence (amongst agencies and the public).

The other six core agencies involved with Family Works Northern in the project are Tauranga Police; Tauranga Family Court; Tauranga Child, Youth and Family; Tauranga Victim Support; Tauranga Living Without Violence and Tauranga Women's Refuge.

Funding for the TMAPS project co-ordinator is being provided by CYF and Families and Community Services (FACS).
In Eastern Bay of Plenty Family Works Northern is involved in a collaborative initiative aimed at reducing family violence in the area.

Funded by the Ministry of Social Development the project involves more than 20 organisations focused on working collaboratively to improve family violence prevention and intervention.

To date good progress has been made building relationships between participating organisations, addressing training needs and raising awareness amongst member agencies of the services each provides. The focus now is on agreeing and implementing a collaborative case management model.

The agencies involved in the project to date are (in alphabetical order): ACC Whakatane; Aotearoa Peace Foundation; Barnados; Bay of Plenty DHB (Whakatane Hospital); Bethel House; Budget Advisory Service; Child, Youth and Family; Community Probation Services; Disabilities Resource Centre Trust; Eastbay REAP; Family Works Northern; Housing New Zealand; Jezreel Womens Support Home; Ministry of Social Development; Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy; Ngati Awa Social and Health Services Trust; New Zealand Police; Relationship Services; Royal New Zealand Plunket Society; Salvation Army Community Ministries; Strengthening Families; Te Korowai o te Arohanoa Incorporated; Voyagers Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services; Whakatane Citizens Advice Bureau; Whakatane District Council and Work and Income.