
Whānau Centre
It’s been over a year since the Whānau Centre took on additional responsibilities as Visionwest’s key entry point for all organisational enquiries and this process is working well.
Navigation and coordination
The Whānau Centre kaimahi have worked well navigating whānau to the supports they need. Helping this process is the use of an 0800-phone number which most services now use as their initial contact phone number. This means most first contacts come through the Whānau Centre and can be properly assessed and assigned to appropriate services.
Food support continues to be the immediate presenting need of many of the whānau coming to Visionwest. The addition of Manaaki Kai has been hugely beneficial in enabling a deeper engagement between whānau and our Whānau Centre staff than was possible with Pātaka Kai alone.
Social work practice
Alongside their essential navigation work and kai support, we have been developing our social work practice. Led by our Whānau Centre team leader Rayanna, and our Community Development expert Debbie, our registered Social Workers and Community Connectors have helped to support whānau to achieve their personal goals and aspirations.
Early in 2024 our Whānau Centre staff started working alongside our Community Housing team to support whānau to sustain their tenancies and find housing stability. This, alongside our low-intensity social work, has been a great platform to continue to grow in the provision of excellent social work practice and help whānau find the best solutions for their needs.
A continuing focus of our Community Connectors has been the support of whānau still feeling the effects of the 2023 storms in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. In November 2023, Auckland City Council established a group of Storm Recovery Navigators to help those worst affected access the information, services and support they need to plan their recovery from the storms. Lisa Sherring, one of our existing Community Connectors, was appointed as a Storm Recovery Navigator to be based at Visionwest.
Feedback from whānau who visited the Whānau Centre highlighted that they felt they were listened to by our Whānau Centre staff.
Feedback from whānau who visited the Whānau Centre was that they felt they were treated with respect by our staff.
Feedback from whānau who visited the Whānau Centre was that they understood the next steps they could take.
A Kaiatawhai Whānau role – effectively a full-time Community Connector – has been established and is now part of the Whānau Centre team.
Our culturally informed response
Tā mātou whakautu ki te āhuatanga ahurea

Whānau supported and connected to services by the Community Connector team

Sessions provided by the Whānau Centre
Terangiataahua’s Story
Terangiataahua is a mother to seven children. Her first visit to Visionwest was for a kai parcel, but she left with a booked meeting with a Whānau Centre Support Navigator for further wraparound support and to begin a journey that would change her life forever.