Te Waipuna Puawai – Helping Women to Succeed

Te Waipuna Puawai (TWP) was established in 1999 to facilitate positive changes in families. The initiative builds on a decade of community development work in Glen Innes by the Sisters of Mercy

TWP supports families through mothers, by removing transport and childcare barriers to education and providing a ‘bridging space’ for the community.  Services are focused on the Glen Innes, Pt England, Panmure and surrounding communities – following the Mercy value of being present where the greatest need is. About half of the client families are Maori, a third are Pacific Aucklanders, and the remainder are pakeha, refugees and new migrants.

In collaboration with other providers, TWP provides tertiary education and personal development programmes, creative opportunities, healing therapies, environmental projects  and support for community workers. The courses are in eight-week blocks, structured around the school terms. The fully licensed Nga Purapura Puawai early childhood care and education unit enables preschool children and parents to learn in the same space.

TWP works with women of all ages, and has responded particularly to the needs of young mothers (14 to 19 years old) with a tailored programme of childbirth classes, mentoring, a play group and a pram walking group.