Big dreams for family service
Te Aroha Noa Community Services has been serving the Highbury community for 30 years and now it’s dreaming big.
It’s outgrowing the buildings, and the plans on the drawing board are to expand to develop more spaces for community services.
The proposed plans include training spaces, parenting and nutrition, a community kitchen, a maara (garden) and Te Aroha Noa (TAN) is hoping Te Patikitiki Library will also become part of the hub.
TAN chief executive Bruce Maden says there will be two early childhood centres that offer wha¯ nau development programmes, a health centre with four clinicians and clinical nurses as well as an outpost health hub to the Health Hub in Downtown.
“Our vision is an integrated place devoted to health and wellbeing,” says Bruce.
“A place where people have a sense of connection.
“We have to be bold to advance a dream, and we are dreaming big.”
Bruce continued that TAN’s plan is to address the lack of health services of the immediate and outer community.
“We’ve been listening to the people in the community, and a recent interactive hui asked those who attended to write one dream/idea their wha¯ nau would like to see in the hub.
“The community needs to own the hub, and build it. When people are connected there is wellness.
“To make a difference we have to work with parents.
“By deeply engaging with this community and building enduring relationships it was hoped that Te Aroha Noa could support the community to identify its needs, celebrate its strengths and build innovative development responses that would enhance the social connection, sense of belonging and well being of all who lived in these suburbs.”
On work placement at TAN is Ashleigh Cooper who is looking at community development for her Masters in public health.
Massey third-year social work student Nakaylia Chetty is in her third year and her study is responding to the needs of youth.
Her work was looking at a wrap around service in a bicultural environment and creating a space for everyone to belong.
There’s a cost of around $3 million for the new hub and Bruce and his team have been looking at avenues of funding they can tap into.
TAN owns 12-32 Brentwood Avenue, a $1.5 million asset.
Te Aroha Noa Community Services was established by Central Baptist Church as a response to the Church wanting to become actively engaged in the Highbury and Takaro communities. Bruce says this remains true to the kaupapa 30 years later.