Spring has arrived, and it feels like a new season is unfolding at Whakamana Ora too!

There’s been plenty happening over the past few months. Here are some of the highlights:

Our new community hub
We’ve settled into our brand new space at Clendon Park Community House, 60 Finlayson Ave, Manurewa. It’s now our home base for:

MADE to Lead training sessions
Coaching & counselling
Community connection
and all the admin and preparation that goes into doing the mahi!

It’s a smaller, warmer space where people can connect, grow and be supported, right in the heart of our community.

Welcome, Rox!
We’re excited to welcome Roxanne Pouwhare to our team as our new Manaaki Collective Coordinator. Rox starts on 7 October, and we’re looking forward to having her gifts and experience strengthen our work with the Manaaki Collective.

Our volunteers
We’re incredibly grateful for the volunteers who continue to show up for our community week after week. From Tuesday MADE to Lead sessions, to Saturday workshop preparation, to simply encouraging and supporting people, their contribution makes this mahi possible.

Thank YOU for being part of the Whakamana Ora journey. Whether you support us through prayer, giving, volunteering, partnership or simply cheering us on, you are part of this story.

Ngā mihi nui - Len, Pris and the Team

Heal. Grow. Make a Difference.

We’ve found a way to sum up what we’re all about - supporting whānau to “Heal. Grow. Make a difference.

We believe everyone has the capacity to lead, because leadership is not about position, title or status. It’s about discovering your purpose, growing in confidence and using your gifts and life experiences to make a positive difference wherever you are. We believe that when ordinary people discover their purpose and begin shining their light where they are, stronger families and stronger communities naturally follow. We continue to be amazed as we see what investing over so many years in people is starting to bring about - seeing our whanau growing in confidence and stepping out to share their story, lead programmes, start groups, support each other and show care in our community is what it is all about.

Flourishing Relationships workshop 2: Communication

On Saturday August 22nd, 15 couples came together for our second Flourishing Relationships workshop, following on from our first workshop in May. The day began at midday, with a light lunch and refreshments as people checked in. Our team created a spring-themed setting, with a long banquet-style table ready for our catered dinner.

The focus of this workshop was communication, with couples exploring how they communicate, what happens when conflict arises, and how understanding their own patterns can help them respond differently.

One of the most memorable parts of the day was a conflict styles survey. Each person identified their own conflict style, then explored its strengths and weaknesses and how it compared with their partner’s.

Our friend and psychologist Aaron Ironside from Bridge the Gap joined us to deliver one of the sessions, with Pris Moodley delivering the main content. Rox and Tu Pouwhare also shared their personal journey as a couple with the group.

A big thank you to our volunteers, who helped prepare the space, serve food, welcome guests and make the workshop run smoothly. Their practical support makes a day like this possible.

We finished the day around the dinner table, with a delicious shared meal and plenty of opportunity to connect. Four couples also shared their own relationship journeys and what they took from the day, which was met with both tears and laughter. We were encouraged by the honesty and openness of these stories.

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Register your interest for our flourishing workshops

Loving our neighbours in Manurewa

Our MADE to Lead whānau are all about “making a difference every day” - noticing needs in our community and finding ways to respond.

Recently, Melissa, one of our Phase Two whānau and the founder of Pro Love, saw an opportunity to support her neighbours after a serious incident on her street left the community shaken.

Melissa invited some of our Phase Two group to join her, and together they prepared 38 goodie bags with chocolates, toiletries, handwritten cards and home-baked treats. After a karakia at the Pro Love Haven, the group went door-to-door, checking in with neighbours and dropping off the goodies.

The response was a reminder that even small acts of kindness can make a difference:

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Reaching out in October...

Our community leaders are reaching out to their communities in so many ways. Here are a few of their upcoming initiatives!