Choosing paths to recovery and fulfillment in life
The Whariki Whaiora Family and Community Centre (or simply, Whariki) is a community-based service managed by people with lived experience of mental illness. The Centre provides ongoing advocacy, peer support, information, life skills, activity and education programmes to family/whanau, the local community and to people with mental illness who are living within the community.
Whariki is located at 54 Carruth Road, Papatoetoe, close to public transport and shopping centres. Whariki is a lovely villa with three training rooms, a communal lounge, ample parking space, a raised verandah, kitchen facilities and a lovely garden.
Whariki creates a warm, inviting, safe and supportive environment that allows people to choose their own path to recovery and fulfillment in life. The centre provides a comfortable atmosphere in which all people can access information and learn new skills that assist in their personal recovery and development.
Over the years, Whariki has become a popular gathering place for hundreds of individuals and their family members who reside in the area. It is a free service provided by Challenge Trust, which provides the following:
In addition to these valuable services, the Whariki Centre also provides free day programmes on the following:
The Whariki Centre’s model of community service delivery covers five areas:
Unwavering Hope
Hope is the beginning. It is a growing thought that things can get better. It is a feeling of courage sparked by new energy. It is a vision for a better future and learning to focus on the positive.
Freedom of Choice
Recovery is a choice. It begins when we allow ourselves to learn from our experiences and those of others. People are in fact, the experts in their own care.
Personal Empowerment
Whariki gives people the power to recover by promoting self-advocacy, supporting individuals to take the lead and not giving their decision making ability away.
Recovery Environment
Healing happens in relationships. Value and nurture relationships based on kindness, understanding and mutual respect. Whariki celebrate diversity. It creates a community with valued social roles for everyone.
Spiritual Sanctuary
A special place for many who seek those connections that lies within and beyond the self. Seeking and then finding our own answers to the mystery of the human spirit.
An Inside View
Whariki is a place of recovery, a safe place to be for people to manage their wellness. It creates an environment that enhances an individual’s ability to make choices and take responsibility for their own life. Small steps are taken to build self confidence and self belief.
People are encouraged to participate in their own journey at their own pace. We assist people to build natural supports and positive relationships with others including family/whanau. We assist with community integration and building positive relationships. Having a space like Whariki is convenient and accessible to people in the community, a place for people to meet and develop the skills to help them move forward in life.
Whariki encourages people to move out of their comfort zone and try something new. A number of our programmes enhance people’s well-being and helps them realise that they can achieve things. When achieving small things people move on to try bigger things.
A Success Story
Edith, a single mother with three dependant children, attended Whariki while suffering from depression. Over a six month period she participated in Whariki’s Self-Esteem Programme, and was actively involved in her own Recovery Support Plan. During this time she used Whariki as a place to feel safe, meet people, and gather tools to manage her depression.
For Edith, Whariki was a friendly place to come and share her experiences. It was a place comfortable enough for her to visit and gather her thoughts and where she could contemplate planning her future, supported by a belief from Challenge’s staff that she would achieve her life’s goals.
A month after Edith completed the recommended programmes she obtained a full time position as a sales assistant. She has held down that job for over a year and a half and has moved onto newer more challenging roles.
Occasionally, Edith manages to pop into Whariki. Every time we see her, we are delighted to hear that she has again achieved another one of her goals. If you would like to find out more about the Whariki centre call 09 279 8233.
For more details on Challenge Trust’s services and locations contact us on:
Challenge Trust
320 Ti Rakau Drive
Botany 2013
Manukau
T: (09) 265 0255
F: (09) 265 2740
E: office@challenge.co.nz
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