How Wesley Helps

Community Counselling

Welsey Community Action's Counselling Service is available to everyone, embracing all religious and lifestyle choices. The initiative is essentially provided free of charge with any payment via a donation, koha or contribution to the foodbank - depending on your income.

WCA's Counselling services are available at; Wesley Parish in Taranaki St., (behind Cafe Doria); Wesley Porirua and Petone Union Health. For further contact details, refer to the 'Contact Us' page in this site.

What is counselling?

• Listening, with respect and without judgement.
• Exploring what you want to change in your life.
• Supporting you to learn how to do things differently.
• Supporting you to develop your sense of well-being.

Our counsellors

All WCA's coumsellors are volunteer professionals who donate their time to this service so as to keep it affordable for you.

Between them the counsellors have a vast knowledge and specific interests in a wide variety of counselling models. They are able to assist in a range of areas including; setting and achieving goals, handling grief, Pacific Island issues, relationship issues, depression, stress, women’s issues, family issues, careers, self esteem, identity, conflict and anxiety.

As a group, they reflect the diversity of our community, so you are sure to find a counsellor you can relate to.

Children and Young People

Society appears to focus heavily on young people's problems and shortcomings, however there is a danger that this negative focus can get in the way of achieving progress. At Wesley our work is based on a Strength Based ethos.

We work along-side young people, listening and developing respectful relationships, appreciating their gifts and strengths as well as the challenges they face. We work hard to strengthen relationships with their families/whanau, and strive to provide the young people with unconditional care in a safe environment.

Our goal is  to support  young people in a strength based manner, by strengthening their sense of who they are and what they have to offer. We have a number of strands to our work with young people:

Te Whare Whakapakari - a home for young people

Te Whare Whakapakari provides a home for young people aged 12 to 17 years who for a variety of reasons are no longer able to live at home.  Te Whare offers a safe, learning environment where young people can develop their own skills and resilience.  The ultimate aim for these young people is their successful re-integration into a caring home environment supported by their whanau.

'One to One' foster care

Wesley Community Action's 'One to One' foster care initiative provides a safe, supportive home environment and foster parenting for young people aged 12 to 17 years old, who for a variety of reasons are no longer able to live at their original home.

Our Foster Care homes are located in a range of rural and urban locations from Levin to Wellington. Our foster care parents are valued members of the Wesley team and receive full training in Wesley's 'Strength Based' ethos plus back-up support from a team of skilled Social Workers.

Family Action

The ultimate aim for both the One to One Foster Care and Te Whare Whakapakari environments is the successful reintegration of the young people back into a caring home environment. Wesley's 'Family Action' Social Worker, provides additional support for families/whanau to help achieve this goal.

Social Workers in Schools 

Social Workers in Schools is a partnership with Te Rununga O Raukawa  working in Otaki primary schools.

Rangatahi Initiatives

Working with young people from isolated and 'hard to reach communities' such as the Mongrel Mob and Black Power gangs to:

• strengthen positive pro-whanau actions
• increase the level and breadth of networks that can support their health and well-being (health, employment, education organizations)
• develop existing skills and strengths to enhance resilience and employment prospects.

WATCH

An initiative aimed at assisting 17 to 25 yr olds who have come to the attention of the Courts because of alcohol and drug issues.

Porirua Youth Initiatives

Wesley Community Action's Canon's Creek and Waitangirua community centres offer a range of youth related programmes which include;

• After School Programmes
• School Holiday Programmes running for 6 days over most 2 week school holiday periods, 10am - 2pm.
• Mana Kotiro, Anger Management and relationship skills for young girls - Every Tuesday 3.30pm to 5pm.
• Youth Recreations nights, every Thursday from 4pm to 7pm.

Community Based Initiatives

WCA's Community based teams offer a comprehensive, range of community initiatives and partnerships. These  initiatives include advocacy, counselling, budget advice,  food bank,  parenting services, social work, youth work and individual mentoring for a range of communities, including 'hard to reach' communities.

Foodbank

WCA's Porirua Foodbank is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings to provide emergency assistance and food parcels for those in need.

Good Cents

The Porirua Good Cents Initiative emerged from local conversations at the height of the economic boom in 2007. Members of the Wesley Community Action Board were surprised that despite economic growth and high employment rates, demand for the Wesley Porirua foodbank remained high.

The Good Cents initiative in Porirua addresses the high levels of debt and high interest loans that exist in the communities that can least afford them.  From discussion groups to budgeting advice, Good Cents attempts to grow a community of awareness and a culture of change.

To read a typical case study, click here.

For further background and details of the progress being made, and to read the Good Cents 'business plan', click here.

Budgeting support and courses

Linked to the Good Cents initiative, Wesley Porirua provides budgeting advice and  budgeting courses to support people to gain more control over their personal finances.

Counselling

Providing low cost, high quality, comprehensive and private counselling for people who are needing extra support to feel more in control of their lives. We listen with respect and without judgement to: 

• Help you explore what you want to change in your life 
• Support you to learn how to do things differently 
• Support you to develop your sense of well-being. 

WCA's Counselling services are available at; Wesley Parish in Taranaki St., (behind Cafe Doria); Wesley Porirua and Petone Union Health. For further contact details, refer the 'Contact Us' page in this site.

Payment is by way of a of a donation or koha based on what you can afford.

Family support social work

WCA's Porirua based Social Worker provides valuable assistance to  families/whanau including;

• practical social work
• creating opportunities for families to develop their own plans with clear goals
• focusing on building strengths in families and working towards families/whanau gaining control over their own circumstances

Advocacy

Our advocacy service…

• Encourages and supports people in resolving issues with various agencies and organisations such as The Department of Work and Income, Child Youth & Family, Housing NZ, landlords and power companies.
• We assist and support people to identify and claim their legal entitlements

Youth Recreation Programmes

Open to young people between 12 and 17 years:

• Every Wednesday night from 4pm – 7pm in the Cannons Creek Opportunity Centre, 4 Mentor Lane
• Every Thurday night from 4pm - 7pm at the Ratana Hall, 4 Loongana St., Waitangirua.

Wesley Community Action, in Waitangirua

Wesley Community Action have established a unique partnership to help develop and encourage Waitangirua community driven initiatives, which currently include;

• After School Programmes
• School Holiday Programmes running for 6 days over most 2 week school holiday periods, 10am - 2pm.
• A Monday 'Mumzy's' Group.
• Mana Kotiro, Anger Management and relationship skills for young girls - Every Tuesday 3.30pm to 5pm.
• Youth Recreations nights, every Thursday from 4pm to 7pm.

Hard to reach Communities and Gangs

WCA is proud to work along side a number of ‘hard to reach communities’ (Mongrel Mob and Black Power).This journey is proving to be very rewarding for the members, their whanau, and WCA.  The journey has included joint rangatahi (youth) development programmes, memorials for women and children who have died, facilitating wananga, and supporting P rehab courses.

The challenges of prejudice and restrictive government policies have provided on-going learning opportunities for us all.

These initiatives aim to;

a) build on its common identity to strengthen positive pro-whanau actions

b)    increase the level and breadth of networks between Black Power and key groups that can support their health and well-being (health, employment, education organizations)

c)    develop their existing skills and strengths to enhance resilience and employment prospects.

It is anticipated that working with these 'hard to reach communities' to achieve these aims will  help to reduce the level of violence within the communities and whanau, reduce  negative behaviour (often linked to drugs and alcohol), and reduce the level of offending.

It is hoped that WCA's 'hard to reach community' initiatives will weaken these negatives and produce positive ripples that will flow into the wider community.

Home Based Community Care

New Zealand health providers are increasingly supporting older people and those with mental or physical disabilities to live independently at home rather than moving into residential care. Wesley Community Action's experience tells us that there are a group of such people who want to live in their homes yet experience a poor quality of life largely due to weak social networks. 

Welsey Community Action is committed to providing our service in a way that enhances communities and builds on individual strengths. We work in partnership with older people and people aged over 45 years with mental health needs in their own homes to assist them to achieve and maintain their independence and a quality of life.

Please note; As Wesley Community Action is a contracted provider to Capital and Coast and Hutt Valley District Health Boards, a ‘needs-assessment’ is required to access some of our Home Based services.

Services are available to all older people …

CareRing

Wesley Community Action's CareRing service provides daily phone calls to alleviate loneliness and provide security and companionship for people living alone.

40 – 50 Club

Meals, outings, companionship, and entertainment for women with mental health challenges, aged over 40.

Advocacy

Our team of Social and Community workers encourage and support people in resolving issues with various agencies, health providers and organisations. We work to assist people to identify and claim their legal entitlements.

Podiatry

We offer a Podiatry Service based in our Newtown Centre.

Rooms for Hire

Available to family/whanau and to community groups at affordable rates in our Newtown Centre.

Volunteers

Volunteers are an important part of our community team. If you are able to contribute to our work, and to the lives of the people we work alongside, please contact our volunteer coordinator at our Newtown Centre, or click here.

Rental accommodation for older people

We offer a number of supported and independent living options, in a number of diferent locations, from villas at Wesleyhaven to self contained flats at Newtown and Porirua.

Our apartments behind the WesleyCare Community Centre at 17 Constable Street in Newtown are set around a lovely common garden area. Support by our Community Workers is ‘as needed’ and we are happy to help people put other support services in place.

Please contact either Wesleyhaven or Welsey Newtown's Community Service Centre, for more information.

Care for our Elders

Our bias is towards those who are marginalized – through lack of social or family supports, economic hardship, mental illness, or whatever.

Our work with our Elders includes;

• providing the social support to enable people to live in their own homes ,
• running groups and outings for people with similar interests,
• providing rental accommodation with some oversight,
• providing more intensive support in our resthomes and continuing care hospital environment.

Wesleyhaven Village

Wesleyhaven Village provides a continuum of care located in one site. This care ranges from independent living in Rental Villas to supported care in Strand and Deckston Rest Homes and continuing care in Wesley Hospital.

The Village with its extensive gardens and glorious views is a quiet oasis nestled amongst the hills of the Eastern Hutt Valley.

Wesleyhaven Honoured.

Wesleyhaven has been honoured as New Zealand winner of the Telecom Community Connections Award and also as joint winner of the INsite Overall Excellence in Aged Care Award as announced by Health Care Providers NZ at its September 2009 conference.

The ‘Overall Excellence’ award means that Wesleyhaven has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to achieving excellence in aged care, and the Telecom Community Connections Award recognises exceptional effort in catering for residents needs and preferences by creating an environment which promotes inclusion and choice for older New Zealanders.  

Philosophy

Wesleyhaven's 'Strength based' services enable our residents to feel a sense of dignity, well being, uniqueness and a purpose for living by:

• providing care that respects people’s independence and need to exercise control over their lives; 
• providing the opportunity for people to make and maintain meaningful relationships and by supporting existing social networks and primary carer relationships; 
• supporting and encouraging the development of existing abilities; 
• creating environments that provide for personal choice, space and dignity, and; 
• maintaining connections with the local community. 

Information for Residents and Families

Our staff take great care and pride in their excellent standard of service where each person’s unique needs, tastes, safety and comforts are top priority. Whilst a rest home is seldom considered a replacement for a person’s own home, we aim to assist people to feel ‘at home’, to make connections with others (if they so choose,) and to feel part of a wider community in our friendly facilities.

Environment

Wesleyhaven Village is home to approximately 120 residents. In 1953 Welseyhaven was one of the first retirement villages in New Zealand and is one of the largest facilities in the Hutt Valley to offer a continuum of quality care on the one site.

Since the 1950's approximately 7,000 people have lived in and participated in the life of this vibrant village.

The largest asset of the village is the staff. They are an experienced and committed group, many of whom have been at the village for decades. Some represent multi-generations of the same families. Our ratio of staff to residents is excellent and research tells us that the level of care is amongst the best in the region. For many residents, the Wesleyhaven staff have become part of their extended family.

Wesleyhaven continues to evolve its holistic community approach, connecting residents within the village community while also reconnecting them to the wider community.

Independent Living Rental Villa's

Wesleyhaven offers a variety of low-cost rental villa's which provide friendly accommodation in a safe, secure environment. Villa residents are encouraged to take part in the many activities occuring in Wesleyhaven village, and can also take advantage of prepared meals should they want a break from cooking.  They also have the advantage of being close to a continuim of care should that be needed.

If you are interested in villa accommodation, click here.

Community Based Initiatives

Wesley places a strong emphasis on grounding what we do within a community context because without a sense of community and without support at a 'grass root' level, then well intentioned initiatives are likely to struggle.

At Wesley we facilitate a wide variety of community based initiatives, each is unique in the way that it reflects and meets the needs of the specific community that it serves.

We also work with a wide range of Government, Local Authorities, District Health Boards, Methodist Charitable organisations, and a wide range of phillanthropic organisations such as the NZ Lotteries Grants Board, The Tindall Foundation etc, to ensure that our services are either free or charged on a 'donate what you can afford' or 'koha' basis.