Latest news with #TePaiOraSSPA
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Budget 2025: Invest In Our Children And Whānau – The Foundation Of Our Future
Press Release – Social Service Providers Aotearoa The challenge for the government is to match its investment rhetoric by being brave to invest comprehensively in the services that our sector has consistently shown improves lives. Community must have a revitalised role with services devolved to … There are nice little nuggets scattered throughout the Budget, 'but let's be clear they are small scale and are not going to flip the dial to relieve the suffering faced by children and whānau today. This is not the bold investment required to build the foundation for a thriving future.' Belinda Himiona Chief Executive of Te Pai Ora SSPA says despite soaring demand across the social sector, Budget 2025 fails to address chronic underfunding to support children and whānau. While it is positive to see investment for Oranga Tamariki social service contracting, learning support, strengthening the safety of the care system and redress for survivors, social investment initiatives and an increase for Māori and Pasifika Wardens. 'The challenge for the government is to match its investment rhetoric by being brave to invest comprehensively in the services that our sector has consistently shown improves lives. Community must have a revitalised role with services devolved to community, iwi and hapū.' Belinda cautions, 'There are clear indications that things are not ok in Aotearoa.' Lest we forget – recently: • UNICEF ranked NZ towards the bottom of all of its Child Wellbeing indicators of 36 OECD countries [source: Report Card 19 Fragile Gains – Child Wellbeing at Risk in an Unpredictable World, UNICEF] • Reports of concerns for children to Oranga Tamariki rose 35% in the last year alone with more than 95,000 reports of concern made [source] • Concerningly in the last year most child outcomes have worsened across poverty, violence, education achievement, mental health [source: State of the Nation 2025, Salvation Army] Rather than choosing to respond comprehensively, the decision in this Budget to invest in youth justice and truancy programmes is short-sighted. Investment in early intervention is the most impactful. It is critical to understand that these decisions will disproportionately harm Māori and their whānau. We can't keep waiting for early investment, it is needed now in: • Interventions for children and whānau at risk • Poverty reduction and whānau support • Fair pay that recognises the value the social sector workforce brings 'Governments choose where to invest. There are trade-offs. Once you improve the lives of whānau you set the foundation for all our future.' ABOUT SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS TE PAI ORA O AOTEAROA | Te Pai Ora SSPA is a membership-based organisation, representing more than 250 non-profit, community-based social service organisations from around Aotearoa New Zealand. Our member organisations are diverse, including small rural organisations, Iwi and kaupapa Māori service providers, Pacific providers, and large national children's organisations. Our member organisations provide life changing and often life-saving services and support in their communities. Te Pai Ora SSPA's full members are funded by government to deliver social services in our communities every day, with a predominant focus on children, rangatahi, families and whānau. Our affiliate members are organisations that deliver social services for these people, and organisations and individuals working in areas aligned to the interests of children, young people, whānau or communities. Te Pai Ora SSPA's vision is that Aotearoa New Zealand's community-based social services are sustainable, making a positive impact every day in our communities and hapori, supporting children, young people and whānau to thrive now and into the future. Te Pai Ora SSPA works to strengthen Aotearoa New Zealand's social sector through advocacy and engagement, learning and development, relationships and sector leadership.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Budget 2025: Invest In Our Children And Whānau - The Foundation Of Our Future
There are nice little nuggets scattered throughout the Budget, 'but let's be clear they are small scale and are not going to flip the dial to relieve the suffering faced by children and whānau today. This is not the bold investment required to build the foundation for a thriving future.' Belinda Himiona Chief Executive of Te Pai Ora SSPA says despite soaring demand across the social sector, Budget 2025 fails to address chronic underfunding to support children and whānau. While it is positive to see investment for Oranga Tamariki social service contracting, learning support, strengthening the safety of the care system and redress for survivors, social investment initiatives and an increase for Māori and Pasifika Wardens. 'The challenge for the government is to match its investment rhetoric by being brave to invest comprehensively in the services that our sector has consistently shown improves lives. Community must have a revitalised role with services devolved to community, iwi and hapū.' Belinda cautions, 'There are clear indications that things are not ok in Aotearoa.' Lest we forget – recently: • UNICEF ranked NZ towards the bottom of all of its Child Wellbeing indicators of 36 OECD countries [source: Report Card 19 Fragile Gains - Child Wellbeing at Risk in an Unpredictable World, UNICEF] • Reports of concerns for children to Oranga Tamariki rose 35% in the last year alone with more than 95,000 reports of concern made [source] • Concerningly in the last year most child outcomes have worsened across poverty, violence, education achievement, mental health [source: State of the Nation 2025, Salvation Army] Rather than choosing to respond comprehensively, the decision in this Budget to invest in youth justice and truancy programmes is short-sighted. Investment in early intervention is the most impactful. It is critical to understand that these decisions will disproportionately harm Māori and their whānau. We can't keep waiting for early investment, it is needed now in: • Interventions for children and whānau at risk • Poverty reduction and whānau support • Fair pay that recognises the value the social sector workforce brings 'Governments choose where to invest. There are trade-offs. Once you improve the lives of whānau you set the foundation for all our future.' ABOUT SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS TE PAI ORA O AOTEAROA | Te Pai Ora SSPA is a membership-based organisation, representing more than 250 non-profit, community-based social service organisations from around Aotearoa New Zealand. Our member organisations are diverse, including small rural organisations, Iwi and kaupapa Māori service providers, Pacific providers, and large national children's organisations. Our member organisations provide life changing and often life-saving services and support in their communities. Te Pai Ora SSPA's full members are funded by government to deliver social services in our communities every day, with a predominant focus on children, rangatahi, families and whānau. Our affiliate members are organisations that deliver social services for these people, and organisations and individuals working in areas aligned to the interests of children, young people, whānau or communities. Te Pai Ora SSPA's vision is that Aotearoa New Zealand's community-based social services are sustainable, making a positive impact every day in our communities and hapori, supporting children, young people and whānau to thrive now and into the future. Te Pai Ora SSPA works to strengthen Aotearoa New Zealand's social sector through advocacy and engagement, learning and development, relationships and sector leadership.
Scoop
15-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Community-Based Social Sector Welcomes $190m Social Investment Fund – Calls For A Fair And Sustainable Approach
Press Release – Social Service Providers Aotearoa Social service providers are critical to a thriving Aotearoa. This Social Investment Fund is an opportunity to better recognise the work of our incredible social sector providers, says Alicia Sudden, Chief Executive Officer, NZCCSS. Te Pai Ora SSPA and the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) welcome today's announcement from Social Investment Minister, Hon Nicola Willis of a new $190 million Social Investment Fund. 'This announcement is an exciting opportunity to take a longer term, sustainable focus on the work we do every day in communities' says Belinda Himiona, Chief Executive of Te Pai Ora SSPA. 'Every day through the mahi of providers, our sector turns around the lives of children and whānau. That's what this funding needs to support.' Te Pai Ora SSPA and NZCCSS represent community-based social service providers across Aotearoa who are focused on improving outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau. 'Social service providers are critical to a thriving Aotearoa. This Social Investment Fund is an opportunity to better recognise the work of our incredible social sector providers. We want to ensure that next steps for delivering this fund are done with community as partners and reflect the aspirations people have for themselves,' says Alicia Sudden, Chief Executive Officer, NZCCSS. 'We're keen that the community sector is involved as the Social Investment Agency develops its approach,' says Belinda. 'What we want to see is a social investment model that truly understands and responds to community need – and that is fair, robust, and workable.' The organisations say lessons must be learned from past processes. Both NZCCSS and Te Pai Ora SSPA believe commissioning needs to be done in good faith, guided by evidence, and with children and whānau firmly at the centre. The potential of the new fund centres on the detail: 'The sector has the capability and experience to deliver early and effective support – but that work takes time, care, and trust. Our people work intensively with complex cases. That must be properly recognised in how the fund is rolled out.' 'We are pleased to see a stronger focus through this fund on preventative approaches, particularly in light of New Zealand's poor child wellbeing ranking in the recently released UNICEF Innocenti report, and NZCCSS hopes to see further positive budget announcements that will benefit the wellbeing and needs of children and whānau in the Budget next week,' says Alicia. As the Government looks ahead to Budget 2025, both Te Pai Ora SSPA and NZCCSS say the sector will be looking for long-term commitment to early support, prevention, and sustainable funding. 'This is a sector that shows up every day for communities. We're ready to work together on a social investment approach that's grounded in evidence, guided by community voice, and driven by a genuine commitment to improving lives,' says Belinda.
Scoop
15-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Community-Based Social Sector Welcomes $190m Social Investment Fund – Calls For A Fair And Sustainable Approach
Te Pai Ora SSPA and the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) welcome today's announcement from Social Investment Minister, Hon Nicola Willis of a new $190 million Social Investment Fund. 'This announcement is an exciting opportunity to take a longer term, sustainable focus on the work we do every day in communities' says Belinda Himiona, Chief Executive of Te Pai Ora SSPA. 'Every day through the mahi of providers, our sector turns around the lives of children and whānau. That's what this funding needs to support.' Te Pai Ora SSPA and NZCCSS represent community-based social service providers across Aotearoa who are focused on improving outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau. 'Social service providers are critical to a thriving Aotearoa. This Social Investment Fund is an opportunity to better recognise the work of our incredible social sector providers. We want to ensure that next steps for delivering this fund are done with community as partners and reflect the aspirations people have for themselves," says Alicia Sudden, Chief Executive Officer, NZCCSS. 'We're keen that the community sector is involved as the Social Investment Agency develops its approach,' says Belinda. 'What we want to see is a social investment model that truly understands and responds to community need – and that is fair, robust, and workable.' The organisations say lessons must be learned from past processes. Both NZCCSS and Te Pai Ora SSPA believe commissioning needs to be done in good faith, guided by evidence, and with children and whānau firmly at the centre. The potential of the new fund centres on the detail: 'The sector has the capability and experience to deliver early and effective support – but that work takes time, care, and trust. Our people work intensively with complex cases. That must be properly recognised in how the fund is rolled out.' 'We are pleased to see a stronger focus through this fund on preventative approaches, particularly in light of New Zealand's poor child wellbeing ranking in the recently released UNICEF Innocenti report, and NZCCSS hopes to see further positive budget announcements that will benefit the wellbeing and needs of children and whānau in the Budget next week," says Alicia. As the Government looks ahead to Budget 2025, both Te Pai Ora SSPA and NZCCSS say the sector will be looking for long-term commitment to early support, prevention, and sustainable funding. 'This is a sector that shows up every day for communities. We're ready to work together on a social investment approach that's grounded in evidence, guided by community voice, and driven by a genuine commitment to improving lives,' says Belinda.
Scoop
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Proposed Changes Will Halt The Social Service Workers Pay Equity Claim
Press Release – Te Pai Ora SSPA These proposed changes to the Equal Pay Act add another layer of uncertainty and concern. Our kaimahi work tirelessly to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and whnau, and it is important that their efforts are recognised and fairly compensated. Te Pai Ora SSPA, the national organisation representing community-based social service providers, is raising serious concerns about sweeping changes to the Equal Pay Act announced by the Government today. The amendments threaten to halt progress on the Social Service Workers Pay Equity Claim — one of 33 claims now at risk — and could undermine years of work to achieve fair pay for kaimahi across the sector. The proposed amendments will end the progress of the claim – a long-standing issue for many in the sector. Te Pai Ora SSPA has been acting as sector coordinator and representative. The Social Service Workers Pay Equity claim covers around 1200 workers from eight representative provider organisations, this is estimated to be about 10% of the overall social sector workforce. 70% of the kaimahi who will be impacted by today's decision are female. 'Our sector is already under immense pressure, with many providers facing funding cuts and reductions to critical services to children and whānau,' says Belinda Himiona, Chief Executive of Te Pai Ora SSPA. 'These proposed changes to the Equal Pay Act add another layer of uncertainty and concern. Our kaimahi work tirelessly to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and whānau, and it is important that their efforts are recognised and fairly compensated.' The Social Services Workers Pay Equity Claim covers a range of roles including Youth Workers, Family Support Workers, Financial Mentors, Foodbank Co-ordinators, Therapists, as well as a wide range of roles providing support for front-line services. 'The claim has already faced delays and complications due to policy changes by the government last year. Today's announcement introduces new barriers,' says Himiona. In response, Te Pai Ora SSPA has been forced to pause further work on the claim while seeking clarity of the full implications of the changes. Te Pai Ora SSPA is concerned that the Government intends to amend the Equal Pay Act under urgency, limiting opportunities for submissions and public consultation. The organisation strongly believes that any changes to the Act must be made with the full picture and an understanding of the impacts from the sector and those directly affected. 'The Social Service Workers claim covers a wide range of critical roles that provide essential services to children and families across Aotearoa New Zealand,' says Himiona.
