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Newsletter
April 2009

In this newsletter: Message from Associate Minister Turia; CAF applications, Taiohi Morehu; Super Maori Fullas; campaign book online; partnering with Refuge; Media Advocacy. elder abuse resource and Aroha in action.

Focus on ‘whole of family’

Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Tariana Turia wants a greater focus on a ‘whole of family’ approach to family violence that recognises the diversity of New Zealand families.

As part of the Maori Party’s agreement with the National Party, Mrs Turia has been given responsibility for the Government’s overall strategy on family violence.

“I’m impressed with the work of the Taskforce for Action on Family Violence. Family Court Principal Judge Peter Boshier’s recent calls for new programmes that are better designed for one-off offenders and for Maori and Asian men strike a particular chord.

“We also need to be tailoring programmes to address problems early on in family life, recognising that most perpetrators of violence were themselves abused as children.

“As the Minister in charge of this extremely important portfolio, I’m looking forward to working with you all in building on the real progress achieved so far in helping New Zealand families be free of violence,” said Mrs Turia.

Big demand for CAF funding

Round four of the Community Action Fund has closed with 133 applications from far and wide. This is the greatest number of applications we have received in one round. A large number of new groups have applied and there is great range of proposals for projects. Decisions will be announced in June 2009.

YES for Taiohi Morehu

The campaign’s Taiohi Morehu rangatahi leadership project is breaking new ground with the work recognised as part of the students’ studies under the Youth Enterprise Scheme (YES). Taiohi Morehu engages young Maori and Pacific people and their whanau in the Campaign for Action on Family Violence. Participants are identified through their secondary schools. They are students who not only display leadership qualities but also have the ability to influence their peers.

The campaign is working with the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) programme to introduce, for the first time, the concept of ‘Social Entrepreneurs’ using the YES framework. Heretaunga College in Upper Hutt is the first school in the country to set up the Social Entrepreneur programme through YES and Taiohi Morehu. They have appointed a teacher to run the programme and a youth worker is supporting the work. There has been a great response from Maori and Pacific whanau who are working together with Heretaunga to strengthen opportunities for Maori and Pacific students.

What next for Super Maori Fullas

The Super Maori Fullas road trip against family violence was a huge success. The brothers from Northland rode their Harley Davidsons from Cape Reinga to Bluff and back. They were on the road for 18 days in February, taking the message that ‘Family Violence is not OK but It is OK to Ask for Help’ to small towns and cities in both Islands.

The brothers touched the lives of thousands of New Zealanders from all walks of life, not just through planned events but through chance encounters at petrol stations, cafes and in the street. The bikes and their riders attracted media attention wherever they went.

The brothers are now working out how they can keep the kaupapa alive and accept the many invitations they received for return visits, or to go to places which didn't make it on to the itinerary this time.

Campaign book online

If you can’t get a copy of the campaign book It’s time we started telling these stories’ you can read it online at www.realstories.org.nz The book has been distributed to community organisations and public libraries throughout New Zealand and has been in such great demand, we are reprinting more. The book features the life stories of eight New Zealanders who grew up with family violence. Their stories illustrate the devastating effects of family violence but also give hope that lives can be healed and that the cycle of violence can be broken. If you would like to go on a waiting list for a copy of the book for your organisation, please email areyouok@msd.govt.nz.

Partnering with Refuge

We are working in partnership with Women’s Refuge on several projects to raise awareness about family violence. Refuge and the campaign team worked together on the promotion of Tiakina to Whanau - Keep Your Whanau Safe message to Maori audiences at the 2009 Te Matatinki Kapa Haka Festival in Tauranga. Kapa haka teams wore campaign branded T shirts and committed to take the It is OK to ask for help message back to other events in their towns and communities. We also joined Refuge at the Parachute Music Festival to promote a theme of social justice.

On court support

The campaign is also partnering with Women’s Refuge in supporting the Wellington based Pulse netball team. The team will promote the campaign messages as part of the work they do in schools and communities, as well as during their games and in their team promotions. The relationship with the Pulse provides a valuable link to a key audience of young women. The Pulse franchise includes 38,000 girls and young women playing netball, plus a strong supporter base through families and schools.

Media work continues

This year the campaign’s highly effective media advocacy project will focus on embedding good practice in the news media industry. We want to work more closely with subeditors and editors in the print and broadcast media as they play a critical role in the placement and importance given to stories about family violence.

Journalism Schools have again been offered a seminar on news reporting of family violence. Five schools have booked it so far. The seminar has already been delivered at journalism schools in Timaru and Hamilton.

Resources

New resource on elder abuse

The campaign team recently worked with TVONE’s Good Morning programme to prepare a session on elder abuse. Wendy Bremner, Executive Officer of Age Concern in Counties Manukau, talked about the signs of abuse and how we can all help. We are also working with Age Concern to develop a new resource, to be launched for Elder Abuse day in June.

Aroha in Action

The campaign is working with Di Grenell from the Amokura Family Violence Prevention Consortium, to develop a resource on how whanau can best protect tamariki. The resource, Aroha in Action, is about building awareness that abuse and violence are problems that we all share responsibility for. It will identify potential risk situations and provide practical suggestions for whanau action.

Calendar

Share details of events and activities planned around New Zealand by people who are working together to help prevent family violence. Register your events on the campaign website calendar. Visit the website for more details, www.areyouok.org.nz.

 

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