Wrapping up a big year at the Porirua Whānau Centre

A message from Liz Kelly, Te Tumu Whakarae | CEO

As we head toward the end of the year, it’s a good chance to pause and look back at everything our Whānau Centre has been part of over the past few months.

It’s been busy, at times a little hectic, but always rewarding thanks to the commitment of our staff and the strength of our community.

One of our major events was the family violence and White Ribbon hui, which brought close to 80 people together, including many of our own kaimahi.

It was encouraging to see such strong support for the kaupapa.

With newly elected Wellington Mayor Andrew Little attending as a White Ribbon ambassador, the day helped reaffirm why this work matters and how we can all play a part in creating safer homes.

Across the Whānau Centre, our programmes have now begun their end-of-year wind-down.

Prizegivings have been held for those who completed their courses, and our Christmas celebrations have started bringing whānau together to share some joy before the holidays.

These moments may seem simple, but they reflect a year of hard work, persistence, and support, all qualities we see every day from those who walk through our doors.

We were also pleased to complete our latest ERO review for both Tiaki Mokopuna (at Porirua's Whitireia campus) and our Whānau Centre early learning services.

The feedback was positive and affirmed the dedication of our teaching teams.

It’s good to know that the care, culture, and stability our staff provide are recognised at a national level.

Another major milestone was the approval of our resource consent for new housing on our Cannons Creek site.

This has been a long journey, and having everything signed off means we can finally move ahead.

Housing remains one of the biggest pressures for families in our community, so being able to take this step is an important part of our long-term vision.

With the AGM around the corner and the last programmes finishing up, it feels like we’ve reached that familiar point of the year where everything comes together at once.

But it also brings a sense of gratitude. I’m grateful for our staff who keep showing up, for the families who trust us, and for the wider community that continues to walk alongside us.

As we move into the holiday break, I hope everyone finds time to rest, reset, and enjoy those moments that remind us why we do this work.

We look forward to coming back refreshed and ready for another year of supporting our whānau to thrive.