Tiaki Tangata
What is Tiaki Tangata
The Tiaki Tangata service supports
Māori offenders reintegrating into
their local communities
Te Rūnanga o Ngā Maata Waka has been providing reintegration services to the
Department of Corrections’ five South Island prisons since 2015
Our Kaupapa
What we do
We aim to work ideally 3-6 months before release and 12 months post release. Each offender works with a Navigator. Best practice is to involve a multi-disciplinary team that includes their Case Manager, Probation Officer and whānau to ensure an individualized re-integration plan is agreed upon. This identifies their needs and goals and also address their cultural health and wellbeing needs,
Immediate practical support is provided from picking up at the prison, providing a cellphone, shopping, and settling into their planned accommodation. Support is provided around obtaining photo identification, a bank account, MSD benefit entitlements and often advocacy with Oranga Tamariki. Referrals are made for any specialist services.
Probation services are based on site and this enables our clients to report here at the Marae and not at a Service Center. Weekly meetings are held with Probation and the Navigators to discuss progress and highlight any red flags.
The Services Provided
The myriad of services we provides at Te Rūnanga o Ngā Maata Waka mean we can provide a truly wraparound support. Through our Whānau Ora Service, clients are supported to access services and support such as:
- Getting their drivers license through our Mauri Tū service
- Participating in Functional Family Therapy in order to rebuild relationship with their children.
- Budgeting Services
- Access to on site MSD work broker
- Free legal advice from Community Law clients onsite
- Securing employment through our onsite MSD representative, Offender Recruitment Consultant and our own networks
- Reporting to probation officers at the Marae
Importantly, we are heavily focused on enabling clients to take control of their lives and making their own decisions
Through this service we have received funding for two houses and independently funded a third. There is a house for women at the Marae and men’s houses in South Brighton, Christchurch and Invercargill.
What we’ve learnt from Tiaki Tangata
Over the life of the contract, we have had many learnings. A notable example is the success we have seen by having a husband and wife team operating one of the houses. By having ‘parent figures’ in the house, there is a strong sense of family and belonging which has proven to be very effective in the successful reintegration of our clients.
The Department of Corrections measures our success in terms of whether the client is in employment, in stable accommodation, and not reoffending for 12 months. For us, success is broader and extends to the client being re-connected with whānau/community and self-determining.
Once a client comes to us, they never leave us.
They know the door is open and they will be welcomed without judgement.
Referral Process
Accessing our services here at Te Rūnanga o Ngā Maata Waka is simple.
Individuals can self-refer by filling out our online form below
or calling 03 382 6628 for more information.