Wairarapa’s locally owned community newspaper
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2022
INSIDE: Get ready for catchment action P21
P8
Success for young fundraisers ARE YOU A VIP CUSTOMER? Read ‘Garden Yarn’ on Page 9 to find out if you’re one of our winners
2 x $25 GARDENBARN VOUCHERS TO BE WON EACH DAY
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Enabling good lives for all Erin Kavanagh-Hall
erin.kavanagh-hall@age.co.nz
A “dynamic” group of Wairarapa families have joined forces to help empower the region’s disabled community to lead their best lives. Last year, Carterton couple Chris Hollis and Anita Nicholls founded Good Lives Wairarapa, a whanau-lead organisation set up to assist disabled people to participate more fully in their communities - by expanding opportunities in education, employment, sport, and creativity. The group, which
meets monthly to discuss project ideas, has four broad aims: to educate families about services and funding mechanisms available in Wairarapa; help families coordinate care and support for their children; build a stronger link with the sporting community through Special Olympics New Zealand; and to establish “programmes of meaningful activities” and work experiences for disabled people. This includes creating social enterprises which employ disabled workers - allowing them to discover new career pathways, expand
their knowledge, and build community connections. Chris and Anita, parents to two adult children with learning disabilities, were inspired to set up Good Lives Wairarapa after their 25-year-old son James returned to Wairarapa after having lived a residential service in the Hutt Valley. They found there were few disability-specific services in Wairarapa that catered to James’ needs — and even fewer opportunities for work and education, or accessible activities he could get involved in.
Hoping to establish some services of their own, Chris and Anita approached community development organisation Ka Pai Carterton, which put them in touch with other parents who were facing similar barriers. The couple were thrilled to not only connect with whanau “in the same boat” - but to meet a group of people with a similar vision, and a range of skills sets, expertise, and community networks. “We were hoping we’d at least meet one or two families who understood what we were dealing with,” Anita said.
“What we found was an incredibly dynamic group of people, who were keen to pool their resources and work together to create opportunities for our children. “It’s our dream to set up a rich array of activities that disabled people can tap into based on their different interests and strengths. “We want our children to have opportunities to work, learn new skills, engage with others, and to have places Continued on page 3
Families gather for a workshop on individualised funding for disabled people – organised by Good Lives Wairarapa. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
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