Our Story
How it all started
About Good Lives Wairarapa
In 2021, a group of parents came together to discuss the lack of services and opportunities for their disabled children in Wairarapa. Some of us looked over the hill to Manawatu where a new national initiative, Enabling Good Lives, had been introduced.
This new initiative seemed like a solution. It was a person-centred, mana-enhancing system of disability support that valued self-determination and recognised the importance of maximising participation in mainstream activities and building relationships within the wider community. It recognised that disabled people should have the same life outcomes as ordinary, non-disabled people.
We asked how do we bring this initiative to Wairarapa? We were told that government supports for a national rollout were just around the corner, no wait, will be delayed a bit due to lack of funding, oh darn, actually not coming your way any time soon. But you are welcome to run with it yourselves.
So that’s what we are doing.
What We Do
We are a family network that provides peer support and advocacy for disabled people and their families:
- We offer a responsive platform for families to share emergent issues, concerns, and opportunities;
- We aim to build capability within families to support disabled people, both in negotiating the changing funding landscape and in developing a person-centred aspirational vision;
- We provide training for disabled people and their families to gain knowledge and advocacy skills to access the disability support they require
- We provide recreational opportunities for disabled people to connect with others, build confidence and establish relationships;
- We explore opportunities for social enterprises, community housing, coordination of support services;
- In all our work, we collaborate with other local and national disability organisations.
Our Team
Board of Trustees:
- Anita Nicholls (chairperson)
- Marilyn Morrison (secretary)
- Chris Hollis (treasurer)
- Shiree Chipp
- Bruce Neal
Committee members:
Anita Nicholls
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Marilyn Morrison
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Chris Hollis
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Shiree Chip
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Bruce Neal
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Community Connector
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