Meeting complex mental health needs requires specialist expertise, and training counsellors to support the Manukau-Counties community is a top priority for the Papatoetoe-based Counselling Services Centre.
The sad reality is that this area faces high rates of family violence, sexual violence, mental health needs and social challenges.
Centre Chief Executive Tayyaba Khan says, “Nationally, one in three women will experience sexual assault or intimate partner violence, and one in five young people aged 15 to 19 are affected by sexual violence. In our community, those numbers are even higher.”
Wiri Licensing Trust has supported funding applications for the team at the Centre to undergo training in areas such as cognitive behavioural therapy and cultural competence in therapeutic practice, ensuring they are equipped to work with people dealing with the trauma these events bring.
“Our crisis response and court support services are funded through government contracts, and ACC funds long-term support for people who meet their criteria after sexual violence.” says Tayyaba.
But not everyone fits those criteria. Many people come to the Centre after family violence, sexual violence, grief, anxiety, depression or other trauma. “For those services, and to cover essential running costs, we rely on community grants.”
The Counselling Services Centre has 42 kaimahi and delivers around 7,000 counselling sessions a year, supporting more than 2,000 clients and their families.
Around 31 per cent of their clients are Māori and 28 per cent are Pasifika, and a third of those using its services are young people.
“Until 2024, Oranga Tamariki funded some counselling for children and young people, but that contract ended. The loss of this funding has put a real strain on our service, even as demand has grown. We still provide counselling for more than 300 tamariki and rangatahi every year, with many living with family violence, substance abuse or social challenges that disproportionately affect Māori and Pacific families.”
Supporters such as Wiri Trust step in where the gaps are, making free and accessible counselling possible, Tayyaba says.
Those services are an essential step in reducing anxiety, grief, depression and the effects of trauma and supporting people to rebuild trust, confidence and wellbeing after harm. It can also reduce stress for the for whānau as a whole and prevent long-term harm by addressing trauma early and breaking cycles that can otherwise continue for generations.
The Centre has also been able to work with more than 100 students in five local schools, delivering its RegenR8 programme, which helps rangatahi learn about emotional regulation, safe relationships, consent, and wellbeing.
While recent funding applications have focused on specialist training, the Centre has received support from Wiri Licensing Trust and funding from Trillian Trust for more than 10 years. Previous successful Trillian Trust grant applications have covered technology upgrades and contributed to creating safe counselling spaces, including the conversion of new premises at Carruth Road into counselling rooms and replacement carpet for the Alexander Avenue facilities.
“Better training, better tools and safe spaces mean our counsellors can focus fully on supporting clients and whānau,” Tayyaba says.
Wiri Licensing Trust General Manager Kim Green says the organisation is proud to be part of this kaupapa that’s making a real impact in the local community.
“We know the recent training in family violence has opened doors for the Centre to tender for more specialised contracts in this space. This is so important to support the needs of our whānau.”
Tayyaba adds, “Smaller, place-based charities like ours rely heavily on diversified income streams to be able to do the impactful work we believe in for our communities.
“Our relationship with Wiri Licensing Trust is important to us because it is a long-standing one where both the Wiri Licensing Trust and Trillian Trust has walked with us on our journey for over a decade to impact the lives of communities in the Manukau District.”
Wiri Licensing Trust wants to connect with local community groups and organisations that are doing great work in our hood to understand how we can better support you – email us at info@wiritrust.org.nz.
