A New Way to Wellbeing at The Loft
22nd of March, 2016
Construction is well under way.
If you’ve received our newsletters before, you’ll know that for several years we’ve been talking about the new co-location innovation we are creating with a group of other social services in Eastgate Shopping Centre in Linwood. Now we have a new brand identity to represent not only the space, but the experience it represents.
‘The Loft’ will be home to a wide range of social and health services in what will effectively be a child, family and community health and wellbeing centre on Eastgate’s first floor. The new brand not only names that space as a welcoming, accessible place, but also represents the client journey of moving forward and the concept of rising up. Other brand elements such as the Maori name equivalent - ki te tihi (‘to the summit’) - and the whakatauki created for the brand also reference that journey, whilst embracing and reflecting Christchurch’s diverse and multi-cultural community.
Strategy Design and Advertising were tasked with creating the new identity, one that could represent the diversity of the services coming together, and also encapsulate the essence of clients’ journeys and the accessibility of support to all who need it.
“We wanted to be involved in this project as it is unique and has so much potential to make a positive impact,” says Geoff Cranko, Group Managing Partner of Strategy. “The opportunity to work on an identity for this innovation was something we really wanted to do.”
That innovation is all about promoting collaboration that creates better outcomes for service users. It is a unique proposition in national terms because it creates a significant platform for more integrated delivery of services. One side of the new centre will be dedicated to social services, and the other will deliver an integrated family health centre that supports mental, emotional, social and physical health.
Construction in the space began in early January and the projected opening of The Loft is July 2016.
Thanks to the Lottery Grants Board, Community Facilities Fund; Wayne Francis Charitable Trust; The Mayor’s Earthquake Relief Fund; NZ Red Cross; Ministry of Social Development; Working Together More Fund; and the Rata Foundation’s Capital Projects Fund for their funding support.
To find out more about The Loft, contact ipvision@avivafamilies.org.nz.
"Poipoia, tautokotia kia ekea te tihi o Oranga" - Through nuture and support you will reach the summit of wellbeing.
Support Aviva the Next Time you Travel
22nd of March, 2016
Do you travel for business or leisure?
If so, there is a great way you can support Aviva at no cost to you, or your company. If you book your accommodation through Kiwi Karma, simply choose Aviva as your charity of choice, and 5-8% of the room rate comes to us.
The site allows you to find, compare and book from over 3,200 places nationwide, and it includes accommodation options from backpackers to luxury lodges. The room rates on Kiwi Karma are also comparable to all other travel sites.
Generating enough money to maintain our range of free services is always a challenge but Kiwi Karma is an easy way for you, your family and friends, or workplace, to help. Your stay away will be even more enjoyable knowing that simply by relaxing or going about your business as usual, you are helping others to create violence-free futures!
Check out www.kiwikarma.co.nz and when you do, enter their latest competition.
'It Is Easier To Build Strong Children Than To Repair Broken Men...'
22nd of March, 2016
Debbie-Lee and her partner Shane know the truth of every bit of that saying.
When Debbie-Lee met Shane two and a half years ago, he was “a broken 30-year-old child.” Having been in and out of care from three-months old until 15, emotionally he was “like a seven-year old” she says. The next 15 years saw Shane constantly in and out of prison, becoming involved with White Power and solving arguments with his fists. He was on medication for depression and mood disorders; perhaps not the best track record for a prospective partner or parent.
Although Shane wasn’t violent towards Debbie-Lee, there was emotional abuse – he was overly-concerned about who she was seeing, would sulk and withdraw when things didn’t go his way, and he tried to manipulate her into doing what he wanted. But it was his violence that brought both Shane and Debbie-Lee to Aviva.
Eighteen months ago, having gone off his medication, Shane’s aggression and paranoia took over. When Debbie-Lee’s ex-partner came to collect their 10-year-old daughter, an altercation ended with Shane lunging at him with a knife. The Police were called, but worse was to come – that incident led Child Youth and Family (CYF) to decide to uplift the baby that Debbie-Lee and Shane were soon to have, and Shane’s anger and frustration at that unexpected decision would see him sent to jail for several months.
Mark, one of Aviva’s Family Support Workers with the men’s ReachOut service, became involved and contacted Shane to offer support. When Shane got out of jail, he wanted things to be different. For the first time, Shane had lost something valuable on the outside, something he wanted to get back. He was determined to be there and be more of a dad than he’d had growing up, and he was willing to learn how to do that.
The last 18 months have been about change for Shane, and it hasn’t been easy. “Mark likes to push Shane’s buttons; a lot of people would be too scared to do that, but Shane listens to Mark” says Debbie-Lee. “With him, Shane’s learned new strategies to deal with anger. He’s learned to take a break when he’s angry, or just walk away from conflict. Three years ago he would have been in the midst of any fight.”
Mark also introduced Shane to the Men’s Shed. “That’s been massive for him. Now he’s able to work with other guys, including making friends with guys from other ethnicities and cultures. He is much more sociable and brave. The change in him in the last year is phenomenal.”
Mark suggested that Debbie-Lee get some support too, to ensure she was safe whilst Shane worked on changing himself and dealing with his anger, and she became engaged with Family Support Worker Kylie. “Mark and Kylie have supplied us with good words, and support. Now, we just touch base fortnightly or so - they are there to bounce things off.”
Ensuring their relationship and home was a safe one was not only important for Debbie-Lee and Shane – it was vital if their son was to return home. Their hard work paid off. “Kylie and Mark came to every CYF Family Group Conference with us, and the support letters they wrote about the positive changes in our home really made all the difference. They were people who were in our lives every day, seeing us with our son. They had been two extra pairs of eyes on him, which really helped. Shane had hated CYF because of his experiences as a child, but with Mark’s help he learned he had to work with them to get our son back home full-time. He’s been home five months now and in February, CYF saw that they didn’t need to look out for him anymore.
“The silver lining of having our son taken away was that we both did a lot of work on ourselves. Now Shane is a whole new person. His attitude has changed and his mind has opened. He is so proud of his son, it is bursting out of his pores.”
ReachOut is Aviva’s early intervention support service for men who have used family violence. Initially developed in 2012, ReachOut uses Police reports of family violence to proactively contact men, and it is also open to self-referrals. Aviva currently employs three Family Support Workers to deliver the ReachOut service in Christchurch and North Canterbury, and support is delivered one-on-one, at no charge. In the last financial year, your support, and that of New Zealand Red Cross and the Ministry of Social Development, helped ReachOut to support 168 men like Shane towards safer futures.
Title quote from Frederick Douglas.
Image courtesy of Pixabay.
Will You Share the Journey?
22nd of March, 2016
Every year in Canterbury, thousands of children and young people are traumatised by family violence. Many of them come through our doors, needing support. But it’s the ones who we don’t see who really worry me. I wonder, what will their futures be like?
At Aviva, we want every child to be safe and happy; I’m sure you do too. The good news is that together we can make that happen.
It happened for Cathy*. Her home was so unsafe that by 11 she had been placed in care 13 times. She came to live with Robyn*, her foster-mother at nine and by then “she had an acute sense of ‘aloneness’ and was anxious - and at times overwhelmed - when she talked about her life experiences”.
Cathy undertook Aviva’s 10-week Tamariki education programme; it made all the difference.
“As the weeks went by, we could see visible changes in her, especially her awareness that she was ‘not alone’ in having a family with family violence issues” says Robyn. “That insight brought her a great sense of relief, as did the understanding of how those experiences might have impacted her life.”
With your help, we are here 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week, to provide support. Over 1,000 children, women and men in Canterbury come through our doors every year; last year, we received almost 4,000 calls for support. Supporting people like Cathy and her family through some of the most difficult times of their lives and being part of their journey is a privilege, but we can’t do it alone.
This April we are holding our annual appeal, including a street appeal. If you can, please join our street appeal to raise funds and awareness of family violence, or choose to support one of our services for children, women and men.
You can you be part of someone’s journey too.
Thank you.
Nicola,
CEO
Image courtesy of Pixabay
*Not their real names
Call Me, Any Time
30th of November, 2015
I’m not really sure if you can help me”.
Those are often the first words that greet our staff when a call comes through to them via our 0800 number. “I just say, ‘tell me what’s going on, and we’ll see’ ” says Jen, one of Aviva’s 0800 phone support team.
The 0800 AVIVA NOW line is available 24 hours and Jen is one of three staff rostered to receive urgent calls all through the night, on weekends and on public holidays – Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve too. This line is often the first point of contact through which people access the support they need. After 5pm on weekdays, and during the weekends, a call centre takes the initial call and provides basic support and essential information. Experienced Aviva staff like Jen are also rostered on-call to receive all high-need calls requiring immediate support.
“That’s the difference with the after-hours line” says Jen. “You are dealing with distressed people. In the day people are often seeking information or referrals. After-hours, the Call Centre only put calls through to us when someone seems to need support right away. They may have burnt out friends’ and family members’ ears or this may be first time they are speaking to someone who understands the dynamics of family violence. There’s a real need for that line because what is happening is real and raw, and through the 0800 number people can pick up a phone and hear a person on the end of it. They are able to talk about what is happening now, and that can be enough to tide them over emotionally.
| 0800 AVIVA NOW received 3,968 calls to July 2014 - June 2015, up 17% on the previous year. |
“When people call, they realise that this confidential conversation will lead to the support they need. It can take weeks of courage and lots of personal energy to make that call; I appreciate how hard it is to pick up a phone and talk to a stranger and I thank them for that. I reassure them that what they’re feeling is a normal response to this abnormal situation.”
Because people calling the 0800 number after-hours tend to be in crisis and in need of immediate support, calls can be emotional. “You do hear some difficult things but it’s important that we as a service can be part of that - crises don’t just happen 9am – 5pm. For instance, I recently received a call from a man working with ReachOut to move away from his angry behaviour. He knew he needed help now and couldn’t wait until his appointment. I was able to help de-escalate him, and reinforce that he’d done the right thing in calling us. If he hadn’t been able to talk to someone when he needed to, that night could’ve ended in an arrest for him.
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"I'd hate to think what might happen if someone was not there to take that call." Jen
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"I know that for men it may be an even harder phone call to make, and it may be hard to talk to a woman, so I thank them for sharing. I’ve had men burst into tears – they may be struggling with access to their kids; realising the seriousness of their actions; or feeling that they have no support. I take on board the ‘wow’ of that emotion for them, and you just have to be silent and wait until you can reiterate they’ve made a brave decision in calling. We see that with older women too – they are often embarrassed. But they don’t have to wear that cloak of embarrassment because they are far from alone – so many people need this support.
Jen has spent her last four Christmas Holiday seasons rostered on the 0800 line, and she doesn’t mind at all. “I really believe in offering the 24-hour phone support. I may be at home or in a public space when a call comes in, or waking up at 4am, but to get to say ‘Welcome to Aviva, you’re speaking with Jen’, and have someone talk about the worst aspect in their life in the current moment – that’s a privilege. Maybe I can give them what they need to get through to tomorrow morning. I’d hate to think what might happen if someone was not there to take that call.”
Aviva’s 24-hour 0800 AVIVA NOW line ensures that anyone who has experienced violence, and/or used it, can access support whenever and wherever they need it. We are also able to connect people with other relevant services, and provide information and support to family and friends. In fact Jen has noticed that “since we changed our name (May 2013) and became a family-focused service, more men are ringing to get info about women in their lives they are concerned about.”
Following the February 2011 earthquake, calls related to direct client support rose by over 50% and they have been sustained at that level ever since, peaking in the last financial year (ending June 30 2015) at almost 4,000 – our highest ever recorded volume. One-fifth of those calls are received outside office hours.
Some of those children, women and men needing support may be your neighbours, friends, families or colleagues, which is why donations raised this Christmas will be used to support Aviva’s local 24-hour 0800 AVIVA NOW phone line.
It's easy to donate, simply click here to make an online donation now or visit our website to find out others ways you can donate.
A Holiday Message from Nicola
30th of November, 2015
I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading our newsletters this year and seeing how together we are supporting so many people on their journey to violence-free lives.
Highlights for the last year were the development of a healthy relationship programme for young people, which we will continue to develop and extend in 2016 with help from Youthtown. With our partner START, we were re-contracted to continue providing the Sexual Assault Support Service Canterbury until June 2016. We expanded support options for men by appointing our first male Peer Support Specialist in February, and added a new face to our ReachOut team to offer support to younger men using violence.
A significant amount of senior staff time and energy has this year been committed to the advancement of the innovative co-location project in Eastgate that Aviva is leading, and it has paid off immensely. We have now secured almost two-thirds of the funding required for the project, enabling us to advance this exciting vision towards fruition by mid-2016.
At Aviva we’re very proud to have a team of committed, professional people who are here because they believe passionately in our purpose – supporting New Zealand families to become their best, free from family violence. We know that you, our supporters, do too. On behalf of our clients and staff, I’d like to acknowledge the support that you give to us. Simply knowing that we have your support helps sustain the journey, and we literally could not do it without you. By working together we can help many amazing, courageous children, women and men to make their futures safer and happier.
On behalf the team at Aviva, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season.
Nicola Woodward
CEO
Jewellery that does good for the community
2nd of November, 2015
We have come up with a fantastic way to show your support for Aviva, look stylish in the process AND maybe complete some of your Christmas shopping!
This Christmas we will be selling a range of gorgeous jewellery featuring the Aviva emblem and 100% of the proceeds go to support Canterbury families towards happier and safer lives, free from violence. They would make a great treat for yourselves or the perfect gift for Christmas for someone special.
Check out the fantastic range on offer, each item is available in silver or bronze:
Items can be collected from our offices at The Loft at Eastgate Shopping Centre or you can add $5 for postage throughout NZ.
If you have any questions or are interested in placing an order, please email fiona@avivafamilies.org.nz.
A huge thanks to Apryl Anthony from Merlesque Bespoke Jewellery Design for supporting this fundraiser and making this amazing jewellery for us, and to Andrea Wooding for the beautiful photography.
Looking Forward to a Brighter Future
17th of August, 2015
‘You can’t guarantee that if you do nothing, things still won’t get worse’. Melanie* found that out the hard way.
She had been married to Brian* for 14 years Melanie called the Police, and Brian left the property. Yet even after he’d left, he’d break back into the house to take items to sell. “I finally called the Police and decided to make a statement, which I hadn’t done before; then it all changed. I got a lawyer, a Protection Order**; Occupancy, Furniture and Parenting Orders. It was the best thing I ever did; when I got those things in place, it got a lot better. Things suddenly got real and serious for him and he got a clear and repeated message from the Police, the courts and lawyers., but in the last two years, Brian’s behaviour had gotten out of control. Her husband had become emotionally and psychologically abusive, treated the family home as a ‘hotel’ and spent money on what he enjoyed – motor bikes, dirt bikes and tools that he never used - whilst the family did without. “Then Brian abandoned his job. He threatened to burn the house down, and to kill me and our son – the relationship was toxic, but I was just trying not to make it worse. I felt so isolated and scared. I didn’t know where to go, how to manage it. But when he started to talk like this in front of Carl*, our six-year old – that tipped me over the edge.” Melanie finally decided that she couldn’t live that way anymore; more to the point, she wouldn’t let their son live that way.
“And because we were classed by Police as high risk, they put me in touch with Carol (Aviva’s Shine safe@home Co-ordinator). Brian had kicked and punched holes in the doors and walls and windows, and the house was physically unsafe and unsecure; he could come and go as he pleased.” As part of the Shine safe@home security assessment Carol gave Melanie a personal alarm; installed locks on the doors and windows; and got the fire service to install smoke alarms. Carol also created a safe room in the house, so that if Brian did manage to break in again, Melanie and her son would be safe long enough for Police to arrive. “It was the first night in a long time I slept” says Melanie.
Melanie then undertook Aviva’s 10-week women’s education programme. “You feel stupid and wonder, ‘how did I get here?’ Friends say ’why don’t you just leave?’ – as if it’s that easy. You’re so invested in your life, and things had just built up over time; and I wanted a dad for my son. But the programme gave me lots of clarity” she says. “It (the cycle of tension building/incident/reconciliation/calm) was just the way they described it. There is power and knowledge from sharing too, and you see things in a different light. When you are open to it, you get everything you need. That education and knowledge has helped me to make informed decisions and to stay strong.”
For Melanie, “one of the hardest things was the judge’s comment that my son had been so affected – that was very hard to see in black and white; it was a bit of a wake-up call.” In the last 12 months Carl has done Aviva’s Tamariki programme and has a male mentor through his school. Melanie says the change is dramatic. “He couldn’t believe the arguments and angry outbursts weren’t his fault” she says, “but to have someone else say that, then he could start to believe it. He is also more open now; he says ‘I love you’ and he can just be a little boy. I look back and see that his bad behaviour was really just the symptom of a very unhappy boy. Now I am doing everything I can to ensure he has access to as many resources as I can so that he doesn’t become an angry young man.”
“It has been bloody hard, but I see a future for myself now. I’d say to other women who are going through what I went through, reach out with both hands and grab the support that is out there. I won’t be dragged down now. I can see a better life for me and my son.”
* Not their real names.
** In many instances, leaving the relationship, and/or the issuing of a Protection Order, can be the most dangerous times in an abusive relationship. This is why many people experiencing violence are reluctant to take this step.
From September 2012 until the end of June 2015, Aviva’s Shine safe@home service has made 490 children and 362 adults experiencing family violence safer in their own homes.
Image courtesy of Pixabay.
Volunteers Help the Healing for Sexual Assault Survivors
17th of August, 2015
The Sexual Assault Support Service Canterbury (SASSC) has now been part of Aviva for a year and we have recently received funding to continue providing this vital service to Canterbury women, men and young people for another 12 months.
Originating from the Safecare service originally run by the Monarch Centre (now closed), SASSC provides 24/7 rape/sexual assault support and advocacy services; access to counselling; support for parents/whanau of children who have been sexually abused; and community education and resources.
Jen Sykes is Aviva’s SASSC Co-ordinator and oversees the support team, all of whom are volunteers. Not only does Jen roster, support and train the volunteers, she also volunteers herself because she deeply values the personal interaction with clients and the opportunity to help people through such a time of crisis.
Some of this essential help was provided by SASSC volunteer Sarah* to Christie*, a young woman who had been in Christchurch only a short time. Her parents had arranged for her to stay in a homestay but, on the second night there, a man who lived at the house sexually assaulted her. Christie went to the Cambridge Clinic where she was informed of SASSC. Sarah arrived to sit with her throughout her medical examination, then arranged for funds from the Dove Trust provided to Aviva specifically for client emergencies to top up her phone to call home, and to buy food. Having access to those emergency funds meant that Christie got the immediate additional help she needed as, because it was a public holiday, she was unable to access the Victim Support Grant which otherwise would have supported her. Sarah then organised Christie’s accommodation in a local refuge and also liaised with her family to ensure her well-being because, with no family or friends in Christchurch, SASSC was Christie’s only support.
Although SASSC clients are predominantly female, the service supports men too, such as Justin*, a young man who was the victim of a drug-assisted attack. Justin went to the Cambridge Clinic where he too received support from a SASSC volunteer, and was later further supported to give his statement at the Police Station. Justin said he could not have gone to the Police Station without the support of SASSC.
SASSC volunteers don’t just support people during examinations, at the Police station or in court; they provide initial phone support (people will later be referred to an appropriate counsellor); help them process what has happened to them; and help to contact family/friends. And the service doesn’t only provide support immediately after a sexual attack - it provides support to deal with historic attacks too, and there are a growing number of such referrals coming via Police.
SASSC is currently looking to recruit more volunteers; could you be one of those special people who provide such vital support to others? Full training is provided following which volunteers are given a Buddy (an experienced volunteer) to accompany them on their first few call outs, or more if needed. These call-outs can be any time of day or night, although there tends to be more call-outs at the end of the week. If you’re interested in finding out more about being a SASSC volunteer, please email jen@avivafamilies.org.nz
*not their real names
All Aboard for the Bus Stop Tour
17th of August, 2015
In recent weeks, 15 Canterbury High Schools have experienced the ‘Bus Stop Tour’. The event featured a show by performing arts group No Limits, which focussed on the topics of family violence, drugs and alcohol, suicide and bullying using a powerful combination of hugely moving content, musical brilliance and some surprisingly light notes which provided comic relief.
The Bus Stop Tour was a collaborative effort between No Limits; the Youth and Prevention Work Streams of the Canterbury Family Violence Collaboration; Aviva; He Waka Tapu; and CPIT, and its goal was to put a human face to services that offer help to young people, and thereby encourage them to make use of that support when they need it. Students also received a custom-made wallet card which included tips to help others; agencies that can help; and warning signs that somebody is unsafe.
Darragh from Aviva took up the challenge to co-ordinate the programme for the event at Catholic Cathedral College. Speakers included professionals from 298 Youth, who discussed suicide and mental health; the SPCA, who talked about the link between abuse of animals and violence in later life; and Aviva, who discussed family violence using material from our Youth Programme.
The Tour proved to be a very effective way to connect with many young people in our community who needed support. “In each session we had one or two kids who had concerns and wanted to talk more about their experiences” says Darragh. “We made sure we had additional staff on hand to allow them to leave the room and talk privately and we then linked them with the school counsellors to ensure they got ongoing support.”
Overall, the students rated their experience of the tour very highly - 95% of students gave it an ‘awesome’ ranking!
