WellAble

04/10/2026

🌺 Talanoa: Understanding Dementia Together 🌺

Dementia Wellington and the Pasifika Dementia Network are hosting a special morning for Pasifika carers supporting a loved one living with dementia.

Thursday 15 October
📍 Pātaka Art Museum
🕤 9:30am–12:30pm

The morning will provide an opportunity to:

💙 Learn more about dementia, diagnosis, stages and available support
💙 Hear from other carers and share experiences
💙 Connect with Pasifika support services
💙 Enjoy some delicious Pasifika morning tea

This is a chance to connect with others, share stories and access information in a supportive and culturally relevant setting.

Registration is required by Thursday 8 October. See the flyer below for registration details and contact information.

Please feel free to share this with anyone who may find it useful. 🌺



Alt text:
Event flyer for “Talanoa: Understanding Dementia Together”, hosted by Dementia Wellington and the Pasifika Dementia Network. The event is for Pasifika people supporting a loved one living with dementia and takes place Thursday 15 October, 9:30am–12:30pm at Pātaka Art Museum. The morning includes information about dementia, diagnosis, stages and support, stories from other carers, connections with Pasifika support services, and Pasifika morning tea. Registration is required by Thursday 8 October. Contact Rachel Pethig on 0204 176 6629 or [email protected], or Sera Vatoluka on 022 452 6942 or [email protected]. The flyer features the Dementia Wellington logo, event details, a QR code for registration, and ocean and Pasifika-inspired imagery.

02/10/2026

https://www.facebook.com/showmeshorts
Tickets selling fast - get yours now!

01/10/2026

Check out this new resource for parents - developed by local Wellington parents!

'Champ gives the whole team around a child with extra support needs one shared place for goals, reports, meetings, updates and small wins. Free, private, from parents for parents.'

👇

Champ has a page (hurray!), so here's who we are.

We're two parents in Wellington. Our son has extra support needs, and like a lot of families, we found we were the ones holding it all together: the reports, the emails, what was agreed at the last meeting, what helps on a hard day.

So we built Champ, and it's now being used by families and the people around their children. It's one shared place for the team around a child. Parents write the profile in their own words, and the people they invite, a teacher, a teacher aide, an OT, a speech therapist, can see it. Goals, reports, meetings and the small wins sit alongside it. When someone new joins the team, they can catch up in ten minutes instead of starting from nothing.

It's free for families right now, parents hold the keys, and nothing is sold or used to train AI.

Have a look with a made-up family, no account needed: champ.kiwi/demo

And if you know a family who's carrying all of this on their own, we'd love it if you passed it on.

Every champ deserves a team.

JP

27/09/2026

👏👏

21/09/2026

🧠 New ADHD Whānau & Friends Support Group – Kāpiti Coast

Atareira - Mental Health Support for Families and Whānau are starting a new group on the Kāpiti Coast for individuals, parents, whānau and supporters navigating the ADHD journey. 💜

The group will be a space for real people, real conversations and real support – including the wins, the worries, the overwhelm and everything in between.

There will also be guest mental health and education experts along the way.

📩 To join the group or find out more, contact Anne at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) or 027 769 4405.

Please feel free to share with anyone who might find this support helpful. 💜

ALT TEXT:

Poster for the Kāpiti ADHD Whānau & Friends Support Group, a new support group for parents, whānau and supporters navigating the ADHD journey.

The poster highlights guest mental health and education experts, real conversations and real support. It acknowledges that supporting someone with ADHD, or wondering if ADHD might be part of the picture, can feel isolating, and invites people to join.

The group is facilitated by Atareira, who support families, advocate alongside them, help people navigate health, education and other systems, and create connections.

The poster invites people to get in touch with Anne to be kept updated about dates, venue and other information. Contact: [email protected] or 027 769 4405.

20/09/2026

🌿 Coastal Villas Wellness Expo 🌿

We’re looking forward to being at the Coastal Villas Wellness Expo on Friday 23 October, from 10am–12pm! 🎉

Come along and say hi to the WellAble team! 👋 We’ll be bringing along a selection of everyday living and mobility aids to demonstrate, with items also available to purchase.

And of course, the lovely Sarah will be there to provide free, impartial information and advice about disability support, equipment and services. 💙

There will be 14 wellness organisations at the Expo, giving you the opportunity to find out more about their services and products, plus a free prize raffle! 🎁

☕ The Café will also be open as usual from 10am–2pm, so why not grab a cuppa while you’re there?

📅 Friday 23 October 2026
🕙 10am–12pm
📍 Coastal Villas Leisure Centre, Paraparaumu

We’d love to see you there! 😊

Alt text:
Promotional poster for the Coastal Villas Wellness Expo, featuring a bright, welcoming design. The poster highlights a range of wellness organisations attending, with information about their services and products, a free prize raffle, and the on-site café.

17/09/2026

Seeking disabled people’s experiences of postnatal care 💜

A team of researchers is seeking the experiences of disabled whānau who have received postnatal midwifery care in the last two years.

The study is intentionally seeking the voices of disabled people, tangata whaikaha, Deaf people, neurodivergent people, and others with access needs.

If you:
👶 are disabled
👶 have had a baby within the last two years
👶 received postnatal care from a Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) midwife after giving birth

…the research team would love to hear about your experiences.

There are lots of accessibility options for taking part, including:
• Online or in-person interviews
• Wānanga-based interviews
• Written responses
• Voice messages
• Asynchronous participation

NZSL interpreters and other accessibility supports are also available where needed.

The research is a collaboration between Ara Institute of Canterbury, Otago Polytechnic, the University of Waikato, the New Zealand College of Midwives, and a team of independent lived experience researchers and midwives, including disabled researchers.

📋 Find out more and complete the Expression of Interest Form: https://bit.ly/4cJhGeE

If you’d like to have a kōrero first or ask any questions, you can email Amy at [email protected]. Amy has lived experience of disability, neurodivergence and LGBTQIA+.

Alt Text Illustration of a disabled parent holding and cuddling their baby

17/09/2026

🎉 Dsport Youth Group – What’s Coming Up!

We wanted to share the latest Dsport Youth Group flyer, with all of their scheduled events for the rest of 2026!

As you can see, they have a jam-packed programme with plenty of activities, something for everyone, and lots of fun to be had. 🙌

The activities are open to young people aged 5–18 years with a physical disability or visual impairment. Siblings are always welcome too, and are encouraged to join in on the action!

Specific session times and other important details are sent to registered attendees beforehand.

📧 To express your interest or ask any questions, email [email protected]

Alt Text
dSport flyer. Backround is a child playing on some soft play equipment with a rope with a big smile on their face. Flyer reads: Youth Group September - December 2026. 5 Sept Football, Fraser Park. 20 Sept: Gellyball, Upper Hutt. 3 Oct: Athletics, Newtown Park. 18 Oct: Wellington Zoo. 31 Oct: A&P Show, Wairarapa. 14 Nov: Fencing, Kilbirnie. 22 Nov: Gold & BBQ, Manor Park. 6 Dec: Christmas Party, QE Park. The dSport logo shows on the bottom of the flyer.

15/09/2026

🤠 Community Event: IHC Western Dance 🤠

Come along for an evening of music, dancing, and social connection.

📅 Friday 6 November
🕡 6.30pm to 10.00pm
📍 Lower Hutt Events Centre
30C Laings Road, Lower Hutt

✨ Free event
✨ Western-themed dress encouraged
✨ A great opportunity to meet new people, catch up with friends, and enjoy a fun night out

RSVPs are essential, and tickets will be emailed prior to the event.

📧 RSVP by Friday 23 October to: [email protected]

Dust off your boots, pull on your favourite western outfit, and get ready for a fantastic night out! 👢⭐🤠

14/09/2026

Access Matters Aotearoa invites you to be part of an important conversation exploring how changes to the Total Mobility Scheme and the ongoing cost of living crisis are affecting disabled people across Aotearoa New Zealand.

📅 Wednesday 16 September 2026
⏰ 9am – 11am
🌐 Zoom
✅ Register here https://tinyurl.com/mw9xsuc3 to receive webinar login details by email.