Porirua Whānau Centre

26/06/2026

🌟 Rangatahi 18 - 24years 🌟

Kia ora, we are now taking enrolments for our Mana Motuhake Employment readiness program starting 20th July 2026 – a free, employment programme designed to help prepare you for future employment or further studies📚✨

Our 20 week employment programme will assist you with the following…

> Interview skills
> CV assistance
> Drivers License
> Work Experience
> Public speaking
> Kapa Haka
🤝 Ongoing support from trained tutors

This programme is a great way to build your confidence, strengthen your Mana and set you up for employment or further studies.

If you’re interested or would like to know more, please send us a message or contact us at the Porirua Whānau Centre 💙 [email protected]
or fill out an online referral form from our website

16/06/2026

To the woman who uses her number knowledge to make a difference in our community; HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY Christine! 🎉💛

We hope your special day is filled with lots of love, laughter, good food, and celebration with your loved ones. You deserve to be spoiled today and every day! 🥳🎂✨

“Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.”
With your food basket and my food basket, the people will thrive.

Thank you for everything you do for our community. Here’s to 70 years of awesomeness and many more memories to come! 💛🎈

11/06/2026

Today, our team stood in front of Family Court judges from across Aotearoa and said what we know to be true. That when a parent looks non-compliant, what’s usually behind it is poverty, no transport, fear, and a deep distrust of systems that have never worked for them.

Jessica Tehuia, our Hapori Service Manager, asked the courts to see the whole picture. Because how a judge responds to that behaviour changes everything for the tamariki in front of them.

Since 2023, Hapori has helped reduce the number of tamariki in care in Porirua from 98 to 58. That result comes from relationship-centred, whānau-led support, not agency-led intervention alone.

We’re grateful to the Ministry of Justice NZ for the invitation, and to VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai for sharing the session with us.

28/05/2026

Porirua fills family harm coordination gap 🤝

Family harm impacts entire whānau and communities, and addressing it takes strong relationships, trust, and people willing to walk alongside others during difficult times.

We’re pleased to have Nu’ulelei Tualalo as Kaituitui Hapori (Community Connector), helping strengthen coordination and support for whānau across Porirua.

This role reflects the importance of the connection between services, advocacy, and community-led support, ensuring people do not have to navigate challenges alone.

We acknowledge the many organisations, frontline workers, and community leaders across the region who continue this work every day with care, compassion, and commitment. 💙

Porirua fills family harm coordination gap

A long-standing gap in family harm coordination in Porirua has been filled, with Porirua Whānau Centre appointing Nu’ulelei Taulalo as Kaituitui Hapori | Community Connector.

Full story in the comments:

26/05/2026

Family violence affects entire communities, and responding to it takes all of us working together.

We appreciated Wellington Mayor Andrew Little taking time to speak at a Family Violence Network event hosted at Porirua Whānau Centre, where he acknowledged the important role community organisations play in supporting whānau experiencing violence.

As he said, no single agency can solve these issues alone.

Every day, our teams work alongside whānau needing safety, advocacy, support and connection — often during some of the hardest moments in their lives.

We’re grateful to stand alongside many others across the region doing this work quietly and consistently every day.

If you or someone you know needs support, please reach out. You do not have to navigate things alone. 💜

20/05/2026

Big step forward for housing in Porirua. 🏘️

Porirua Whānau Centre has now received resource consent to build 22 new social housing units at our Tremewan Street site.

These warm, modern homes will help provide more stable and affordable housing options for local whānau — something our community urgently needs.

For us, housing is about more than just a roof over someone’s head. Stable housing creates space for whānau to breathe, plan ahead, care for their tamariki and move forward with confidence.

We’re especially proud that local businesses and Māori-owned businesses will continue to be part of this journey wherever possible.

There’s still work ahead, but this is an exciting and important milestone for our community.

17/05/2026

Imagine being told you have 90 days to leave the home your whānau has lived in for more than 20 years.

That was the reality for one local mum who suddenly found herself trying to navigate housing systems, paperwork and uncertainty — all while worrying her family could become homeless.

After connecting with our team, staff members Aggie and Christine walked alongside her, helping advocate, explain processes, and support her through a really stressful time.

“At least we’ve got a roof over our heads now,” she shared.

Stories like this remind us how important advocacy and practical support can be when people are facing systems that feel overwhelming.

We’re proud of our team for the way they continue to stand beside whānau with patience, care and compassion. 💙

15/05/2026

It's Pink Shirt Day and we've spent the afternoon at Windley School — for the third year running. Free ice cream for every student and teacher, a lunch break of basketball, and a reminder of why we keep showing up.
Our Ko Wai Au programme has been at Windley since 2015. It teaches tamariki to be upstanders — not just bystanders. Teacher Jay Fisher says he's seeing it on the playground: "We've had reports of upstanders a lot."
That's the kaupapa. See you, and what you're doing matters.
Happy Pink Shirt Day from all of us at Porirua Whānau Centre. 💗

14/05/2026

Some of the most important work we do starts with a simple conversation.

One local mum first connected with us through our Mana Wahine group, looking for healing and support. As we got alongside her, it became clear there were other pressures weighing heavily on her whānau too — including nearly $14,000 of debt linked to a car loan that had spiralled out of control.

Our Budget Facilitator Christine worked alongside her over time, advocating on her behalf and helping push for a hardship write-off. Recently, that debt was cleared.

The relief was huge.

This is why wraparound support matters. People often come to us for one thing, but once trust is built, we can help connect them with wider support across budgeting, kai assistance, housing, wellbeing and whānau services.

Big shout-out to Christine for the care and persistence she shows every day for our community. 💛

11/05/2026

Nau Mai i te Whānau Āpōpō! 10am. Call 04 2377749 for any questions.