Positive Pathways

05/10/2026

𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗮 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽

For some neurodivergent young people, trusting an adult doesn't happen quickly. They may have spent years being corrected, misunderstood or feeling like they're constantly getting things wrong.

So our mentors don't begin with, “What do we need to fix?". They begin with, “Who is this young person?”

Recently, one of our mentors described how a young person who initially found it difficult to engage with adults gradually began to:

✨ Look forward to their sessions
✨ Share their interests
✨ Ask their mentor questions
✨ Talk about things that were difficult for them
✨ Ask for help when they needed it
✨ And eventually take the lead in activities and interactions

In another session, a young person who doesn't always like adults sitting close became comfortable with their mentor sitting alongside them and simply watching them play.

That's connection. And it's not something you can force. It develops when a young person learns:

- You aren't going to make me be someone I'm not.
- You are interested in the things I care about.
- You listen when I say no.
- You're still here when things get difficult.

Once that foundation is there, so much more becomes possible.

Connection isn't something that happens alongside mentoring. Connection is the foundation of it.

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 | 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝟰

We currently have limited availability for 1:1 mentoring.

If your child or young person could benefit from a trusted adult alongside them — someone who understands neurodiversity and sees the strengths behind the challenges — send us a message to find out more.

05/10/2026

School Holiday Fun at Positive Pathways!

Our Wellington holiday programme has been full of creativity, connection, laughter and a whole lot of messy fun!

Over the holidays, the kids have been busy:

🎨 Creating with clay
🎭 Getting creative with face painting
🃏 Playing UNO Bingo
🦋 Planting swan plant seeds and learning about monarch butterflies
🧸 Making their very own Patchwork Pals
🧱 Building amazing LEGO creations
💦 Taking aim with waterbomb target throwing
💭 Creating their own comics
🪡 Sewing homemade dolls
🌈 Mixing paints and glue to make colourful glue
📖 Writing their own stories
🫧 And, of course, lots and lots of sensory play!

We love creating spaces where kids can explore their interests, try something new, get wonderfully messy, and simply enjoy being themselves. 🥰

There’s no pressure to join in, no expectation that everyone will love the same activity, and plenty of opportunities for kids to follow their own ideas and interests.

That’s what holiday fun looks like at Positive Pathways! 💛

03/10/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆.

Sometimes progress looks like:

- “I need a break” - instead of becoming completely overwhelmed.
- “Can you help me?” - instead of giving up.
- “I did it!” - after doing something they were convinced they couldn't do.

One of our mentors recently supported a young person who found unfamiliar public toilets incredibly difficult. They would hold on for as long as possible rather than use one. During a mentoring session, they managed to use an unfamiliar bathroom.

When they came out, they proudly said:

“𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲.”

And when their mentor asked what they were most proud of that day? That was it.
Not the activity they'd been doing. Not how much they'd achieved. Just the fact that they'd done something that had previously felt really hard.

That's a win. 💚

We've also seen young people who initially weren't sure they could manage something challenging physically gradually work their way through it — taking one step at a time until they're asking to try the hardest part themselves.

And young people who become frustrated with a difficult task learning to recognise:

- “I need a break.”
- Taking that break.
- Asking for help.
- And coming back to it.

These might seem like small moments. But for the young person experiencing them, they're big wins.

That's what our 1:1 mentoring is about.

Not changing who a young person is. But helping them build confidence, self-awareness, connection and skills in ways that work for them.

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 | 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝟰

We currently have limited availability for 1:1 mentoring.

If your child or young person could benefit from a trusted adult alongside them — someone who understands neurodiversity and sees the strengths behind the challenges — send us a message to find out more.

06/09/2026

WE’RE HIRING – CASUAL HOLIDAY PROGRAMME FACILITATORS

Positive Pathways is looking for enthusiastic, reliable and neuro-affirming people to join our team as Casual Holiday Programme Facilitators.

Our holiday programmes support autistic and neurodivergent children and young people to have a fun, safe and positive school holiday experience — while building confidence, connection, independence and life skills.

📅 When: School holidays
⏰ Hours: Varied hours between 8:30am–4:30pm, depending on programme needs and your availability
📍 Location: Wellington (Upper Hutt) and Christchurch (Middleton)

We’re looking for people who are:

✨ Neurodiversity-affirming and genuinely accepting of different ways of communicating, thinking and being
✨ Calm, patient and able to support children through moments of dysregulation
✨ Playful, creative and able to join in with children’s interests
✨ Confident building trusting relationships with children and young people
✨ Flexible and able to adapt when plans change
✨ Comfortable supporting children with different sensory, communication and regulation needs
✨ Good at noticing what a child might be communicating through their behaviour
✨ Able to encourage independence without taking over
✨ Reliable, responsible and able to work as part of a team

Experience that would be valuable:

* Experience working with autistic or neurodivergent children
* Experience in disability support, youth work, education, ECE, mentoring, respite or similar
* Understanding of PDA and demand-avoidant profiles
* First aid training
* Relevant qualifications are welcomed, but the right attitude and approach are just as important as formal qualifications.

If you’re passionate about supporting neurodivergent children and want to be part of a supportive, values-led team, we’d love to hear from you. 💚

📩 To apply: Send your CV and a short introduction about yourself and why you’d like to work with Positive Pathways to [email protected]

06/09/2026

HOLIDAY PROGRAMME REGISTRATIONS ARE OPEN!

Looking for a holiday programme where your child can be themselves, feel safe, have fun and build confidence?

Our Positive Pathways Holiday Programme is designed with neurodivergent children in mind — with a focus on connection, regulation, autonomy and having a genuinely good time.

✨ Small groups
🎨 Creative activities & games
🌳 Community outings & adventures
🧩 Opportunities to build independence and life skills
💛 Neurodiversity-affirming support
🌈 A space where children don’t have to mask or “fit in”

We know school holidays can be a tricky time for many families, so our goal is to create a supportive environment where kids can enjoy their holidays at their own pace, in a way that works for them.

📍 Wellington & Christchurch
📅 28 September to 9 October
👥 Places are limited to keep groups small and supportive.

Registrations are now open!

👉 Book your child’s place via the link here: https://form.jotform.com/262478502613861

If you have any questions about whether the programme would be a good fit for your child, send us a message — we’re happy to chat. 💛

Please click the link to complete this form.

29/07/2026

21/07/2026

💙 Real change. Real connection. Real outcomes. 💙

One of the most rewarding parts of our Alternate Education Day is seeing the positive impact carry over into the classroom.

Recently, a parent shared that their child’s teacher had noticed significant positive changes after attending our Wednesday programme. The teacher was so encouraged that they asked to connect with our team to better understand the strategies and approaches being used, with the hope of bringing some of those ideas into the school environment.

This is exactly what we’re passionate about.

Our neurodiversity-affirming approach focuses on understanding the child, supporting their nervous system, building connection, and creating the conditions where learning and wellbeing can flourish. When children feel safe and understood, positive change doesn’t just happen in our sessions—it can extend into home and school too.

✨ Term 3 Wednesday Alternate Education Day enrolments are open now in both Wellington and Christchurch.

If your child is finding the traditional school environment challenging, we’d love to chat about whether this programme could be the right fit.

📩 Get in touch to learn more or secure your place.

16/07/2026

💙 Parent Feedback 💙

“I’d like to share some feedback on the holiday programme and thank you for creating such a wonderful space for my daughter to enjoy alongside her sister.

I haven’t been able to see the space myself, but I’ve felt so reassured by how happy and settled she has been after attending. Being non-verbal, she shows me how much she’s enjoyed it by how calm, regulated, and content she is afterwards.

I really hope this service continues, as I’ve found it incredibly difficult to find something suitable for her during the school holidays. This programme has been the perfect holiday break for her, and it’s been so lovely knowing she’s somewhere she feels comfortable, safe, and included.

Please let me know if you ever offer after-school sessions, as we would love to be involved. We look forward to continuing to use this wonderful service.”

Thank you to this family for sharing their kind words. 💚 Hearing that children feel safe, included, and leave feeling calm and regulated is exactly why we do what we do.

15/07/2026

Stepping into Adulthood – A New Day Programme for Neurodivergent Young Adults (16–25)

Christchurch - Fridays 9am - 3pm
Wellington - TBC

Leaving school can feel overwhelming. For many autistic and neurodivergent young people, there isn’t always a clear next step.

That’s why we’ve created Stepping into Adulthood – a supportive, neuroaffirming day programme designed to help young people build confidence, independence and the practical skills needed for adult life.

💛 This isn’t a classroom.

It’s a place to explore interests, build friendships, develop life skills, connect with the community, and work towards personal goals at a pace that feels right.

Participants will have opportunities to:

✨ Learn cooking, budgeting and everyday living skills
✨ Build confidence using public transport and accessing the community
✨ Explore work experience, volunteering and future pathways
✨ Develop emotional regulation and self-advocacy skills
✨ Discover hobbies, interests and strengths
✨ Make genuine friendships in a safe, accepting environment
✨ Work towards personalised goals with the support of experienced mentors

Whether the goal is getting ready for employment, becoming more independent at home, or simply rebuilding confidence after burnout or school challenges, we’re here to walk alongside each young person.

🌿 Who is it for?
• Autistic and neurodivergent young people aged 16–25
• Those who have left school or are transitioning out of education
• Young people experiencing burnout, anxiety, school disengagement or needing extra support to navigate adulthood

📍 Small groups
🤝 Neuroaffirming, relationship-based support
🎯 Individualised goals and practical, real-world learning

If you’d like to learn more or register your interest, we’d love to hear from you. Send us a message or get in touch to discuss whether Stepping into Adulthood is the right fit for you or your young person.

Because adulthood isn’t about doing everything alone—it’s about having the right support to build a life that works for you. 💚

https://form.jotform.com/261958069569073

15/07/2026

🌟 Term 3 Mentoring & Respite – Now Taking Bookings! 🌟

Looking for neurodiversity-affirming support for your child or young person this term?

At Positive Pathways, our mentoring and respite sessions are designed to build confidence, reduce anxiety, support emotional regulation, and create meaningful connections in a way that works with each child’s unique strengths and needs.

✨ Now available:
• 1:1 Mentoring
• Respite Support
• Community-based sessions
• After-school and daytime availability
• NEW Sunday sessions with Daniel – perfect for families needing weekend support!

Our team specialises in supporting autistic children and young people, including those with PDA, ADHD and other neurodivergent profiles. We focus on building trusting relationships, supporting nervous system regulation, and helping young people thrive at home, school and in the community.

📍 Wellington & Christchurch
📩 Limited spaces are available for Term 3, so get in touch to discuss how we can support your family.

Message us on Facebook or visit www.positivepathways.nz to find out more.