The Government has announced the first organisations to receive funding from the Social Investment Agency.
Ministers in August announced the priority for the fund was to support children whose parents are in prison or have been in the care system, and children who have been stood down from school before turning 13.
The first round of $50 million in funding is going to seven programmes supporting children from newborns to 18-year-olds.
Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis said the successful organisations showed they could make the best overall impact for the target groups, and were able to measure that success.
They included:
- Te Hou Ora Whānau Services Limited: support for 120 children for individual and group sessions to reduce school drop-out rates and justice and care system involvement – Dunedin.
- Tākiri Mai te Ata Trust: support for counselling and trauma therapy for 200 young people in care, have parents in prison, or have been stood down from school – Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt.
- Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Charitable Trust: support for 200 children for health, safety and life skills – Christchurch and wider Canterbury.
- Ngāti Awa Social and Health Services Trust: support for 450 children, providing support for families dealing with historic trauma, and building specialist forensic nursing for child sexual abuse – Eastern Bay of Plenty.
- Barnardos New Zealand Incorporated: support for 100 for family mentoring, and parenting support to help children reach developmental milestones, such as early childhood education attendance – Māngere.
- Horowhenua New Zealand Trust: For more than 400 children for a behaviour change programme – Levin
- Kaikaranga Holding Ltd: support for 150 disabled and neurodivergent children who have been suspended or stood down from school. Services include tutoring, sensory tools and short-term behavioural guidance – Auckland.
They were selected by a panel of Government and social sector leaders.
Budget 2025 allocated $190m for the Social Investment Fund, which is managed by the Social Investment Agency.
Chief executive Andrew Coster, the former police commissioner, is on leave amid an investigation into his conduct in handling allegations against former police deputy commissioner Jevon McSkimming.
rnz.co.nz
