Hazel Hape.
Name: Hazel Hape
Occupation: Manager
Place of work: Tauranga Women's Refuge & Support Services
What does your job involve?
Helping to keep the doors open — so women and children who experience domestic violence (physical, emotional, psychological) have access to safety and support. This involves supporting a small but specialist DV team of practitioners to provide support by way of crisis phone, safe house shelter, counselling, programmes, community education which means my job really involves scoping and securing funding and fundraising opportunities for the refuge so we can provide services and support to those that we support.
What is the main thing you want to achieve professionally?
There is nothing kind or good about beating, punching, choking, hitting, kicking, isolating, controlling and abusing those you are supposed to love, protect and support. Thus, kindness and generosity (awhi, tautoko, manaaki, aroha) is what I try to demonstrate and achieve in my work with women and children.
Why did you get into this profession?
I initially came to Tauranga in 1993 to study marine studies which involved scuba diving, surveying marine habitats and species for a couple of years and to reconnect with my maternal grandmother's iwi Ngati Pukenga and Ngaiterangi. I soon found myself working in the community and Non-Government Organisations across health, disability, justice, unemployment, education and welfare and I think growing up in a big family and whānau seeing our grandparents and parents helping families and whānau also contributed towards working with families and whānau.
What do you like about your job the most?
Every day is different but beautiful reminders of why we do what we do. Families turning up with their children to say they are well and doing okay, smiling, happy children calling in to say hello is awesome! A letter, poem, email, phone call, food drop, knitting, clothing, donation, bequest, furniture, washing our vehicles and a hug is cool!
