Tauawhi opens respite house for men

Pictured outside Tauawhi Whare Ahuru are (from left) Tauawhi Men’s Centre coordinator Tim Marshall, Kāinga Ora general manager national services Nick Mailing, manager supported housing delivery Naomi Price, director supported housing Karla Fisher and supported housing regional lead Bonnie Moana, Tauawhi trustee and patron Ralph Walker, Tauawhi Whare Ahuru kaitiaki Moetahi Kennedy, Coby Te Pairi of Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou, David Johnstone of Tauawhi Men’s Centre and Tauawhi Whare Ahuru kaitiaki, Curtis Bristowe of Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou and Tauawhi Whare Ahuru project manager Kim Torrez. Picture by Paul Rickard

Tauawhi Men’s Centre and Tairāwhiti Men Against Violence have realised a long-held vision with the opening of a respite house for men.

Tauawhi Whare Ahuru is a time-out space for men who are struggling to maintain a violence-free lifestyle.

Tauawhi Charitable Trust were able to open their Whare Ahuru this month with the support of Kāinga Ora community housing.

“This has been a dream of ours for many years, so we are grateful for the support of Kainga Ora and in particular supported housing regional lead Bonnie Moana, who has enabled us to get to this point,” Tauawhi Men’s Centre coordinator Tim Marshall said.

“It has always been our view that if it’s the man who is being unsafe towards his family, it makes more sense for him to come away so that his partner and children can stay where they are.

“The traditional model is for Women’s Refuge to provide a space for women and children, but this often means leaving their home for something they are not responsible for.”

Tauawhi Whare Ahuru is a space that men can come to for a few days until it’s safe to return home. All men must be referred through Tauawhi Men’s Centre.

“We hope that it will develop into a space that men can access in a preventative sense, before violence and/or police intervention occurs,” Mr Marshall said.

The house will be supervised when men are in there, to ensure they have a safe space and their needs are attended to.

House staff will work alongside the wider Tauawhi Men’s Centre team to provide intervention to address issues that have contributed to the situation.

It is also planned that connection will be made with the family, to ensure that a safe return home is managed.

“I’m very proud and privileged to have been part of the journey,” Bonnie Moana said.

“This really was a team effort with Tauawhi putting in the hard mahi to achieve this excellent outcome.

“I am stoked  for our tāne, whānau and hapori to have this service available in Tairāwhiti.”

Tauawhi would also like to acknowledge community partners that have supported this project, including Gisborne Police, Te Runanga o Tūranganui a Kiwa, Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou, Salvation Army, Te Puni Kokiri and Tūranga Health.

For information about Tauawhi Whare Ahuru please contact project manager Kim Torrez on 027 2613 706