Donna Waqewaqe (left) with longtime friend and colleague Alison Campbell. Photo / Bevan Conley
Whanganui's Donna Waqewaqe reached a huge milestone this week.
She has been a support worker at IDEA Services for 40 years, a career she began as a 16-year old.
The organisation is the residential arm of the IHC and supports people with intellectual disabilities.
A lot had changed since Waqewaqe began work at Treadwell Park Hostel in Castlecliff on February 9, 1982.
"The big one would be going from institutes into community homes," she said.
"That was a good move, because it meant you supported a smaller group of people."
Waqewaqe's role took her from Treadwell Park to Turoa Road, then on to Burton Avenue.
"Then a house was bought on Burtts Road on Durie Hill, which became an elderly service home. I followed most of my clients into there.
"That has been open for more than 20 years and I'm still there today."
Alison Campbell was a social worker when Waqewaqe began her tenure with IDEA.
She is now a patron of the local IHC branch.
"Donna has been an amazing staff member. She appeared to be shy when she first came but I learned very quickly that wasn't the case at all.
"In the end I was her reporting officer, and she was a really safe pair of hands. The people she worked with loved her and with Donna I didn't have to worry about anything.
"She has formed lifelong friendships with people."
Waqewaqe said she was given good foundations during her upbringing, which helped her in the role as a support worker.
"I had wonderful parents so there were values, morals and unconditional love."
The service users had taught her a lot as well.
"The world is not black and white, there are grey areas as well.
"Sometimes you have to change your perspective on things and adapt. I really enjoy advocating and making sure the things they want or enjoy can happen for them."
Working in homes as opposed to larger facilities like Treadwell Park meant things were more laid back and personal, Waqewaqe said.
"You went from having a whole wing to just working with five people.
"Now I can sit down with the residents and they can choose menus and recipes, whereas before it was fish and chips on a Friday and pies on a Wednesday.
"They love going out clothes shopping and they can wear the things they like."
Campbell said it was important to work with empathy, honesty and compassion, and that was what Waqewaqe had always done.
"Donna always treats people with dignity and respect. That's a big thing, because they might not have been treated like that in the past."
Regardless of where someone came from, they deserved to have choices and to have their dreams met, Waqewaqe said
Twelve years ago she organised for a classical music-loving client to go to Australia.
"Every year we find out what someone's wishes and aspirations are and make steps so hopefully we can achieve that.
"We found a concert at the Sydney Opera House by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and he travelled there with a support worker for five or six days.
"He still talks about that. Making those sorts of things happen is really rewarding."
Campbell said Waqewaqe had been given the option to move up the ranks over the years but had chosen to remain being "hands-on" with her clients.
"The pay isn't what drives her.
"She has enhanced the lives of all the people she has worked with."
'If a ‘swear word’ in our name helps get people to think about our message, that's a win.'