30 October 2019

PĀNUI PĀPĀHO – MEDIA STATEMENT

Embargoed to 30/10/2019

New Social Impact Report proves quadruple value for Māori parenting programme

Today Te Whānau O Waipareira launches a ground breaking report on the effectiveness of an early parenting intervention programme designed for Māori.

A first of its kind, the report Ngā Tau Mīharo o Aotearoa’ – the Incredible Years Parenting Programme, demonstrates that for every dollar invested in the parenting course by the Government, nearly four times the social value is generated.

Using the Social Return on Investment (SROI) framework, which is an internationally validated method for measuring social impact, author Dr Sneha Lakhotia - researcher at Te Whānau O Waipareira and New Zealand’s first accredited SROI practitioner – considers the report will set a new international benchmark for measuring the added value of indigenous social services programmes.

“The value of this report lies in the stories of the whānau. The changes they’ve experienced as a result of the programme go far beyond the usual economic measures that we assign value to,” Dr Lakhotia says.

The Incredible Years programme run by Te Whānau O Waipareira out of their West Auckland base, has reached out to over 300 whānau and families during the six years of operation.

Delivering a snapshot of the experiences of caregivers and parents, the report highlights the transformational nature of the intervention. “The programme has had a life changing impact on us, our children, our whānau, and our community,” says one of the participants of the programme.” Another one candidly says, “Before doing Incredible Years I was in a dark place. Where I was then, compared to where I am now are like chalk and cheese.”

While the reports captures the way in which positive change from the programme has impacted on the whānau directly, the long-term benefits of the programme have been highlighted also by participants, with one stating that “even though the Incredible Years is designed for parents and family, it has an overall effect on the community for generations to come.”

Chief Executive Officer of Te Whānau O Waipareira, John Tamihere see the report as another much needed validation of Māori success in the area of delivering tailored services to Māori and to the West Auckland community. “What we know without a doubt from this report is that investing upfront by taking an early intervention approach in the community truly reaps transformational results, which more than justifies Government investments, and more importantly, fulfils our accountability to our whānau.”

Tamihere elaborates that, “these findings in the report help to inform design and decision making in our future service delivery, and should be used by the Government and other stakeholders to confirm that investment in early intervention, especially for Māori, is crucial.”

Dr Lakhotia adds, “this report and methodology are relevant to everyone within the social eco system: whānau and families, service providers, policy makers and Government. It emphasises measuring what matters to whānau, and provides another tool to truly account for our practices and strategies to improve wellbeing within New Zealand.”

ENDS

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