Support services in the Taranaki Region
Nau mai – haere mai – welcome. This is a locally-maintained list of wellbeing / support services in Taranaki.
Spotted an out-of-date entry, or an organisation which is missing? Please drop us an email to let us know, and we’ll sort it! Thank you:)
You can select a category below, on the left; or search for a keyword, or just browse the full directory.
Mā tōu rou, mā taku rourou ka ora te iwi – With your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive.
Biographical Info
CCS Disability Action has offices all over New Zealand.
We support almost 5 thousand disabled people and their families.
We can visit people who live in smaller communities. We support people of all ages and backgrounds.
We try to make life easier for people with disabilities.
We can ask for changes to: Buildings, Roads, Parks, Community Events.
We run the mobility parking scheme.
You can buy a permit so you can park in mobility parking spaces that are closer to buildings.
There are over 25 thousand resources that you can get from our library and information service.
New Plymouth: Phone (06) 758 5423
Hawera : (06) 278 7212
Biographical Info
Diabetes New Zealand is a Charitable Trust that represents and supports people with diabetes. We’ve been around for over 50 years and have a National Office in Wellington, and branches across the country with staff and volunteers who help people live well with diabetes. Our Mission is to Lead, champion and advocate for change to reduce the incidence of diabetes, improve diabetes health care, and empower those affected by or at risk of diabetes to lead healthy, active lives.
Biographical Info
Hato Hone St John | Aotearoa New Zealand
Office Hours – Monday-Friday 9.00am – 3.00pm
PO Box 195 New Plymouth 4340
Hato Hone St John is a charitable organisation providing healthcare services to the New Zealand public. The organisation provides ambulance services throughout New Zealand, as well as certain other health services.
Biographical Info
“Ko Taranaki me Mynydd Mir oku Maunga,
Ko Waitotara me Hafren oku Awa,
Ko Cymraeg toku Iwi,
Ko James Baxter raua ko Grace Pryce oku Matua,
Ko Corryn Pryce-Baxter toku Ingoa.”
Originating from Wales, I learnt from a young age Spirit/Wairua connection and traditionally Welsh medicine from my Grandmother. Since coming to Aotearoa in 2001, I have continued this directive under Maori teaching.
I offer support and Aroha for those seeking the courageous first step in healing. Through my years of a practitioner in traditional, indigenous healing methods (Welsh and Maori), I offer Mirimiri, Romiromi (light and deep tissue Wairua led massage), Honohono (healing) Te whitiwhiti Korero (Spiritual guidance) and Rongoa Rakau (herbal medicine)
Mind-mapping
Alongside Corryn’s Mahi Wairua will be Manawa’s Mind mapping exercises.
This is an opportunity to help prioritise your goals and improve on how you juggle the struggles along your journey.
Whether you’re overwhelmed with too much on your plate, or you are just stuck with where you’re at. Mind mapping can be an awesome tool to help navigate your way to where you want to be.
Nau mai, Haere mai, give it a try…
Biographical Info
On The House (OTH) is a Charitable Trust that collects perfectly edible surplus food then redistributes it for free to whoever needs it without barriers or judgement utilising volunteers embodied with Manaakitanga principles. The three pillars of OTH is to reduce waste, feed people and build community through participation and connection.
Surplus is distributed via “pop up” free stores held twice a week in community halls on either side of New Plymouth.
Monday, 5-6pm – 24 Lawry Street, Moturoa (St James community hall).
Thursday, 5-6pm – 10 Henui Street, Strandon (Holy Trinity community hall).
Biographical Info
Parafed Taranaki (Taranaki Paraplegic and Physically Disabled Incorporated) was founded in 1976. Our aim is to grow and develop sport, recreational and play opportunities to disabled people within Taranaki. Parafed Taranaki can provide physical activity pathways from regional through to international levels. At Parafed Taranaki we are excited about creating opportunities for disabled people to participate in sport, recreation and play!
Biographical Info
Our Dietitians, Pharmacists and Social Workers work with people with long term conditions to help them to better self-manage their health. We accept referrals from health and community providers or people can self-refer.
Eligibility criteria; patients must be:
• Aged over 15 years
• Diagnosed with a long term condition e.g. DM Type 1 or 2, CHF, CVD, COPD
• Identified as high risk of developing a long term condition ie. IGT/pre-diabetes
• Eligible for publicly funded health care in New Zealand
And any of the following:
• Medication management concerns e.g. polypharmacy, multiple prescribers, non-adherence
• Nutritional concerns e.g. elevated or significantly lowered BMI
• Have difficulties self-caring/self-managing
• Identified concerns regarding lifestyle/environment/support
• Identified concerns regarding communication/memory/
How to refer:
• Refer via https://taranaki.itsmyhealth.
• Use e-referral for Pinnacle ExCT (Dietetics/Social Work/Pharmacist) via Best Practice.
• If via Te Whatu Ora – Taranaki, refer using CHIC referral form on WebPas.
• Specify reason for referral clearly and include recent relevant clinical results.
• Team members will refer to others within and external to Pinnacle where the need is identified on assessment.
Biographical Info
The Salvation Army Community Connection service takes an active approach to ensuring people needing help can access information, support and services across multiple government agencies and service providers.
The Community Connection service supports the welfare needs of individuals and whānau who have been affected by COVID-19, this could be different for everyone, you may have experienced a change in your mental, emotional or physical needs, or need support financially due to the impacts of COVID-19, we can look at ways to help support you and your whānau.
You can self-refer
Biographical Info
The Active Lifestyles Team at Sport Taranaki provide the support services of Green Prescription and Community Strength and Balance. We also have a comprehensive ACTIVITY HUB where you will find links to a huge variety of opportunities across Taranaki to be physically active including walking and jogging groups, aquatic classes, gyms, dance, sports clubs, yoga and tai chi to name a few.
What is Green Prescription/Rongoā Kākāriki?
Green Prescription is a free service which provides support and motivation to improve individual wellbeing/hauora through physical activity and lifestyle support.
Who can access Green Prescription support?
Any adults who are medically stable, are not meeting MOH guidelines for physical activity and are motivated to increase their physical activity and make some lifestyle changes
We are particularly keen to support anyone with either newly diagnosed or long-term health conditions who would benefit from increasing their physical activity levels e.g. clients with diabetes, cardiovascular or respiratory conditions, osteoarthritis and/or depression and anxiety.
What support is available through Community Strength and Balance?
We work with leaders in the community to provide a fun, safe and effective network of community classes aimed to help fall prevention in our older population.
For more information please refer to our website or talk to a health professional about a referral for support.
Biographical Info
Your space to thrive. Tahi is a collective natural therapy centre, yoga, mindfulness & meditation education, based in the heart of New Plymouth, Taranaki.
Tahi offers professional Integrated Natural Therapies, Yoga, Mindfulness & Meditation courses – all within a beautiful contemporary space.
Put your wellbeing in our hands. Book an appointment with one of our sought after natural therapy practitioners
Biographical Info
Established in 2008, Taranaki Safe Families Trust is a collaborative of 26 government and non-government agencies leading the family violence prevention campaign in Taranaki.
We aim to promote awareness, encourage the utilisation of local services and advocate for long term cultural change in our community. TSFT has established project groups which contribute to the campaign including family violence workplace training, professional development and an extreme risk case management process.
The overall vision of TSFT is for Taranaki whānau to be safe and free of violence.
Biographical Info
Thrive with Ruth offers two main branches to help people Thrive, Yoga and Fermented Foods.
I offer Yoga classes that are accessible to all shapes, sizes and ages. The classes are invitational, fun and safe, no one will be told to put their foot behind their head! I am also training in Trauma Sensitive Yoga and bring that aspect to all my classes. I work with beginners and older people, as well as whānau classes.
The other branch of Thrive with Ruth is Fermented Foods. I teach introduction to fermented foods. Together, we learn how to ferment vegetables and how to make sourdough bread. We learn in groups, to help each other and strengthen communities. I call my courses fermented foods parties.
Biographical Info
Our Vision is to strengthen whānau wellness and quality of living. We work with a whole whānau or family, understanding that many factors influence a person’s health. For example a pregnant mother may need advice on nutrition, budgeting and injury prevention as well as peer support to help with breastfeeding. A patient suffering from cancer may need an advocate to help them navigate the health system.
Our staff don’t work in isolation but alongside each other, as well as other health and social service providers. This is our Whānau Ora model of care.
Community Connector Service
Kaiārahi Community Connectors are navigators within the community, our role is designed to advocate, navigate and connect whānau to services that tautoko (support) them on their journeys. We work closely with whānau to identify their specific needs acting as a conduit between the community and agencies by way of connecting people with a range of services according to their need.
We can support positive engagement with Government agencies and other services, we also collaborate with local community groups, organisations and government agencies on initiatives and community events
Biographical Info
Tui Ora Youth Service, support, mentor, advocate Taiohi aged between 16 to 20 years old to achieve their goals and aspirations. We have been helping Taiohi in Taranaki since 2012 and are fully funded by the Ministry of Social Development.
We support taiohi who are in receipt of benefits as well as NEETs (Not in Education Employment or training) and don’t receive any govt funding, from a variety of backgrounds and who may present with different barriers and need the support to find ways through the barriers to help them achieve and become empowered.
You do not need to have an appointment or need to complete a referral form to come meet with us. You can be a teacher, a parent, a Taiohi (young person) or a friend. We will be more than happy to listen to what the need/s are and work alongside the young person to find ways to help meet the need/s without judgement but with passion to help.
Biographical Info
Whānau Āwhina Plunket is a national not-for-profit organisation and New Zealand’s largest provider of support services for the development, health and wellbeing of tamariki and whānau. Plunket offers free health and development checks, a 24/7 parenting helpline, Plunketline which is available to all whānau, and a range of local services. We also offer support services to help you connect with other whānau in your community and empower you in your role as a parent or caregiver. Please check out our website for a full list of services and a range of information around child development, being a parent, caring for your child and child health concerns: http://www.plunket.org.nz – you do not need data on your phone to access our website.