Strong Voices

It’s hard to innovate in the middle of a pandemic. But it might also be exactly the right time to rethink how the lives of people we support can be more creative, be more fulfilling and have more freedom.

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North Taranaki’s old and rare pōhutukawa – at risk from either falling into the sea or myrtle rust disease – have been given a second chance at survival.

Most IDEA Services frontline support workers have now received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccination.

IDEA Services has now held more than 40 community workshops around the country for families and friends of the people we support, as part of the National Services Review.

It all started with Timoti. He wanted to learn to take photographs and his dream expanded to include nine other people and a course with a professional photographer.

Timoti Schweizer-Marunui, who is keen on videography, says he spent most of his time filming “everything” and “everybody” on his tablet.

COVID-19 vaccinations are being offered to New Zealanders in stages so that people at high risk get the vaccine first, including our frontline workers.

Close to 50 community workshops will be held by May to develop local approaches to services around the country. This is part of the National Services Review by IDEA Services.

IDEA Services and Choices NZ are trialling an extension of the IHC MySupport database to allow the people we support and their families to view their information.

You can’t get a greener, more sustainable scheme than the Bike Project, run by the bike repair guys at Mersey Street, Invercargill.

We are going virtual for this year’s Te Anga Pāua o Aotearoa Kapa Haka Festival.