Advisory and Co-development Approach

For more than a decade, SAMS and Parent to Parent have worked nationally to ensure carers and whānau are equipped to provide effective leadership in New Zealand. There have been many successful approaches to date, including facilitating a range of workshops such as Partners in Policymaking, Kitchen Table leadership groups, and PARTNERS – Influencing Change.

Care Matters builds on these previous initiatives by ensuring carers have the ability to influence and co-develop approaches and materials “by carers for carers”.

The Carer e-Leadership Network is designed to:

  • Advise and guide the design and delivery of face-to-face carer learning workshops

  • Review and co-develop learning and wellbeing resources.

With many new initiatives in New Zealand, Care Matters is committed to ensuring carers and whānau:

  • Have access to accurate current information

  • Contribute to the development of approaches and supports that best meet their needs

  • Are equipped with skills to make the best use of existing and emerging opportunities.

This is achieved by Care Matters receiving guidance from:

  • An Advisory Group which is comprised of people from a range of whānau, disability and community organisations who meet face-to-face twice each year.

  • An e-Leadership Network that regularly contributes to informing Care Matters regarding issues, innovations and co-developing resources which will be placed on the Care Matters website.

Care Matters Advisory Group Members

Nominees for the Advisory Group come from a range of whānau, disability and community organisations to ensure a wide range of perspectives, such as the Carers Alliance NZ, the Family Leadership Alliance, the Complex Care network, the Carer e-Leadership Network, Carer Facilitators from SAMS and Parent to Parent, and the New Zealand Disability Support Network.  Members participate in the Advisory Group in their own right as leaders and do not represent any one perspective.

Wendy Brenkley

I am the parent of three children – my eldest daughter has Rett Syndrome variant/severe autism.

I am a Registered Nurse, Board member of Complex Care Group Trust and Rett Syndrome Association, current Carers NZ representative on the Consumer Consortium and Parent to Parent support parent.

I have extensive experience in the disability sector as a family member accessing services for my daughter.

Katrina Fletcher

Katrina is the National Service Manager for Carers NZ.  Carers NZ provides information and support to New Zealand’s family, whanau, and aiga carers.

Carers NZ
PO Box 47-385
Ponsonby, Auckland 1144

Tel : 0800 777 797
centre@carers.net.nz

Christine Zander-Campbell

I am a parent of three beautiful daughters and three amazing granddaughters. I have been involved with the disability sector for 30 years. I have added the family/whanau voice to a number of local and national disability advisory groups over that time.

I have been part of Parent to Parent both regionally and nationally. I manage a Mental Health NGO in MidCentral Health DHB region. I live in Palmerston North.

Lianne Clarke

I have experience as an evaluator with SAMS and also facilitate workshops for Care Matters.

My driving passion has always been to share knowledge in an accessible learning environment. As a family member I struggled to find accurate and clear information that could assist in improving the life of my family member. Care Matters’ vision for family members to provide resources and information for other New Zealand families in a carer role is close to my heart. 

Andrea Crutchley

Based in Feilding, I am the parent of a 14 year old child with a disability and a step mum to two other (now adult) children.

I was involved with the Feilding Kitchen Table Group, where we worked in partnership with local council and helped with the transformation of the Makino Aquatic Centre. This has made a difference in our community and has had glowing reviews with ‘Accessibility Evenings’ to showcase the Aquatic Centre to our community. Makino Aquatic Centre was nominated top 5 most accessible pools in New Zealand and recently added to the firstport website.

Recently I have joined Enable New Zealand in the role of Business Development Manager, and have helped open the new Sensory Space in the EASIE Living Centre for people to come and enjoy a safe space, to experience different sensory inputs (touch, sound, visual).

I hope through the work I am doing, and the connections with disabled people and families, we can work together to make a positive difference.

Janine Hoete – Thornton

Kia ora Koutou

I currently work for CCS Disability Action as the General Manager for the Central Region and am on the Carer Advisory Group as a member of NZDSN.

I have been with CCS Disability Action since 2008 holding senior roles in a number of settings.

I have worked in the Health & Disability Sector for 25 Years; my background has been in the area of Business Management and Human Services.

What brought me to the Organisation was that there was more autonomy to advocate and really make a difference in the lives of others.

People and Community are important to me and what drives me to ensure all people have a voice.

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