Nga Kete CEO Tracey Wright-Tawha caught up with Dr Kay McKenzie and Lynley Wilton from the Invercargill Child and Family Centre after they approached her to discuss a collaboration proposal to enable the referring of patients between the agencies.
The collaboration is progressing with a pilot. Nga Kete can refer whanau where the barrier of cost is removed as an enabler to access.
By agreeing to collaborate, both agencies will be able to refer between one another allowing whanau access to therapy services they may not have been able to access otherwise. Whanau will also be referred from the Invercargill Child and Family Centre to Nga Kete’s full range of services which are free other than their general practice, He Puna Waiora Wellness Centre which is a very low cost access option for whanau.
Nga Kete CEO Tracey Wright-Tawha is often on the lookout for relationships with reputable agencies and looking at ways to enable Whanau access to services in Southland.
“We will invest in opportunities that benefit whanau and we are delighted to be forging this emerging relationship with Dr McKenzie and her inspiring team,” said Tracey Wright-Tawha.
Dr Kay McKenzie said she had decided to approach Nga Kete because of the breadth of support it already provided in the community, its robust infrastructure and strong leadership.
Lynley Wilton continued: “We see a need and we just can’t meet it and that’s heart breaking but together we can offer so much more”.
Both agencies have a shared aspiration around Whanau ora (family wellness) and are working from the synergy of Aroha ki te Tangata. The women agree a successful outcome of the collaboration would contribute to resilient, strong and healthy Whanau in Southland.
Dr Kay McKenzie and NKMP CEO Tracey Wright-Tawha have plenty in common. The successful women both started their respective careers many years ago with the intention of making a change in the health and wellness sector in the south.
The Invercargill Child and Family centre is located on Esk St and provides a range of therapy services for Southlanders including psychology, counselling, family therapy, equine-assisted psychotherapy, occupational therapy and music therapy.