APRIL BLANCHETTE
Director | Social Work Manager
Talofa lava, Greetings and welcome.
I completed my Bachelor of Social practice in 2019 then went on to work in the Field of Domestic Violence for a year with Women’s Refuge. I Have full Registration.
I bring with me not only experience and skills that I have learnt through practice but also lived experience. My passion for helping others has stemmed from advocating for my oldest son who is special needs and myself as a survivor of Domestic Violence and gave me the drive and passion to become a social worker to advocate and support families going through difficult times.
I am New Zealand/European/Samoan born and raised on the north shore. I am sole parent and have been blessed with 5 amazing children apart from achieving my degree they are by far my biggest and greatest achievement in my life.
This Māori Proverb is one that sits close to my heart
He aha te mea nui o te ao
What is the most important thing in the world?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata
It is the people, it is the people, it is the people
RAELENE TARAU
Director | Finance and
Administration manager
Māmā of one son, I am from a tight knit family and community. I enjoy art, poetry and music, introverted and enjoy the simple things that life has to offer.
I whakapapa to Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara & Ngāti Ranginui (Tauranga moana) iwi that hold beautiful whakapapa stories.
One in particular from Ngāti Whātua speaks of humility, as a kumara not speaking of it's own sweetness. A whakatauki I have taken with me throughout my own journey.
My experience is in small Māori business management, Business and administration with previous experience working in a finance and administration role within a large family violence NGO - where I have gained most of my knowledge base around family violence and the nuts and bolts of an organisation.
I bring with me experience in the housing space having worked for a respectable organisation who are pioneering the way for homelessness in Aotearoa using the Housing first framework.
I am currently studying bachelor in Bi-Cultural social work with intententions to complete the masters thereafter. I am currently on placement learning about grass roots level politics which will be a pivotal learning tool for me.
My experience offers a bi-cultural and inclusive approach. My upbringing allows me the knowledge that we all have the potential to make positive and maintainable changes, we just need the right supports to do it.
My mantra: "Peace, Love & Happiness"