Relationships Aotearoa response to TV One news story 18 May 2015

Relationships Aotearoa (RA) continues talks with funders to support clients including vulnerable families who access our services.

“In 2013 RA was a recipient of Capability Investment Resource (CIR) funding to invest in our capability to integrate systems and capability to innovate the delivery of services”, says James Hamilton, RA Interim Board member.

“With all due respect, this was not bail out funding as implied by Ministry of Social Development (MSD) Minister Tolley in the TV one news item Monday 18 May,” he says.

“RA has seen no CPI adjustment on its MSD contract for 7 years, they increasingly work with complex cases and are not funded to train staff in new services.

“Funding from organisational reserves is used to support the delivery of quality services that are only part funded by Government.

“We believe our story is not dissimilar to that of many smaller NGOs who have already closed their doors, and possibly larger organisations who we suspect are also feeling the pain”, he says.

In addition, our ability to diversify our income to protect against such financial shocks is limited .

“We continue to have the needs of clients at the heart of any negotiations to continue to ensure that we are able to deliver quality services that make a difference”.

ENDS

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