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Local project supports stepfamilies
Media information
For immediate release
31 July 2009
Local project supports stepfamilies
Joining families together can be a challenge, especially when children are involved, but one Hamilton course is helping families get through these tough times.
Piloted by the Western Community Centre in April, a Blending Families programme provided assistance for 15 local stepfamilies to help them manage their family unit efficiently.
Ioana Manu, neighbourhood advisor for Hamilton City Council, coordinated the pilot to support families in building healthy relationships between parents, stepparents, children and stepchildren.
“Blended families have become a common type of household in New Zealand.
“They create unique relationships between people that otherwise would not have known each other that can result in some common challenges,” Mrs Manu said.
These challenges can include dealing with differing parenting styles, difficult stepchildren and ensuring there is equal and consistent guidelines between all children.
Mrs Manu said the programme sought to address these challenges through positive parenting advice and education.
“It allowed families to come together and see that they are not alone in their situation and that there is help available,” she said.
Blending Families also empowered and encouraged families to improve their standard of living by educating them about the importance of good nutrition, regular exercise and making healthy choices in life.
The programme worked with families individually and as a group with group sessions focussed on sharing ideas and discussing solutions that had worked for others.
Mrs Manu said feedback was incredibly positive with some participants making significant lifestyle changes.
The Blending Families programme was funded by Waikato District Health Board’s first round of funding from the Pacific HEHA Community Project Fund.
Blending Families has applied for funding from the second round of this fund.
Mrs Manu hopes to run another Blending Families course later in the year.
HEHA project director, Janet Hanvey said the Blending Families programme is a great example of what can be achieved with the right funding.
Waikato DHB granted more than $100,000 for the first round to local community projects that promote healthy eating and physical activity to Pacific people.
Other organisations that received funding from the
first round:
▪ Samoan Assembly of God Women’s (Tepora
Ministries)
▪ Pacific Peoples Addiction Services
▪ Western Community Centre
▪ K’aute Pasifika
Services Trust
▪ Te Rapakau Pacific Trust
▪ South Waikato Pacific Islands Health Committee
ENDS
Waikato District Health Board
Healthy People. Excellent Care
Waikato District Health Board (DHB) employs over 6500 people and plans, funds and provides hospital and health services to more than 391,770 people in a region covering eight per cent of New Zealand.
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