2023 National Social Services Conference

This morning close to 300 social service workers from around Aotearoa New Zealand are gathering at Te Papa Tongrewa in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington for Whakamanawa 2023 – The National Social Services Conference.

The Conference is hosted by Social Service Providers Te Pai Ora o Aotearoa (SSPA), the national member-based organisation for community-based social service providers. Whakamanawa is usually a highly anticipated annual event as the only Conference that brings together all those working across Aotearoa New Zealand's community social services and wider social sector.

Dr Claire Achmad, SSPA’s Chief Executive Officer says Whakamanawa 2023 is particularly special, noting this year’s Conference is the first time this two-day national event has been held kanohi ki te kanohi in over three years, due to the pandemic. She says “we’re blown away by the tautoko the event is seeing from social services kaimahi around the motu. This shows they’re keen to reconnect across two days of learning, relationship-weaving and sharing maatauranga. We’re confident our programme featuring a diverse array of keynote kaikōrero, panel kōrerorero, workshops, wellness breaks and more is going to enrich and spark new thinking. We’re also very grateful to our Conference Lead Sponsor Synergia, Conference Sponsor Careerforce Te Pūkenga, and for the support of Oranga Tamariki and the Ministry of Social Development.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Development and Employment, Hon Carmel Sepuloni will give the opening keynote address, and further keynote kaikōrero include Hon Marama Davidson, Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence, award-winning journalist and mental health advocate Jehan Casinader, and Maramataka practitioner Meretini Bennett-Huxtable. A range of panel discussions will feature, including the return of five young social service leaders from throughout Aotearoa, who shared their aspirations during the virtually held Whakamanwa 2022. They will build on their previous panel discussion, sharing more about the positive difference they are making every day in their communities and hapori alongside tamariki, rangatahi and whānau.

“Whakamanawa 2023 is a special moment, being able to again create this space for strengthening our collective social sector. I’m excited to see kaimahi renewing old relationships and building new collaborations. The focus of Whakamanawa 2023 is on encouraging, inspiring and revitalising our social services kaimahi from around the country, no matter what role they’re working in. Community-based social service workers and those working across our wider social sector are hidden heroes who are going above and beyond, doing essential work in all our communities and hapori”, Dr Achmad says.

“At Whakamanawa 2023, we’re focusing on nurturing a space of learning and relationship-weaving, to in turn enable our social services kaimahi to be as strong as possible in walking alongside tamariki, rangatahi, families and whānau. This mahi is often complex and demanding, providing essential support in times of crisis and need, and to strengthen families and whānau to prevent abuse, harm and neglect of children and tamariki happenning in the first place,” Dr Achmad says.

Alongside the two-day Conference programme, a Whakamanawa Conference Celebration Dinner is being held at Parliament. In a commitment to strengthening the practice and wellbeing of social service workers, Whakamanawa 2023 includes a range of workshops and wellbeing breaks being shared by a range of practitioners, including a number of SSPA member organisations.

To find out more about Whakamanawa 2023 and to view the full Conference Programme, visit www.sspa.org.nz/events/conference2023

ENDS

Dr Claire Achmad is available for interviews upon request.

Contact for media enquiries:

Sarah Fullarton-Boyce, Communications Advisor

Phone: 022 108 9986

Email: communications@sspa.org.nz

ABOUT SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS TE PAI ORA O AOTEAROA | www.sspa.org.nz

SSPA is a membership-based organisation, representing more than 200 non-profit, community-based social service organisations from around Aotearoa New Zealand. Our member organisations are diverse, including small rural organisations, Iwi and kaupapa Māori service providers, Pacific providers, and large national children’s organisations. Our member organisations have been providing life-changing and often life-saving services and support in their communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and in rōhe affected by the many natural disasters experienced in Aotearoa New Zealand over recent months due to the impacts of our climate crisis.

SSPA’s full members are funded by government to deliver social services in our communities every day, with a predominant focus on children, rangatahi, families and whānau. Our affiliate members are organisations that deliver social services for these people, and organisations and individuals working in areas aligned to the interests of children, young people, whānau or communities.

SSPA’s vision is that Aotearoa New Zealand’s community-based social services are sustainable, making a positive impact every day in our communities and hapori, supporting children, young people and whānau to thrive now and into the future. SSPA works to strengthen Aotearoa New Zealand’s social sector through advocacy and engagement, learning and development, relationships and sector leadership.

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