Pact Otago provides support to people with intellectual and other disabilities and people recovering from mental illness. Services are provided in Dunedin, Oamaru, Balclutha and surrounding districts.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND SUPPORTED INDEPENDENT LIVING

Our support workers support people living independently in the community. Community support is provided in Dunedin and Oamaru for people recovering from mental illness. Supported Independent Living support is provided in Dunedin for people with intellectual disabilities. People are supported to set goals and achieve them.

DAY CENTRES AND DAY PROGRAMMES

The Apartment (formerly The 420 Centre) in Dunedin and The Link Centre in Balclutha provide a relaxed and comfortable place where people with mental health issues can take part in vocational, recreational and social activities – or just come in for support and company.

The Armitage in South Dunedin is our indoor campus and features a variety of vocational and social activities for people with intellectual disabilities. The campus houses our Options Day Programme for people with people with intellectual (and other) disabilities. Options aims to provide an interesting, supportive environment where people learn new self care, leisure and recreation skills; take part in a range of community activities; and ultimately have fun.

Our outdoor campus on the Taieri provides an opportunity for our clients to grow vegetables at our market garden or use a woodworking workshop. We also have a chicken coop and vegetable garden in Pine Hill where clients can learn new skills.

The Fun 'n' Friendship Holiday Programme runs in the school holidays three times each year, usually for one or two weeks at a time. It caters to people with intellectual disabilities who are still at school, between the ages of nine and 21.

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY SUPPORTED ACCOMMODATION

We have many homes where flatmates with intellectual disabilities are supported in Dunedin. The houses have varying degrees of staffing depending on people's needs. The flatmates in each house are encouraged to take a big part in the running of the household and to set personal goals which they are supported to achieve.

Pact also provides carer support for people and their families who may need a break from their usual care arrangements and respite care, provided in a home-like setting, gives people a break from caring for themselves. We have one home specifically for younger people.

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTED ACCOMMODATION

Our homes support people recovering from mental illness in Dunedin, Balclutha and Oamaru. In Dunedin we also have flats for women only where dependent children can live with their mothers.

There are also supported landlord services which have no on-site permanent staff, where one of the tenants takes responsibility for flat oversight and support staff are provided as required.

Meanwhile, respite care, provided in a home-like setting, gives people a break from caring for themselves in Dunedin and Oamaru. Where there us a crisis situation, respite can be provided at short notice in any of our locations. Carer support caters for people and their families who may need a break from their usual care arrangements.

MIRINGA WHAKAARO

We have three specialist Maori supported accommodation services in Dunedin, supporting people recovering from mental illness and people with intellectual disabilities: Te Whare Oranga, Ahuru Mowai – both based in a beautiful rural setting on the Taieri – and Te Whare Tane.

They draw their kawa from the Whanaungatanga, best practice model, based in tikanga. From this sound foundation, there is a commitment to ensuring that tangata whanau are embraced, guided by the principles of Tika Pono and Aroha.

PATHS

Pact has a partnership with Work and Income and the Otago District Health Board, providing a service called PATHS: Providing Access to Health Solutions.

The aim is to reduce or remove the barriers caused by someone’s health condition or disability, which prevents them from taking up employment.

People on a sickness or invalid’s benefit whose ill-health or disability prevent them from taking up a job (and who are otherwise willing to work) are supported to access health services to remove or reduce the barriers so that work is possible.

SUPPORT SERVICES (CHRISTCHURCH) - MANAGED FROM DUNEDIN

During 2011 Pact won a contract with the Ministry of Social Development to employ a Christchurch coordinator to help connect clients, service providers, schools, tertiary institutions and employers to ascertain needs, identify gaps and create opportunities following the Christchurch earthquakes. Teresa Evans-Turner took up this role in June. The service is currently managed from Dunedin.