Te Maara - The Garden

Te Maara is an initiative which has come to fruition. ‘The Garden' has been established at the old Porirua Hospital Bowling Club on the Ratonga Rua o Porirua campus. The overall purpose of the Te Maara project is one of rehabilitation. The clients are participating in a safe and secure service which helps prepare them for community integration. It also helps the progress of our group through the service and is focused on giving participants responsibility and autonomy whilst working as part of a team. There is also an opportunity for individual clients with complex behavior problems to participate in a safe programme outside of the unit environment.

Te Maara provides clients with a work opportunity which will mirror all the requirements needed when working in the community. The other benefits to the participants include the ongoing improvement of communication and problem solving skills, learning to work in a group environment and promoting pro social behaviours.

Clients admitted to Haumietiketike and the Manawanui and Whakaruru cottages have individual social and recreational programmes which allow access to the wider community. Staff support clients with the aid of treatment plans designed to target specific areas of need presented by each client.

To date, seven of the clients have participated in and partially or fully completed an NZQA1.2 Horticulture course run in conjunction with Whitireia Polytechnic.  They are now preparing the land and growing their own vegetables, which they prepare and consume themselves.  This is all part of the ongoing focus of Te Maara, to utilise the skills learned for real life situations.