A place to grow, belong, and thrive
Wraparound youth support services fostering resilience, connection, and bright futures.
Waipuna Youth Services – our services for rangatahi and their whānau
Waipuna Youth Services supports young people, young parents, and their whānau across Otautahi Canterbury and beyond. We place rangatahi at the centre, starting where they are at, not where we want them to land. Our teams aim to work with unconditional aroha and two-way reflective vulnerability to ensure rangatahi feel seen, known, and valued. Our practice is informed by bicultural and holistic models that recognise the interconnected nature of wellbeing. We aim to foster meaningful and lasting connections that build communities of belonging and support. Our services focus on challenge, strengthening self-efficacy, self-belief and positive pathways to change.
Community Development Services
The Waipuna Community Development team delivers experiential learning services to support rangatahi towards growth and personal development. Waipuna’s model is based on over 25 years of Adventure Therapy experience that builds confidence, hope and emotional and social tools and skills for life. The team has worked in collaboration with services responsible for young people engaged in the justice system since 2009, and has transformed the lives of hundreds of young people. Our people also work to coach and support rangatahi towards education and employment, and also deliver a range of health education and promotion services.
Experiential Learning
Challenge-based outdoor programmes that help rangatahi discover what they are capable of.
Youth Reintegration
Supporting rangatahi transitioning from custody back into their communities and their own futures.
Employment Support
Helping rangatahi build the skills, confidence, and connections they need to move into meaningful work.
Young Parents Development Services
The Waipuna Young Parents Development Service provide essential support for young parents in Canterbury, combining individual social work, parenting education, and group-based programmes. Partnerships are central to our work. We collaborated closely with a number of community partners to ensure that young parents can access a wide network of support and build stronger connections in the community.
Social Work Support
Our team supports young parents with individual social work support.
Parenting and Connection Groups
We offer a number of groups focused on parenting, attachment and connection for young parents.
Pregnancy & Parent Education
Our six week antenatal pregnancy and parenting education group supports young parents in their journey.
Health and Wellbeing Services
The Waipuna Health and Wellbeing service supports rangatahi with a range of mental health and wellbeing services. Our team delivers support in a wide range of practice settings that are tailored for the needs of young people. Our service collaborates widely with other services to ensure services are meaningful and connected, including out involvement in the Manu Ka Rere collaboration and delivery of Mana Ake services in Canterbury Primary Schools.
Brief Intervention counselling
Individual and group counselling services for rangatahi seeking to develop their mental health and wellbeing.
Mental Health and AOD counselling
Supporting rangatahi with challenges related to alcohol and other drugs.
Hauora Kai service
Eating awareness psychoeducation and counselling service for mild to moderate disordered eating..
Less harm, more hope: a Christchurch alcohol outlet closes its doors
Waipuna Youth Services CAYAD programme worked alongside the community to challenge a liquor licence in Christchurch. Read about the community leadership and policy change that followed.
Meet the team
Kath Prins
General Manager, Waipuna Youth Services
Danielle Marra
Manager, Young Parents Development Service
Quennette Tauti
Administration Services Manager
Violet Isaac
Early Childhood Education Manager
Mohammad Zareei
Manager Health and Wellbeing (Canterbury)
Dan Eastwood
Manager of Community Development – Waipuna
Latest News
Minister hears from rangatahi at Waipuna
Te Pihopa visits Waipuna: a formal welcome
Getting rangatahi on the road: licence support
Mana Ake: Waipuna supports tamariki wellbeing in schools
Less harm, more hope: Christchurch alcohol outlet closes
Canteen Partnership: When the waves don’t care about cancer
NZ’s poverty crisis: what it means for young people
A bag of kindling builds careers for Canterbury rangatahi
Haeata Community Campus and CAYAD build a culture of care
Find us
349 Woodham Road, Wainoni, Christchurch 8061
Tel: (03) 386 2159