Taranaki Retreat: Space to Breathe
Published:
July 31, 2024
Taranaki Retreat was established 2014 and has been operational since 2017. It is a trauma-informed, community-led suicide prevention initiative that provides outreach and residential support for those in need. A non-clinical co-designed initiative, surrounded and guided by a Clinical Support Team. The Retreat offers a comprehensive kete of over fifty elements including support groups, programmes and outreach support, where guests are visited regularly at their home, workplace, or a neutral venue such as a cafe or park. A supportive relationship is formed, in which the safety valve of a listener/ person to both reflect and turn to is available to them to make positive steps for change.
A drop-in service (Waimanako/The Hope Centre) in the CBD was opened in 2021. First up – it’s somewhere where people can rock up (without the need for an appointment) for a good feed and excellent coffee for koha. It’s on the ‘pay what you feel’ principle – so whānau know that, by grabbing something to eat (we rave about the crepes, all-day breakfast and corn fritters!) they’re supporting an awesome cause… OR, if times are hard, people can fill up ‘on the house’. Waimanako is a ‘safe space’, with trained peer-support workers by request if people need to offload, chat, share concerns for themselves or someone else, as an alternative to landing at ED when the situation is non-acute. The facility includes counselling rooms and a Creative Hub from which our CarePacks are produced, for those presenting at our DHB in distress.
For more information checkout the websites or contact Jamie at jamie@taranakiretreat.org.nz
