News

Call for front line social services to be fairly funded through Budget 2020 intensifies

May 2020 - Read the letter from SSPA, NZCCSS and Philanthropy NZ to the Prime Minister and Ministers about funding for NGOs, Māori and Iwi organisations and involvement in the Budget 2020 process. We propose fast tracking advice to address the immediate funding gap faced by social service providers to support the sector respond effectively to growing demand and help to recover and revitalise New Zealand society and economy.

For the media statement, click here


Moving Practice Online

Knowledge exchange for social service practitioners adapting to the covid-19 context

The covid-19 lockdown is challenging us to think about new ways to work with children and families.  On 2 April 2020 SSPA facilitated a knowledge exchange of how social services were adapting to this changed context.  Social workers and social service practitioners from a range of NGO and iwi social services attended the session faciliated by Associate Professor Emily Keddell.  The facilitated discussion was structured around four areas of practice adaptation.  This document provides an overview of all responses.  There is a brief overview paragraph summarising each area of adaptation, then the ideas from practitioners.  Read it here


How families and communities are faring under lockdown: a snapshot

Information and insights provided by member organisations of SSPA, April 2020

Families and communities are facing significant challenges in daily life as a result of New Zealand being placed at Alert Level 4, with all except some essential workers being required to remain at home. Social service providers are working in new ways to support families thorough this time. This Snapshot highlights what some SSPA members have told us they are seeing amongst the families they are working to support and how they are responding.

read it here


SSPA COVID-19 Response Update

March 2020 - read the latest news from SSPA detailing an upcoming open space meeting for SSPA members via zoom.  You'll also find details about workshop and event cancellations.  However there's the chance to share your ideas and brainstorm how to provide services if face to face contact becomes impossible via a zoom brainstorm session.  Read more here


The work to get fair funding and fair pay in social services continues......

March 2020 - Good piece on One News about the continuing problem for NGOs arising from inadequate funding to pay competitive wages.  We're looking for a boost to funding in the 2020 Budget as a step towards sorting this out.  Minister Carmel Sepuloni is quoted in the piece referring to work being done on the best way to fund social services.  Really pleased she has commissioned this much-needed work and pleased to be involved with it - but it is explicitly NOT looking at the level of funding needed.  Hence my focus on the Government addressing that in the Budget.  Big thanks to Judy Matai'a at ATWC and to Andy Pilbrow at Birthright Hawkes Bay and their collegues who also featured.  The real life stories make a difference.