The 2024 conference was held over two days, 17th and 18th June 2024, at Takina in Wellington.
The conference theme was “Creativity and Innovation: Seeing the Opportunity” and focused on how services meet many of the challenges they face in creative and innovative ways.
See below:
Table of Contents
Images from conference!
Paula Tesoriero, CEO of Whaikaha, addresses over 250 delegates at the 2024 conference.
Paula addressed questions from the audience, including on matters of funding, contract coverage and impact on support workers.
Minister Louise Upston addressed delegates in the afternoon. She laid out her plan for the sector in plain, direct terms and took questions from the audience.
Among the 30 workshops delegates were able to choose from was one from Northable
Conference Programme
Here is a link to the conference programme, so you can see the variety of presentation topics delegates enjoyed
NZDSN CEO’s Address
NZDSN CEO Peter Reynolds challenged Whaikaha to lead and bring the disability sector together.
“Many people, including some in this room, have long called for a Ministry of our own, separate from MSD and Health, to truly understand the needs of the people we serve.
“I realise Whaikaha is a relatively new Ministry, and some problems have become apparent in recent months, but we want you to succeed and be the best you can be, to serve our disabled community and our members.
“By its very nature, our disability sector is diverse, with a range of views, issues and challenges. The danger is that addressing its different parts – people with disabilities, their families, advocates… and yes, providers, separately leads to a fractured, piecemeal approach. Try and please everyone, you please no-one.”
“The challenge I put to Whaikaha is to bring these groups together. These problems we face are too great to solve on our own. We’re ready and willing to work together – by understanding each other’s problems and goals, we have a far better chance than doing it alone,” said Peter Reynolds.
Comments for the Minister
As we have done in previous years, we invited delegates to write their question or comment for the Minister on a large roll of butcher’s paper. We collected four seven-foot sheets of comments – a couple were being written while the Minister watched over the author’s shoulder!
This link takes you to a pdf file of comments by delegates at our conference for the Minister for Disability Issues, Hon Louise Upston. The Minister is aware these commence were invited from delegates and is eager to receive them as promised.
As we continue to engage with the Minister and officials, we will update you on any response to the issues raised.
Keynote Recordings
We recorded the keynote sessions, with the exception of the address by the Minister. Enjoy these recordings below:
- Paula Tesoriero, CEO – Whaikaha
- Dr Sam Bennett, Disability Programme Director, Grattan Institute, Victoria, Australia
Workshop Presentations
- Health and Disability Commissioner
- Moving Forward with Volition: The Tool for Supported Decision Making You Always Knew You Needed. – Erika Butters, Volition
- Enabling Good Lives To Enable Good Live – Humanly and Huber Social
- From Data to Dignity: Health and Wellbeing Indicators for New Zealanders with Interlectual Disability – IHC
- Preventing Violent Extremist Grooming – Explore Hapainga Ora
- Accessible Housing Building Change – Geoff Penrose, Lifemark
- The Role of Prevention in Disability Services – Nicky Mayne, Stroke Foundation
- Shifting The Dial On Disability Outcomes By Using A Collective Impact Approach – Nicky Mayne, Stroke Foundation
- Expansion of Auckland Disability Law’s Community Education Sessions Nationwide – Auckland Disability Law
- Little Free Libraries – Robyn Hoffman, Real World Living
Thanks to our Delegates!
The following are the NZDSN members and other disability support services that attended conference. We thank the people from these services who attended, for their support and participation to make the event the success that it was.
A Supported Life | L’Arche Kāpiti |
Access Community Health|Uru Atea | L’Arche Mount Tabor |
Achievement House | Laura Fergusson Trust Wellington Inc |
Ali’s Home Healthcare | Lifelinks |
Aspire – Community Support | Lifeskills Taranaki |
Aspirico | Manaaki Ability Trust |
Assisting Different Abilities Peoples Trust (ADAPT) | Manaaki Tairawhiti |
Auckland Disability Law | MASH Trust |
Autism New Zealand | Maybo |
Bainfield Park Residential Care | Minister of Disability Issues |
BehavioursupportNZ | Mobility Centre |
Bennford Consulting | MySkill |
Brackenridge Services Limited | New Zealand Health Group |
Care on Call (NZ) Ltd | NorthAble Matapuna Hauora |
Career Moves Trust | NZ Health Group |
CareerForce | NZCL |
CCS Disability Action Inc | NZDSN |
CCs Disability Action Lifemark Division | NZSIS |
Claddagh Haven Trust | Open Horizons |
Community Care Trust | Open Polytechnic |
Community Connections | Pasifika Consulting Limited |
Community Connections Supported Living | Paulownia Trust |
Community Living | Personal Advocacy and Safeguarding Adults Trust |
Community Living Trust | Presbyterian Support East Coast |
Connexu | Progress To Health |
Coromandel Independent Living Trust | Public Service Association NZ |
CPI International | Ramp |
Creative Abilities | Real World Living Ltd |
Creative Abilities and Associates Limited | Reid Technology Ltd |
Crisis Prevention Institute | Rescare Homes Trust |
DAA Group | Ringa Hora |
Deaf Aotearoa | Sandra Budd Associates |
Disability Connect | Settlers Care Trust |
Disability Resource Centre H.B. Trust – DRC | SILC Limited |
Drake New Zealand Ltd | Skillet | Access Maps |
Enliven Disability Presbyterian Support East Coast | Solway Vision |
Enrich+ | Span Charitable Trust (operating As Skillwise) |
Epilepsy First Aid | Spectrum Care |
Evaro | Spectrum Foundation |
Event Dynamics | SPQ Limited |
Explore | St John of God Hauora Trust |
Firstport | Stroke Foundation of NZ |
Florence Nightingale Agency | Survivor Experience Service (SES) Te Tari Tai Whenua Department of Internal Affairs |
Flying Kites | Talklink Trust |
Good Lives Wairarapa | Te Ahi Kaa Indigenous Solutions |
Grattan Institute | Te Anua Nua Trust |
Greenways Trust | Te Pou |
Hawksbury Community Living Trust | Te Roopu Taurima |
HCHA | Te Whatu Ora |
Health and Disability Commissioner | The Chris Ruth Centre Trust |
Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora | The Hearing House |
Healthvision | The Personal Advocacy and Safeguarding Adults Trust |
Hohepa Canterbury | The Supported Life Style Hauraki Trust |
Hohepa Hawke’s Bay | The Work Opportunities Trust |
Hohepa Homes Trust Board | TLC 4U2 |
Hohepa Wellington | Toitū Te Waiora |
Horizons Day Options Trust | Totara Farm Trust |
Humanly | Vaka Tautua |
Idea Services | Volition |
IHC | Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha |
ILSNZ | Webcare |
Independent Living Charitable Trust | White Cloud |
Industry Engagement Lead – Pacific | Whitford Brown Community Trust |
Interactionz | Workbridge |
Kotuku Trust/A supported life | Your Way | Kia Roha |
Thanks to our Trade Exhibitors
…and our thanks to our trade exhibitors for their support!
The following organisations and suppliers supported our conference through taking a trade exhibition space. Our delegates were impressed with the range of information, products and services on display. We are pleased that this part of our conference continues to grow each year.
Aspirico | |
TLC 4U2 | |
New Zealand Health Group | |
DAA Group | |
CPI International | |
Reid Technology | |
Health Vision | |
SQP Limited | |
Humanly | |
NZDSN | |
Enable | |
Careerforce | |
Webcare | |
ILSNZ | |
Epilepsy First Aid | |
Your Way | Kia Roha | |
Personal Advocacy and Safeguarding Adults Trust | |
Mobility Centre |
Evaluation
We have sent simple evaluation surveys to delegates and to trade exhibitors to gather their feedback on the conference and improvement opportunities.
Thanks to our Partners
…and finally our special thanks to our partners
Without the support of these organisations, our conference could not have been the success it was. Thanks guys!
