Overview of Te Ara Hou Christian Social Services Village

The Waikato Christian Social Services Village Trust is formed of representatives from the Waikato Diocesan Trust Board, the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton and Presbyterian Support (Northern). Te Runanga (as urban Maori representatives) and the Hamilton City Council (as landowners) are also represented on the Board.

The agreed objectives of the joint venture were

  1. To purchase the Buildings (at 100 Morrinsville Road) and develop them to suit the individual and joint purposes of the parties.
  2. To operate the Centre for multi-purpose and interdenominational social services in the Hamilton City and Waikato Regional areas and to maximize the use of the Buildings to facilitate the above objects.
  3. To co-operate to obtain funding to develop and operate the Centre
  4. To co-operate with each other to share their individual and collective expertise and experience to further develop social services within their regions.

The Waikato Christian Social Services Village Trust was incorporated as a Charitable Trust on the 8th November, 1999 and the purchase of the buildings from the Hamilton City Council was completed on 3rd December 1999 with the assistance of grants from Trust Waikato and DV Bryant Trust. The land is leased from the Council for a term of 53 years at a peppercorn rent.

The village was formally opened on 10th March 2000. The name, Te Ara Hou, meaning “The New Way” was gifted from Tainui and adopted as a place name. Presbyterian Support Northern, Catholic Family Support and Waikato Anglican Social Services (now Anglican Action – The Mission) took up space in the three buildings.

Catholic Family Support Services (provides social work and budgeting support to families and individuals in need), Youth Horizons Trust (a government agency working with at risk youth) and Enliven Waikato Day Programme (part of Presbyterian Support Northern who provide services to people over 65, in this case a Day Programme providing socialisation) occupy Awhina House.

The Combined Christian Food Bank is located within the Village on Anglican land in its own premises.

Anglican action – The Mission, offers a range of counselling and training services. It has extended its services in the city and now provides supervised housing for men coming out of prison. The Kids First Residence for women and children is part of the Anglican Action.

The Presbyterian Support (Northern) Building houses the offices and facilities of Family Works Northern. They work with families, and provide counselling, including social workers in schools.

In 2006 the new Abbeyfield House (supervised accommodation for the elderly) was opened on its own lot in the village. The volunteers, staff and residents have become integrated into the community in many ways.

Child Youth and Family Services continue to operate from Hillcrest Home (as a residential programme for young male offenders which also involves their families.)

Youth Horizons Trust are located next to Enliven and offer a range of services in support of children, young people and their families / whanau including Residential Care under the Teaching Families Model; Respite /Foster care; Treatment Foster Care Oregon; Functional Family Therapy; Triple P parenting.

Since 2008 the Anglican Diocesan office occupies its own land in the village.