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Presbyterian Support Otago has a been helping local people for over 100 years and is one of the most respected and successful non-profit organisations in region, employing over 1100 people who are supported by 600 volunteers.
The organisation provides a wide range of services including Family Works. This service helps families, children young people by providing social work support, family violence prevention, counselling, parenting programmes, child and youth mentoring, restorative justice with youth and employment programmes and group education.
Here’s the latest news from Family Works:
Picnic Presentation
It was a warm spring day when Family Work’s Central Otago social workers Rachel McAnally and Jacqui Henson-Cubie facilitated a picnic in Alexandra last month.
The families present were celebrating the end of their successful Incredible Years parenting programme, completed by 14 parents from Alexandra and Cromwell.
Rachel said it was rewarding to hear participant comments such as “fantastic”, “great” and “really worth while.”
“Everyone proved their willingness to learn new parenting techniques by attending all 14 weekly sessions, and that was a huge commitment, especially during a Central Otago winter,” she said.
Jodie van Strik, far left, receives her Incredible Years certificate from Rachel while Jo Hurring, far right, is presented her certificate by Jodie. Jo’s son, Leon (7), took time out from playing to watch the formalities.
Appreciating the Value of a Stitch
Donors answered our call for sewing machines, fabric, thread and trims and now a community sewing group is benefitting from that generosity.
Members of Dunedin’s Pine Hill Coffee Group, facilitated by Family Works’ social worker Amanda Brown, felt knowing how to sew enough to mend clothing would be a good skill to learn. The call went out for a tutor and resources, and within two weeks the group had its first taste of the ancient art of stitching.
Outram dressmaker Heather Hoar was happy to pass on basic hand and machine sewing techniques and before long group members were confident enough to make cushions, wheat-bags and understand how patterns were used and fabric cut.
One young Mum was initially happy to just sit and watch, but before long she had joined in and put her artistic skills to the test in making attractive embellishments to her cushions.
Another volunteer dressmaker, Fiona Clements, of Port Chalmers, is now showing the group how to make easy sweatshirts for family members. There will be some special gifts under some Pine Hill Christmas trees this year.
Dressmaker Heather Hoar, left, shows Louise Mably how to stop the pattern sliding around while Nirmala Ritchie displays the appliquéd cushion she had just completed. Social Worker Amanda Brown, far right, didn’t miss out either – she learnt how to blanket-stitch a cushion edge by hand.