Oranga Tamariki welcome Community Kairaranga in Whangārei

As Community Kairananga, Riki will now have the ability to work across various departments and agencies whilst maintaining and developing important connections in Whangārei and wider Tai Tokerau.

Riki will be focused on developing a comprehensive understanding of operations and internal procedures by working closely with the Oranga Tamariki social workers that work with Te Tai Tokerau whānau.

By being able to work with the kaimahi through the whole Report of Concern process, Riki wants to have an overview through a Te ao Māori lens that ensures Mana tamaiti whilst ensuring whanaungatanga and tikanga are common practise.

Riki and his supporters have been involved with 60 tamariki and 26 different whānau that have had some form of intervention with Oranga Tamariki. Riki has helped whānau be reunited with tamariki, assisted in formulating plans to prevent Ministry involvement and supported whānau going through custody battles.

After over four years of volunteering his services for his people he is now employed to carry on doing his amazing mahi working for Oranga Tamariki and with Tai Timu Tai Pari.

Riki is very excited about his mahi and wants to ensure treaty obligations are being meet by strengthening our partnership with Tai Timu Tai Pari.

Riki would like to thank his whānau and everyone that have supported him through his journey and is excited about his new role whilst not having to worry about the financial burden when undertaking his work as a volunteer.

These are the photos from the pōwhiri held at the Oranga Tamariki offices in Whangarei.