Mana Ake
The Mana Ake programme provides support to children in Canterbury in years 1-8 at school, promoting wellbeing and positive mental health.
Mana Ake – Stronger for Tomorrow
Te Whare Awhero is one of 12 NGOs partnering with the Canterbury DHB and the Ministry of Education to provide mental health services in Canterbury primary schools.
Our kaimahi support schools and whānau when children are experiencing issues that impact their wellbeing like bullying, managing emotions and parental separation.
See the Mana Ake website for more details of services and to request support for your child.
Ingrid is Team Leader for Te Whare Awhero. She holds a Diploma in Counselling and a Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Supervision. Ingrid is passionate about supporting kaimahi in Te Whare Awhero, helping them explore their goals, reflect on their mahi and encourage their passions to be incorporated into their practice.
For Ingrid, helping people and adventure have been a big part of her life and has seen her whānau travelling abroad, including spending two years living in Papua New Guinea with her family doing volunteer work. She thinks her biggest adventure was home schooling her two boys for six years and everyone surviving.
Ingrid Daff -
Team Leader
Colleen grew up in North Canterbury, then studied Science and Social Work at Otago University. She worked at Oranga Tamariki in Christchurch for four years as a front line Registered Social Worker. She also worked in the UK as a social worker in a child protection role, and in a community outreach role at a women’s refuge.
Colleen believes that social work is the privilege of being invited by families into their lives when they are vulnerable and in need of hope. Mana Ake by example is a ground-breaking and fantastic resource for Canterbury and she is loving being a part of it.
Colleen Rountree - Clinical Kaimahi
Sharon is proud to call Te Hū o Kākāpōtahi/Malvern her turangawaewae/place to stand. She has a background in kindergarten teaching both locally and in England, plus experience in respite and emergency care for children.
Sharon believes tamariki are our taonga/treasure. She considers it a privilege and sacred task to accompany children and whānau through challenges. Sharon is passionate about embracing each child's individuality and supporting them to flourish.
In her free time, Sharon enjoys spending time on the family farm, reading a good biography and being involved in a respite home for children.
Sharon Tuer - Kaimahi
Nina was born in Tuuranganui-A-Kiwa / Gisborne but has grown up in Otautahi / Christchurch. She comes from a background in Teaching and Social Work. She has worked in the disability sector, child and family mental health and community work.
She is passionate about creating inclusive spaces for all people to thrive. Working with primary school aged children has always been of interest to Nina where she brings her bubbly creative personality to create a sense of fun. Nina is excited to walk alongside families in their parenting journey to equip them with strategies they can use lifelong that promote wellbeing.
Nina is a mother and in her spare times enjoys getting outdoors to do bush walks or try out new playgrounds and scooter tracks.
Nina Collins - Kaimahi
Josie’s background is in speech and language therapy, where she discovered a passion for working alongside neurodivergent kids and their whānau. After completing the Masters in Speech and Language Pathology through the University of Canterbury, Josie worked at the Ministry of Education in Cromwell and Christchurch before transitioning into the Mana Ake role first at Purapura Whetu Trust, and now at Te Whare Awhero.
Outside of work, Josie enjoys darting around Christchurch to visit different family members, keeping fit at the gym and in the garden, and curling up with a book and her beloved cat, Albie.