Introducing our Community Mentors

We asked our two Community Mentors to tell us a bit more about their role at ConneXu. Ellie Ngatai is based in the Tauranga region, whereas Katherine Naylor is based in Te Awamutu. Tara Hedgman, the Outcomes and Engagement Manager, leads the team.
“We encourage the people we support to realise their passions and dreams and follow those. We try to eliminate barriers and enable the people we support to live their best life”, says Ellie. “It’s all about achieving goals”, adds Katherine. “We hope that the person we support grows in independence.”

Katherine Naylor, Tara Hedgman, Ellie Ngatai.

Ellie gives an example. “When we try to figure out what’s important to them, we often ask where they would like to see themselves in 5 years’ time. This allows us to then break down the steps on how to make this happen. For one person we support the first step was to get the rest of their NCEA level 2 credits. This was completed before enrolling in a Level 3 hospitality course at EMPLOYNZ. I look for adequate support while completing this course, building a great relationship with the tutors.”

Tara notes that the mentoring role is additional to other roles. “Our community mentors walk alongside people to assist them to hold socially valued roles in the community. A mentor is focused on just that. That way our people we support receive the input of someone who is not involved in everyday cares or in the administration of things.”

Central to the mentoring role is the ‘Whole Of Life Plan’ for each person we support. Katherine: “It is set is an individual plan for each person. Many options are tailored to fit the individual needs and want of the person. It is a designated plan that covers what the person best life possible is, and how they can get to their best life.”

Ellie: “It is all about you! The plan encourages accountability by setting actions and tasks. If opportunities arise that we deem suitable for someone, or for a group of people, we can engage. Someone new to our service will not long after receive a Whole of Life Plan.”

As disability services nationwide are shifting towards the ‘Enabling Good Lives’ framework in line with the system transformation, the mentoring role will become only more important.

Katherine: “Our role follows many of the Enabling Good Lives principles. We run a very person-centred approach, supporting others to become involved in mainstream opportunities.”

Ellie adds: “We encourage people we support to build natural supports and to connect with their communities. With the whole team, we provide the best support possible for the people in our service to live to their full potential and empower them to achieve ordinary life outcomes.”