Pathways, one of the largest NGOs connected to Capital & Coast

Regional Operations Manager David Hughes of Pathways

Pathways is one of the largest NGOs that provide community based support services for people with mental illness in the Wellington area. Nationally they have 500 employes, and about 100 here in the Wellington and Kapiti Coast area. They are also part of a larger organization called WiseGroup. They are an alliance of over a 1000 employees providing a variety of community based support services in the mental health and wellness field. For those interested they have a terrific website with a very forward thinking mission. They embrace the challenges of change for the potential of innovation and leadership opportunities. Recently they have used incentivized programming for staff and clients to help bring on improvements of wellness, most reentry focused on smoking cessation.
I was invited to sit in on a meeting with a Capital & Coast service co-ordinator, Vikki, for their Needs Assessment and Co-ordination Service, on a project that is transitioning 30 people from long term support services into more independent settings in the community.
I was able to make several site visits with their staff that included an extended care residence, and three different respite houses. They have a strong mobile support program, one that specializes in medication supports in the home.  The residential staff are very motivated to help service users transition while using a recovery based approach to their treatment. A lot of their housing program success is due to the three women pictured below: Dee, Teresa, and Karen, all very committed to supporting a recovery and wellness driven service that is naturally strengths based in its focus of supports. Each housing site has a garden plot, so amongst the many skills based support work is a focus on being able to grow some of the food they eat. Of course many of the residents also like growing some flowers as well.  The Pathways homes are well appointed, bright and comfortable places to stay and visit, with a highly regarded record of effectiveness. One of the respite houses has a room called the 'sensory room' designed to help teach people techniques for deescalation and self soothing skills that has proven to be very effective.
 I hope to be able to return and spend some time with their mobile support teams soon.

Dee, Housing Co-ordinator and Teresa, team leader.

Wet Room for the Extended Care Home

Karen, respite house Team leader