Pillars

Supporting a Positive Future for Children of People Serving a Sentence.

Our vision is that all NZ children and families living with whānau in prison are supported and empowered to live happy, healthy lives.

Aotearoa NZ has an incredibly high rate of incarceration per capita. The families of those in prison serve an invisible, social sentence: one of stigma, hardship, grief, and in many cases trauma. Children of prisoners are nearly 10 times more likely than their peers to one day be incarcerated themselves.

Pillars does not view our tamariki (children) and rangatahi (youth) as Aotearoa's future prisoners, but as children of promise and potential- who have the right to a bright and positive future.

Pillars supports the children and whānau of those in prison from a strengths-based and mana-enhancing approach via our two core programmes:

- Community based (in house) social work support tailored to the needs of each whānau

- Mentoring for children and youth aged 5-17 years old.

These programmes are currently operating in Auckland and Christchurch.

We also have Pathway Centres based in certain prisons offering direct support.

We also provide Wrap Around Whānau social work support for whānau with mental health requirements in Auckland and Hamilton.