Our Services
To create opportunities that are meaningful and purposeful for people with diverse capabilities and assist them with leading a good life, in everyday places, as others do at similar stages of life. We will achieve this by enabling them to participate in and make a positive contribution to their communities
Business Enterprise
Our purpose is to empower individuals with diverse capabilities to achieve independence through meaningful employment and community support. We focus on potential, providing Supported Pathways to employment and ensuring each client is paid fairly. By collaborating with stakeholders and leveraging community resources, we foster a sense of belonging, and support independent living. Enriching the community, while making lives better.
Aims of our service
To create employment opportunities that are meaningful and purposeful for people with diverse capabilities.
Sustainable employment that develops self-worth and self esteem and enhances each individuals mana.
Supported Employment
Atawhai Trust provides supported employment that builds skills, confidence, and real work experience for people with diverse capabilities through our horticulture and arborist services, bread and milk redistribution, and packing room contracts—growing independence, connection, and belonging.
Supported Employment at Atawhai Trust
Atawhai Trust provides Supported Employment services that help people with diverse capabilities build skills, confidence, and real work experience in a safe, encouraging environment. We offer meaningful, structured employment opportunities across our social enterprises, including horticulture and arborist services, bread and milk redistribution, and packing room contracts.
Our approach is person-centred and strengths-based. We work alongside each individual to understand their goals, support their wellbeing, and develop practical workplace skills that promote independence and pride. We aim to create pathways that lead to ongoing growth, greater community connection, and where possible, transition into wider employment opportunities.
At Atawhai, employment is more than work — it’s belonging, purpose, and progress.
We are always on the lookout for employers
who can provide employment opportunities.
Community Participation & Inclusion
Our individually tailored vocational services enable people to actively participate and contribute to their communities, making a difference in ways valued by all.
We aim to support individuals to:
- Participate in activities in their communities of interest to them.
- Contribute to their communities in ways valued by them and their communities.
- Learn new skills to help them manage their lives and overall well being, and to participate in their communities
- Maintain and develop social and support networks.
We also play a role in helping to build:
- Inclusive and welcoming communities and mainstream services.
- Employers’ confidence in employing those with diverse capabilities.
Target Group and Eligibility Criteria
Target Group and Eligibility Criteria
For people who have an Intellectual Disability who need support to participate in and contribute to their communities. People eligible to participate in these services will:
- Be currently living in New Zealand
- Be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, or hold a work visa, or have refugee status
- Be aged between 16 and 64 years inclusive, or over 65 and not qualified to receive NZ Superannuation
- Have an intellectual disability or health condition greater than 6 months that presents a barrier to participation.
Prior to any services commencing:
The client will be self referred or referred from another agency.
- The client would have participated in an initial meeting discussing services and eligibility in depth.
- Application forms and consents have been completed and submitted for review by the applications committee
- Notification of outcome received within 5 working days of review meeting.
- When accepted the client will be contacted by the Service manager they will be operating under.
Application Process
They will be able to:
- Initial enquiry made to our services via phone, through email, or web enquiry.
- Meet with our Stepping Stones Co-Ordinator to discuss each service and provide a tour of our facility.
- Clients meeting the eligibility criteria can complete our Application Form, Police Vetting form, and drug screening process (if applicable).
- Completed application forms are returned to our office or via email.
- All applications are reviewed fortnightly by the Applications committee team.
- Successful applicants are notified by letter stating the service they have been accepted into.
- The Service Leader will be in contact within 7-10 working days to schedule an entry meeting.
- Once the Police Vetting forms have been received and are clear, the client will be contacted with a start date and all necessary information required prior to starting at Atawhai, along with an induction process.
- Unsuccessful applicants will be notified via email or letter of the outcome. They may be put onto a waiting list until a vacancy becomes available.