Q: What does Te Whangai mean?
A: Te Whangai is Maori for "to nurture" or "to adopt"
Q: What is your Sustainability Policy?
A: Te Whangai was established to achieve sustainability within the welfare system at the same time providing the environment with goods and services. Te Whangai’s vision is to replace New Zealand’s current welfare system with a sustainable alternative. Te Whangai’s formal sustainability policy is currently under development.
Q: How does Te Whangai help make communities safer?
A: Te Whangai will help make communities safer by motivating and occupying those at risk, nurturing them in a family environment.
Q: What are your biggest accomplishments so far?
A: Creating the nursery, planting natives throughout the area, empowering people to help themselves and their family, and finding full time employment for more than 35 people - more details here.
Q: Are you safe?
A: The holistic working environment and the Te Whangai philosophy create a safety net for all involved. Te Whangai members return the care and trust provided with loyalty and support. All team members create the rules and devolve rosters to make Te Whangai safe for everyone.
Q: What’s the Future hold?
A: Te Whangai Miranda is a Prototype to be replicated in other communities under the management and technical direction of the Te Whangai Trust. The model set up in Miranda can be duplicated throughout New Zealand with the right people leading the teams.
Q: What do you look for in a potential Te Whangai location?
A: We look for areas with high levels of (disadvantaged) unemployment and/or social need. We look for areas of low employment and negligible social infrastructure in a rural environment. Where families with complex and multiple needs cannot access services for their circumstances. A Te Whangai nursery set up in an area like this can help develop a safe and vibrant rural community for future generations.
Just as important is the compassion of the host landowner. Trustees look for landowners who have empathy for others and will understand and embrace the Te Whangai philosophy. New Te Whangai locations must continue to be family oriented, and holistic in their outlook, willing to help with all the needs of members, like at Te Whangai Miranda. The protection of the people and the integrity of the Te Whangai philosophy will not be compromised.
There will be systems support from the Te Whangai Trust for new locations - technical and planting advice.
Q: What does Te Whangai do to gain support in the local community?
A: Local business skills and services are used as much as possible. This allows community members to experience firsthand what can be achieved. Volunteers from the local community are encouraged to come and work alongside our team members. Volunteers then can answer questions about Te Whangai in the local community, based on their personal experience. This dispels fear of the unknown. Our local marae is involved. Representatives of local government and civic organisations are invited to come for visits, to see firsthand how Te Whangai works.
Q: How did Te Whangai get started?
A: Click here for the history of Te Whangai.
Q: What is a triple bottom line and how does buying Te Whangai plants relate to it?
A: The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) is a method that allows companies to assess their performance against three bottom lines: environmental, social and economic. When a business or organisation with a triple bottom line approach purchases Te Whangai native plants and services, the two bottom lines of Social and Environment are boosted. For details, see the discussion on 300% return here
Q: Why is eco-sourcing important?
A: To keep the native plants in a geographical area pure. Te Whangai Miranda, for example, has permission from local iwi to access Tribal land for ecosourcing seeds.
Q: Where is the Miranda eco-nursery located?
A: Our site is at Miranda on the Firth of Thames, on the cusp of 4 counties: Waikato, Franklin, Thames, Coromandel, and Hauraki. We border Environment Waikato and Auckland Regional Council The Miranda area is a particularly sensitive ecosystem, given its world significance as a Wildlife Reserve. The farm Te Whangai Miranda is situated on extends to the Firth of Thames and owns land which is part of the Wildlife Reserve.
