| Our commitment is to empowering families/whanau to build on and develop their strengths, and by assisting them, wherever possible, to remain together through non-judgemental Christian support.
Mission Statement To provide a Diocesan – wide loving, Christian social service to families and whanau. |
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The Family Home
Since 1991, St Andrews Family Trust has been working in partnership with The Open Home Foundation. A Family Home offering short and medium term care for children is owned and maintained by the Trust. The Open Home Foundation is responsible for employing and supporting the Houseparents along with the placement and care of children.
The houseparents do an excellent job parenting and offering companionship to the children who stay. Their commitment to providing a secure family environment with healthy guidelines and plenty of fun is outstanding. Please pray for them and the children in the home.
The use of St Andrews Family Trust Funds
In round figures, St Andrews has an income of approx $34,000; of this about a third is required to pay running costs and maintenance on the family home building. The balance of the income is used in community ministries in the Diocese.
Since 2006 the Trust has provided the funding for a social worker to be working part time in a kindergarten in a low socio economic area in Nelson. This project is a partnership between Presbyterian Support Services and St Andrews Family Trust and came about as a result of concerns that social work intervention is needed by families in this particular area of Nelson, and St Andrews Trust members who are keen to support early intervention in families under stress. This project has since been extended by the Nelson Kindergarten Association and, in some pilot areas in the North island, by the government.
The balance of income is distributed following applications by community groups and parishes. Currently St Andrews Trust is supporting the “Your Choice” education in secondary schools, several pre school play groups after school groups run in parishes from Nelson/Tasman to Reefton. Other activities
Other activities
The objectives of the At Andrews Family Trust are very broad and can cover many aspects of child and family support. Members of the management committee maintain close contact with the family home parents and provide a listening ear and ensure than any maintenance issues are attended to promptly. The Trust has also advocated on behalf of groups of people who are disadvantaged, a recent example being the lack of appropriate respite care for families with children or teen agers with physical disabilities. The Trust also contributed to the costs of in service training for the kindergarten social worker. If an issue concerns children and families in difficulty, it potentially is a concern for St Andrews Family Trust.
Trustees
The current trustees are Anne Askin, Alice Burrough, Gillian Etherington, Marlene Evans, Margaret Borcovsky, Jen Lockwood, Marilyn McVicar and Vicky Stocker.
How can you help?
- By prayer
- By becoming a member of the Trust. (Families/Whanau $10, Individuals $5, Organisations $25)
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Applications for St Andrews Family Trust funds
St Andrews Trust is keen to receive application for funds from Parishes or any community based group which is providing, or wanting to provide, a service which will meet the objects of the Trust.
There is no formal application form but any application needs to explain who the applicants are, the service which is seeking funds and the current financial situation. This will include other funding sources, accountability pathways and any employment arrangements.
The trust has a list of funding criteria which helps in assessing any applications (see below):
Funding Criteria
St Andrews Family Trust operates in partnership with parishes and social service agencies to deliver programmes and services which benefit children and families. The Trust’s first priority is the maintenance of St Andrews Family Home which is operated in conjunction with Open Home Foundation. Please note the following:
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Our primary focus is children and families
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We prefer to fund work which occurs at an early intervention level
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New and innovative projects which provide a “help up” are encouraged
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Programmes which invest in and strengthen community are viewed positively
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Evidence of an evaluation of community needs in programme planning is desirable
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No large capital items or building expenses will be funded
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Funding is not automatically ongoing
Notwithstanding the above, the Trust reserves the right to exercise absolute discretion to make grants outside the above criteria if God leads.
Contact Details
St Andrews Family Trust
C/- Nelson Anglican Centre
PO Box 100, Nelson
Phone: 03 548 3124
Email: mailto:standrews@nelsonanglican.org.nz
A Potted History
St Andrew’s is a longstanding and effective entity. The Trust grew out of the St Andrew’s Home Society, which was established by the Anglican Synod in 1887 to offer help to children and families in need. In 1892 St Andrew’s was caring for thirty-four children, nine being at the receiving home in Nelson, eight at Whakarewa and seventeen in private foster homes. The receiving home moved from Nelson to Richmond in 1968.
In 1989 the focus of St Andrew’s shifted as a result of changing legislation. This legislation set out how care was to be provided. The Society could no longer offer help in the way it had been doing. Over a very difficult period, new direction was decided upon. St Andrew’s entered into a contract with the Open Home Foundation, which still continues. A new Trust was established, taking over the assets of the St Andrew’s Home Society. The Trust now operates within a wider mandate to provide the necessary help for families in many different circumstances.