Meet the Team

Kia ora, my name is Brenda Holdaway and my role with Whānau Awhi is Whānau Facilitator supporting family/whānau and teachers with Positive Parenting and Incredible Years strategies.
Kia ora, my name is Rochelle Nicholls and my role with Whānau Awhi  Community Liaison/Whānau Navigator to help remove barriers so that tamariki and whānau can flourish.
Kia ora, my name is Emz Schwass and my role with Whānau Awhi is Whānau Intervention. Supporting whānau, teachers and tamariki so they can learn new strategies, skills and tools for enhancing well-being and positive outcomes.

The Whānau Awhi team will...

  • Walk alongside tamariki and their whānau who are confronted with challenges that can have an impact on their health and well-being, social, education and financial situations.
  • Focus around the strengths and needs of tamariki and their family/whānau, emotional well-being, relationships, barriers, parenting and relationships within the family home.
  • Connect with your early childhood provider, other agencies, non-government organisations and communities to put the child first and ensure their voices are heard.
  • Share information and create one plan for each child and their family/whānau.
  • Believe early intervention is key
  • Is confidential
  • Provide a free service

Early Childhood Services Outside of Nelson Tasman Kindergartens

​Kia ora my name is Rochelle Nicholls and I am employed with Nelson Tasman Kindergartens.
My role with Whānau Awhi  is Community Liasion/Whānau Navigator to help remove barriers so that tamariki and whānau can floursh.
I have the scope to support all Early Childhood Centres and Kindergartens in the Nelson area.
​I have a 0.5FTE position but will be working in Nelson for 40 hours in one week and then the other week I will be in Golden Bay.
I am available to be contacted by phone or email at any time from 8am-4.30pm Monday to Friday.

For Nelson Tasman Kindergarten's Referrals...

Please click on 'Download File' to download a referral form in either PDF format or Microsoft Word.
referral_form_for_all_kgtns.pdf
File Size: 113 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
referral_form_for_all_kgtns.docx
File Size: 65 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

For all other Early Childhood Service's Referrals...

Please click on 'Download File' to download a referral form in either PDF format or Microsoft Word.
referral_form_for_all_eces.pdf
File Size: 114 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
referral_form_for_all_eces.docx
File Size: 65 kb
File Type: docx
Download File