

Waitaha Youth Services Directory
Rerenga Awa (the youth workers collective of Waitaha) is proud to host this directory of organisations that support young people in a whole range of ways.
This directory is for young people, parents, care givers and organisations who are keen to find out what organisations are out there supporting young people across Waitaha – Canterbury.
We would love to build on this list and make it even more comprehensive so if your organisations details need updating, or you would like to add an organisation to the directory please get in touch.
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Southern Health School
Southern Health School is a state school for ākonga in Years 1-13 who are too ill to attend full-time Education at their regular school across Te Waipounamu / the South Island. Teachers work with ākonga, their families and schools to provide adapted programmes that support learning during illness and recovery. The school creates Individual Learning Plans and delivers teaching in hospitals, homes or learning support centres while maintaining connection with the regular school. The service supports ākonga to stay engaged in learning and prepares them to return to full-time education when they are well enough.
Specialist referral only
St. Augustine's Anglican Church
St Augustine's Anglican Church is a diverse group of people who share a common faith in Jesus Christ, grounded in the stories of the Bible and guided by the Anglican Church's Five Marks of Mission. Together, the church seeks to deepen understanding of God's truth, care for one another, and minister God's wholeness to a needy world, with worship expressed in everything they do. The church is open to all and includes ministries such as Mainly Music, a children's group for babies, toddlers and preschoolers with their parents and caregivers, featuring songs, movement, shared kai and time to socialise.
No referral required
St Christopher's Anglican Church
St Christopher's Anglican Church is a joyful, intergenerational community of people who love God, each other, and their community, and who invite people to come, listen, ask questions, and begin a journey of faith. St Christopher's has a long history of care for one another and active outreach to the wider community, including families, children, youth, and people from many cultural backgrounds.
No referral required
St. John
St John helps children and youth to thrive by offering school and community programmes that grow strong, resilient tamariki and rangatahi with the self-esteem to be leaders. It teaches young people how to manage medical emergencies and develop first aid, confidence and life skills in fun, safe, social and supportive environments. St John's vision is that by 2032, every young New Zealander will step into their future with the first aid and mental wellness skills to live healthier, happier and longer lives.
Self-referral
Start Healing
Start provides specialist services for children, youth, and adults who have experienced sexual violence, alongside support for their families and wh?nau and Information for the wider community. Their services include counselling, consultation and social work, and education, delivered by trained and qualified clinical staff with ACC-accredited counsellors and subsidised support where applicable.
Referral may apply
Stepping Stone Trust
Stepping Stone Trust is a not-for-profit Charitable Trust offering residential and community-based support services for people experiencing mental distress in Canterbury and Otago. It provides services for adults, children, youth and families, including residential, respite, community and mobile support. Youth Residential, Youth Respite and Youth Mobile services offer stable, supportive environments and intensive home-based support to assist young people in their recovery and development.
Referral may apply
Stop
Stop provides whānau-centred support and therapy to adults, adolescents and children who have engaged in, or are demonstrating, concerning or harmful sexual behaviour. They provide highly personalised, culturally focused support using Te Tiriti o Waitangi as their foundation. Through one-to-one and group work, including parent/caregiver and family support, Stop provides wrap-around therapy and psychosocial support to help clients heal, reconnect with their community, and thrive.
Specialist referral only
Tagata Moana Trust
Tagata Moana Trust is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of Pacific peoples living in Aotearoa, promoting, designing and delivering events and programmes which strengthen diverse Pacific cultural identities and enhance health, wellbeing and social outcomes. Its events and programmes utilise Pacific arts, language and culture to drive Steam education, develop vocational skills, and create future opportunities for Pasifika people.
No referral required
Taima Korero | Time 2 Talk
Time 2 Talk delivers presentations and workshops that equip parents and educators with the tools to talk with young people about pornography in informed and healthy ways. They provide education, practical strategies, and resources to help mitigate the harmful effects of pornography. They serve wider Canterbury via appointments and outreach.
Self-referral
Tangata Atumotu Trust
Tangata Atumotu is committed to fostering the wellbeing, prosperity, and unity of Pasifika peoples, guided by a collective spirit to build healthy, thriving, and connected communities. The organisation has delivered services in Canterbury for the past 25 years and offers a wide range of programmes that bring people together to celebrate Pasifika culture, recognising that culture is cure. Its programmes include community programmes, whānau ora support, island wealth, immunisation and vaccination services, a progressive homeownership scheme, tamaiti healthy homes, healthy lifestyles support, stop smoking support, and mobile nursing services.
No referral required
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura) is New Zealand's state distance Education provider, offering a wide range of programmes from early childhood through to Ncea Level 3. With well over 28,000 enrolments a year, it is strongly connected to diverse communities across New Zealand and provides full-time, young adult, adult and dual tuition options. Te Kura delivers education nationwide through a regionalised structure and online learning, offering personalised support from qualified teachers and learning advisors. Enrolment is free for eligible students aged 19 and under, with courses also available to adult learners.
Specialist referral only
Te Hā o Mātauranga - Learning in Kaikōura
Te Hā o Mātauranga, Learning in Kaikōura is all about creating, promoting and encouraging learning opportunities in Kaikōura and aims to be a 'go to' place for residents who want to learn. The organisation supports employment through the Mayor's Taskforce for Jobs programme, helping people gain soft skills, micro-credentials, driver licences and employment. Te Hāo Mātauranga works with youth to provide pathway support, youth services, and coordinates the Kaikōura Youth Council to ensure youth voice in community decision-making. It also works with the wider community by managing shared spaces and delivering a range of youth development and outdoor leadership programmes.
No referral required
Te Hui Amorangi o Te Waipounamu
Te Hui Amorangi o Te Waipounamu is the Anglican Māori Diocese serving the South Island, Stewart Island and Chatham Islands of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and also serves Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne of Australia. It is one of five Hui Amorangi which comprise Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa, the Tikanga Māori branch of the Anglican Church of New Zealand.
No referral required
Te Hurihanga ō Rangitahi The Youth Hub
Youth Hub Christchurch is New Zealand's first purpose built Youth Hub, at 109 Salisbury Street in the central city. The Hub alongside partner organisations, based at the hub or within the wider community provides everything Christchurch's young people need to enhance and maintain their mental, emotional and physical well-being, supported housing, health and support services, opportunities for recreation and creativity, advocacy, connection, spaces for meetings, study, creativity and performance arts and fun. Support and activities may be provided by partner organisations.
The Youth Hub has multiple organsitions based at the hub, regular users and connected organisations. Each organisation has their own referral sysytem, but the Hub staff can help connect you to the right organisations.
Te Ora Hou Ōtautahi
Te Ora Hou Ōtautahi is a community led organisation grounded in Kaupapa Māori values, combining culture, faith, and education to inspire positive change. The organisation works to empower rangatahi, their whānau, and communities through a holistic approach that strengthens personal growth, cultural identity, and spiritual well-being. The organisation offers services including alternative education, rangatahi leadership initiatives, and whānau support services.
No referral required
Te Poutama Ārahi Rangatahi
Te Poutama Ārahi Rangatahi is a Christchurch-based, integrated therapeutic residential treatment programme for boys aged 12-18 with at-risk behaviour. It provides therapy, education and day-to-day care to help young people understand their behaviour. Referrals are made through Oranga Tamariki.
Specialist referral only
Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust
Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust is committed to upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi in promoting the whānau ora (wellbeing) of all New Zealanders, with a particular focus on Māori, women and whānau. The Trust supports whānau with tamariki aged three to five and a half years old in finding early childhood education options that fit their needs, working alongside whānau to plan, visit centres and support regular attendance. Programmes also include Whānau Mai, an antenatal education programme grounded in te ao Māori, and Poipoia te Mokopuna, which supports whānau as first kaiako in their tamariki's early learning journey.
Self-referral
Te Puna Oranga
Te Puna Oranga delivers kaupapa Māori youth programmes that strengthen identity, life skills, and confidence through culturally grounded, hands-on learning. Programmes such as Wāhine Whakaoho and Te Rapu Mātua Wāhine support young women to grow self-worth, relationships and leadership. Whakatokia te Kākano ō te Hā and Hine Titama focus on prevention, wellbeing, decision-making and emotional resilience for rangatahi. Youth can also access Equine Therapy, using guided interaction with horses to support healing and trauma recovery.
Referral may apply
Te Puna Oranga Incorporated
Te Puna Oranga is an urban-based community service provider in Christchurch, rooted in kaupapa and tikanga Māori, delivering responsive and culturally appropriate services to Māori whānau of all ages. They provide holistic, whānau-centred support including free counselling, social services support, integrated safety response, a 24/7 sexual violence crisis response line, youth mentoring, and kaumātua services.
Referral may apply
Te Rūnanga o Ngā Maata Waka
Te Rūnanga o Ngā Maata Waka is an urban Māori organisation founded to represent and uplift Māori living away from their ancestral iwi and rohe. The organisation provides people-centred Education, health, housing, social services, and wellbeing support grounded in kaupapa Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It is a provider of Oranga Tamariki's Transition to Adulthood service, supporting rangatahi aged 18-21 leaving care through goal-led planning, life skills, accommodation, and risk management. Te Rūnanga o Ngā Maata Waka also delivers private education programmes, financial capability services, and driving Education to support independence, resilience, and long-term wellbeing for whānau and communities.
Referral may apply
Te Tahi Youth
Te Tahi Youth is a not-for-profit organisation providing free, accessible support for rangatahi in Ōtautahi, guided by a Board of Trustees passionate about youth wellbeing. The organisation delivers youth-friendly health services, including a dedicated GP practice, mental health support, youth work, and employment and transition-to-adulthood support. Te Tahi Youth works holistically with rangatahi and whānau, ensuring young people are seen, heard, respected, and supported when they need it.
Self-referral
Te Whare Hauora
Te Whare Hauora Ōtautahi Women's Refuge is a kaupapa Māori organisation providing safe, holistic and culturally grounded support for wāhine Māori, their tamariki, rangatahi and whānau affected by family and intimate partner violence in Canterbury. The service offers crisis support, supported living accommodation, whānau support, outreach, prevention and kaupapa Māori education, walking alongside whānau at their own pace toward safety, wellbeing and independence.
Self-referral
Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury Youth Advisory
The Youth Advisory Council is a group of young people who want to make the public health system better for young people in Waitaha. They believe there is plentiful room for improvement in the youth sector of the health system, particularly addressing the lack of representation for 12-24 year olds. Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Youth Advisory Council consists of members from all walks of life who have their own experiences in the health system and a shared drive to listen, advocate and improve it for the next generation of rangatahi. The group gathers monthly to meet, share food, good banter, and work on ideas and mahi for their projects.
Self-referral
Te Whiri Ora Right Service Right Time
Te Whiri Ora Right Service Right Time is a coordinated approach that supports the wellbeing of tamariki, rangatahi and whānau by connecting them to the right services at the right time. The model creates a network of psycho-social supports to identify needs early and respond in a streamlined, cohesive way. Practice is guided by Te Whare Tapa Whā and other wellbeing theories, ensuring a holistic, strengths-based, and whānau-centred approach.
Self-referral
The Kind Foundation
The Kind Foundation provides a broad range of activities and services to all ages, backgrounds, genders, faiths and cultures, with income re-invested into programmes and services that are subsidised or free. They work to break down financial, cultural, physical and social barriers to participation to be more inclusive and accessible. Their work focuses on creating connections between people and communities, with a positive impact on people's lives, the social system and the environment. They also offer diverse volunteering opportunities focused on hands-on experience, personal development and community impact.
No referral required
The Y Central South Island
The Y has been making positive things happen for the region's rangatahi since 1917, delivering strengths- and evidence-based programmes grounded in Positive Youth Development at no or minimal cost. The Y works across South and Mid Canterbury and North Otago, providing youth development programmes in schools and communities, Education and training pathways, and support-to-employment initiatives. Their mahi includes youth mentoring, resilience and wellbeing programmes, rainbow support, NEET services, and active recreation initiatives.
Self-referral
Tī Wana Services
Tī Wana Services is a kaupapa Māori service dedicated to identifying and implementing solutions that empower Māori communities to thrive. It celebrates key kaupapa through social connection, meaningful engagement, and by addressing gaps so whānau receive the support and resources they need.
Referral may apply
Tokona Te Raki
Tokona Te Raki uses social innovation to achieve equity in education, employment, and income for Māori, empowering rangatahi to turn their aspirations into action. Through the Mō Āpōpō Future-Makers initiative, young people are supported to think creatively, understand systems, work collectively, and turn dreams into real-life outcomes using Māori perspective and storytelling.
Referral may apply














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