TAONGA Education Centre Charitable Trust: Supporting Young Families & Strengthening Our Community
Wiri is not all about industry; we are lucky to have some amazing organisations operating within our business district. TAONGA Education Centre Charitable Trust has quietly become one of South Auckland’s most vital organisations supporting teenage mamas and their pēpi. WiriLink sat down with CEO, Charlene Watene to chat about what TAONGA does and how they support the wider Wiri community.
For more than two decades, TAONGA has been working alongside some of South Auckland’s most vulnerable young families, helping them build skills, confidence and stability during what can be the most challenging period of their lives.
Originally established over 20 years ago, TAONGA was part of the first Teen Parent Unit in Aotearoa, created to support teenage mothers to stay engaged in education while caring for their babies.
“TAONGA Education originally was set up for teenage mothers and their babies to get them back to school. This kaupapa is still at the heart of what we do” says Charlene.
One of TAONGA’s most critical services is its residential programme. The home provides 24/7 support for up to six teenage mothers and their newborn babies who are facing challenges such as homelessness, addiction, family violence, or extreme vulnerability. For many, it is the first time they have experienced stability and consistent care.
“We bring these young mamas into a space where they can breathe. We go right back to basics – how to cook a nutritious meal, how to create routines for their baby, how to use a washing machine. A lot of them haven’t had that kind of role modelling.”
The residential programme is intentionally transitional, with stays ranging from a few weeks to longer-term placements depending on individual needs.
“The less input from us, the better – it means we’re doing our job. We don’t want to create dependency; we want to set them up, so they don’t need us.”
TAONGA works closely with a wide network of community and social service partners, including health providers, social workers, and other local organisations. These partnerships ensure young parents are connected to ongoing support once they leave TAONGA’s care.
“Our role is to give teenage māmā the skills to advocate for themselves and their pēpi. It’s not a skill that many of them have, so we teach them how.”
Despite declining teen pregnancy rates, the need for TAONGA’s services remains strong. While numbers have decreased, the complexity of need has increased, with young parents often facing layered challenges including mental health issues, trauma, addiction, and domestic violence.
“We’re not dealing with volume anymore; we’re dealing with complexity – layer upon layer.”
TAONGA delivers antenatal education programmes and postnatal support, supporting young parents to navigate pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood. These programmes are offered free of charge and have increasingly become a point of referral not just for teenagers, but for adults who are unable to access other services.
“We made the decision to take any referral in. We thought it’s better that first time parents get education about their bodies and what to expect, regardless of age.”
While education remains central, TAONGA’s services have grown significantly in response to community need. Today, the organisation delivers a holistic model of care, combining early childhood education, social services, antenatal and postnatal support, and residential care for vulnerable young mothers.
At the core of TAONGA’s work are six early childhood education centres, five in South Auckland and another in Mt Eden, attached to the Teen Parent Unit at Auckland Girls’ Grammar School. One of the centres in South Auckland is attached to the Teen Parent Unit at Te Haikura A Kiwa. These centres provide safe, nurturing environments where pēpi can thrive while their young parents continue their education, work, or training.
“The early childhood centres really blossomed. All the pēpi of students attending Auckland Girls Grammar and Te Haikura A Kiwa attend our centres, Eden Campus Learning Centre on Ngauruhoe St in Mt Eden and Pōtiki Early Childhood Centre on Palmers Road, Clendon Park, what we’re trying to do is normalise positive, uplifting environments for our tamariki from the very beginning.”
The organisation employs around 70 staff, many working in its early childhood centres, and has benefited from the generosity of local businesses through donations of furniture, linen, kai, baby supplies, practical support and financial donations
“We are so grateful for the kindness of businesses in this area. A lot of our young mothers arrive with nothing, and those donations go straight to them and their babies.”
Ultimately, TAONGA Education Centre Charitable Trust exists to strengthen families and in doing so, strengthen the wider community.
“Our aim is to enhance the confidence, skills and knowledge of our young parents so they can create thriving, successful lives for themselves and their tamariki” concludes Charlene.
If you would like to know more about TAONGA Education’s local daycares, visit: www.taonga.org.nz/centres. If you would like to donate baby items email ad***@********rg.nz.
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