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SkillWise

> Disability Support Services, Sport & Recreation, Wellbeing

The SkillWise Approach to Individualised Support

At SkillWise, their community team works with people to become active citizens in their communities. They work closely with you to set goals that matter to you—whether it’s joining a local gym, learning to drive, or other everyday achievements. The support is tailored to the person and their practice is guided by the Enabling Good Lives principles. This means they focus on what you want to achieve, supporting you to have ordinary life outcomes and live the life you want.

How SkillWise Works With You

Once you have joined SkillWise, they start by sitting down with you to understand your goals. This meeting is called a personal plan hui (meeting), and helps them learn what you want to work on. SkillWise will then match you with a Community Facilitator who has skills and experience the match your goal, for each goal, you may work with different Community Facilitator. Some examples of what support may look like include; if you want to start working out, they might help you choose the best gym, connect you with a personal trainer, and support you until you build a regular routine. The aim is to support you to feel confident and gain as much independence as possible.

The Flexible Disability Support team works alongside people with Enabling Good Lives budgets. Along with individualised supports, SkillWise is an organisation that hosts funds. If SkillWise hosts your funds, the Flexible Disability Support team will can support you with purchasing items that fit within the government guidelines, and help you live your day to day good life. This service aims to remove the admin from you and you’re family/whānau, and give you more control over your support.

Joining SkillWise and What to Expect

To join SkillWise, you should:

Have a Learning/intellectual disability/ies or health condition that is likely to impact you for a minimum of six months, creating barriers to participation and inclusion.
Be living in New Zealand, be a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident, or hold a work visa or have refugee status.
Be receiving the supported living or job seekers benefit from Work and Income (WINZ)

Once you apply, you will get an email confirming your request. While there is a waitlist, they keep in touch with regular updates. When it’s your turn, they'll be in contact to organise an initial hui (meeting) to see if SkillWise is right for you. Even if you join our waitlist, remember that SkillWise doesn’t have to be the only service you are connected with—SkillWise aims to work in collaboration with other organisations/supports and whānau to provide quality support to you.