HISTORY... from 1973 to 2006
Affinity Services Ltd is a newly registered Charitable Company and Charitable Trust established to provide specialized, recovery focused, client centred mental health and community development services which support the attainment of rich and fulfilled lives.
Affinity Services represents the amalgamation of two earlier entities of Baptist Mental Health and Te Korowai Aroha, who have served the New Zealand mental health sector for more than three decades.
In response to expressed need and in the face of high community resistance, the work first began in late 1973 as a joint venture between the Auckland Hospital Board, the Mt Albert Co-operating Parish (and later the Baptist City Mission) to provide residential facilities for people being discharged from psychiatric hospitals.
This initiative resulted in the opening of the first community mental health residential facility in either Australia or New Zealand signalling the beginning of a continuous 33 year long commitment to mental health.
After several years of partnership the Baptist City Mission established a dedicated mental health service, known as Baptist Mental Health. In 1993 the name “Te Korowai Aroha” was bestowed by Kaumatua who translated the meaning in both Māori and Christian contexts. In Māori culture, ‘te korowai aroha’ describing a cloak to shelter under, a refuge, a place to rest, revive, grow strong and restore to good health.
In the Christian context, the mantle of God’s grace providing unconditional love and hospitality to affirm the person, restore positive hope and aid recovery. “Te Korowai Aroha” and “Baptist Mental Health” came to be used almost synonymously until the late 1990’s when Baptist Action Trust - Te Korowai Aroha was formed.
Te Kaupapa
A strong and binding bicultural partnership developed between Māori and Pakeha and has continued over the years providing service users with opportunities to choose either mainstream or Kaupapa Māori Services. This identifies closely with Dr Mason Durie’s analogy; of two waka on a parallel course to the same destination. Acknowledging the risks and benefits of travelling together Māori and Pakeha share resources and shape an environment within which all people are given maximum support to fulfil their potential for recovery.
In 1999, Te Korowai Aroha became a Mental Health Commission best practice site for implementation of the Charles Rapp Strengths model - a revolutionary approach to supporting people who have experienced difficulties in their mental health. Staff, whanau and significant others work together to identify strengths, inspire hope and motivation, set goals and achieve greater enjoyment in life.
None of this work and development could have taken place without the support, encouragement and prayers of former and present Board members, dedicated staff and local churches.
November 2006
The Baptist Community is the only denomination which has provided such effective support for people with mental illness. A new journey has begun with the establishment of a Charitable Trust and Charitable Company Affinity Services. Honouring the Christian foundation laid down by our predecessors, it will continue to do the best it can to soften the effects of mental illness, raise people’s hopes for a return to full citizenship.
