OUR SERVICE PERFORMANCE
110
People or tangata whaikaha receiving residential care services supported by Whaikaha and Te Whatu Ora
33
People or tangata whaikaha receiving residential and transitional rehabilitation care supported by ACC
1084
Hours of Supported Independent Living support to people in the community
857
Nights of Respite Care supporting people and their whānau in Wellington and Canterbury
12%
Proportion of residential clients or tangata whaikaha identifying as Māori
1,372
Total attendance of people or tangata whaikaha in supported community activities
9,682
Total attendance of people or tangata whaikaha in in-house group activity programmes
2,172
Total volunteer hours contributed by the community
991
Total volunteer shifts completed by the community
111
Attachment, parenting, and connection groups for our young parents
66
Tamariki enroled at early learning service Little Owls Preschool
6
Pregnancy and parenting education groups (10 week) delivered supporting young parents and their whānau
89%
Percentage of Ministry of Education–funded hours for tamariki enrolled at the centre
$33,390
Equity funding support for subsidised whānau enrolment
40
Young parents received individual social work supported by Oranga Tamariki
40
Rangatahi clients supported in their reintegration journey in the Rangatahi Tumanako prosocial mentoring programme
25
Reintegration Team supported rangatahi clients who have offended in partnership programme with Ara Poutama
119
Clients supported through the Secondary School Adventure Therapy programme
69
Young people received group support including Eating Awareness, brief intervention adventure therapy and Alcohol and Other Drug groups
4,105
Client contacts for young people who received mental health counselling for needs including alcohol and drugs, eating disorders, depression and anxiety
22%
Turnover of permanent staff across all services
75%
Of Strategic Plan Key Initiatives achieved
$220,000
Grant funding support from non-government funders to enhance and extend services.
89.8%
Occupancy rate for all residential care facilities
80.2%
Values actively embedded in our work and the way we work together
82.4%
Staff perception of an inclusive environment that respects diversity
Karakia
Ka tau te mauri a Io
Ka rere te mauri a Io
Me ona hua whakatutaka
Hua kawari, kakama, tapu kaha rawa
Io matua, Io matua kore, Io pukeka, Io korete whiwhia
Io mua, Io waiora, Io matawaI
Tuturu mai kia whakamaua
Kia tina! Tina! Haumi e! Hui e! Taiki e!
Celebrating Resilience and Strength
The past year has shown us that even in times of change, strength and hope endure.
Shifts in government funding priorities for Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Children, Ara Poutama Department of Corrections, and through the Independent Review of Disability Support Services required us to adapt with innovation and courage, while remaining committed to Hiranga, Excellence. The leadership of our organisation, from governance to executive leaders, service leaders, through to service teams and volunteers, ensured that we stayed focused on what matters most, the people we support. They are at the very heart of our work and the way we support them is the true measure of our Mission.
Pope Francis reminded us that “hope does not disappoint”, his words reflecting the very core of our work. Hope is not fragile, nor is it an abstract idea. It is grounded in the daily reality of people who keep believing and striving. Hope grows when we walk alongside others, especially in times of challenge, and when we remain faithful to the dignity of every person.
Hope is the thread that carries us forward. Grounded in our Catholic heritage, hope is more than optimism. It is the belief that new life and possibility can emerge even in adversity. We see hope in the tamariki at Little Owls Preschool, nurtured to grow in confidence through early childhood education and learning. We see it in the rangatahi at Waipuna who leave our programmes ready to reconnect with whānau and build purposeful lives. And we see it in our tāngata whaikaha, who tell us they feel respected, included, and supported to live full lives. These are not abstract ideals. They are everyday realities that show our Mission at work.
Our staff embody this Mission with an enduring commitment. In quiet, everyday moments and at critical turning points, they walk alongside people in ways that uphold dignity and spark hope. Their compassion, professionalism and resilience have shone in a year that has demanded much. They are supported by the steady leadership of our managers and service leads, who guide their teams with clarity and courage. Together they bring to life the values we hold close. Manaakitanga - Hospitality, Aroha - Compassion, Whakaute - Respect, Tika - Justice, and Hiranga - Excellence. These values are not abstract statements. They are lived each day and are visible throughout our services.
We are also sincerely grateful for the leadership of our Board of Trustees, who have steadied us through this period of change. We are deeply grateful for our philanthropic funders and partners, including Te Rangatahi Tūmanako Trust, Rātā Foundation, the Eliza White Charitable Trust, the Maurice Carter Charitable Trust and the Lottery Grants Board.
Their sustained commitment, alongside the generosity of other philanthropic funders, enables us to be innovative with our service offerings, has assisted us to measure our impact, and keep serving our communities when the environment is challenging.
Looking ahead, our Strategic Plan 2025+ expresses an ambition that grows out of the lives of the people we serve. It challenges us to deepen our impact so that hope, dignity, and opportunity, are not the privilege of a few but the inheritance of all. With courage, aroha and integrity, we will continue to walk alongside people and communities, helping to shape a future where every life is valued, and every moment matters. Kei a mātou tērā i tō mahi.
Ngā mihi mahana,
Sarah Hillier
Chief Executive Officer
Welcome from Board Chair
The past year has again shown how deeply our communities need and appreciate our support, and how determined our teams are to stand alongside people as we help them to work toward dignity, justice, and the common good.
Our aspiration to increase our impact is best reflected in the organisation’s latest strategic plan. The Board sees great potential in the resources and capabilities that the organisation has built and are encouraged by ambition of our goals and the structured approach to delivering on them.
As we develop, our service to community increasingly reflects a model of Catholic Social Teaching in action. Stewardship and service to a common good underpin so much of our work and this is what drives our programmes and our people. Our unique Mission guides our vision towards achieving peace and justice, aiming to uphold dignity for those in greatest need. We are grateful for the support and prayer from the Catholic community in Aotearoa who support our work.
We were very fortunate to be able to welcome a visit from Chair of Trustees Neville Owen AM KSCG, Board Chair Hon Kerry Sandserson AC CVO, Board member Professor Peter Bremner, and CEO Bryan Pyne. I know they enjoyed the opportunity to get a first-hand understanding of the work we do, and they were all very complimentary of the mahi of our teams. We value and appreciate the ongoing support of SJGHC which is so important in the delivery of the vital services we delivery in our communities.
Thank you also to my fellow Board members who continue to deliver a high level of skill and capability in the governance of this organisation. We welcome Rebecca Cattermole as the new representative of St John of God Health Care. I would also like to acknowledge Deputy Chair Tim Burns, who stepped after nine years, having reached our tenure limit, of very good service to the Board.
Without our teams, we simply could not operate in the way that we do. Everyone has a part to play in ensuring we maintain the highest of standards, and I admire the aspiration I so often see in being determined to keep improving. A big thank you to Sarah for her continuing compassionate and visionary leadership, but I know she would be the first to acknowledge that it is the efforts of all of you that collectively ensure that every moment does indeed matter. I again extend my thanks to our long-serving GM Finance Warren Murphy, we wish him a long and happy retirement.
Without consistent performance and a stable and improving balance sheet, we cannot expect support from our various funding sources, as we look to expand and enhance our offering. The community need continues to grow as we must if we are to be a part of the solution.
While we do not exist to generate profits, we must have a focus on responsible financial stewardship to ensure we can sustainably continue to support our communities. In a very difficult and changing funding environment, the bottom-line result was pleasing.
Pope Leo XIV reflected in his inaugural speech that in challenging times, the Church must look for ways to build bridges and encourage dialogue with open arms, to “all those who are in need of our charity, our presence, our readiness to dialogue and our love.” I am proud of what has been achieved this year and confident that, with our staff, partners and supporters, St John of God Hauora Trust will continue to serve future generations with compassion, courage, and integrity.
Ngā mihi,
Peter Jensen
Board Chair
Our Healing Mission
Our Mission is to continue the healing mission of Jesus, supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. Our five core values of Manaakitanga, Aroha, Whakaute, Tika and Hiranga continue to shape our workforce and the way we collaborate to support the people we work alongside every day.
Growing our Kawa & Tikanga
Karakia ki te Waka a Tama-Rereti
Ka noho au ki ruka i te tuara o te tohora i te Raki
Ka titiro atu au ka tini maha turama a Ikaroa
Ko Te Paepae a Matariki i tua ko
Rehua i muri, ko Takurua i raro, ko Autahi te Ariki o te Raki i ruka
Takitiritia ra ka ha o ratou ki
Ruka i te Irarakata, kai raro i te
whenua a Papatuanuku
Ko tu, ko tu i tu ha e!
Tuturu mai kia whakamaua
Kia Tina! Tina!
Haumi e! Hui e! Taiki e!
Over the past year, we have guided our kaupapa in giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, supporting Māori kaimahi and whaiora through culturally informed services. This work has involved collaboration with leadership, the board and staff across sites to foster a genuine partnership grounded in Te Tiriti.
Staff have been encouraged to engage with pepeha at their own pace, connecting with ancestral landmarks and understanding of their whakapapa. This process has nurtured cultural identity and encouraged the development of safe spaces where tikanga Māori is prioritised, particularly during inductions, with mihi whakatau and daily karakia across our sites.
To further support Te Tiriti initiatives, a noho marae for the end of 2025, offering staff and whānau a cultural experience designed to strengthen understanding and development. We continue to collaborate with our General Manager of Communication and Marketing to ensure the ongoing brand review integrates cultural storytelling, preserve core cultural elements, and reflect our organisational identity.
Looking ahead, Matua will support an organisational cultural review that will be undertaken in coming year. This review will assess organisation policies, staff and client representation, and opportunities for cultural development, while evaluating staff awareness of Tikanga Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Findings will inform professional development, strengthen organisational culture, and ensure our services continue to honour the communities we serve.
Ngā mihi nui,
Henare Te Karu
Kaumatua
E Te Whānau o Hoani Tapu o Te Atua Whakawhirinaki Hauora Aotearoa
The journey of Saint John of God in healing others
The story of St John of God began with one person responding to human need with courage, compassion and creativity. Centuries later, those same impulses continue to shape who we are and how we serve. Our mission reminds us that care is never just a service, it is a relationship built on respect, trust, and the belief that every person has inherent worth.
This year we have seen that mission come to life in many ways. In our Health and Ability Services, staff have continued to walk alongside our residents and clients as they define what living well looks like for them. The implementation of new tools like eCase has strengthened the way we listen and respond, helping us to build care that is truly person-centred. Across Waipuna, our work with young people and families has continued to create pathways toward stability and confidence, even as funding and policy settings change. Whether through adventure-based therapy, mentoring, or parenting support, we have continued to see growth happen when people are met with patience and belief in their potential.
Our renewed focus on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the development of cultural understanding across our sites is also part of this same story. The growing presence of karakia, pepeha and mihi whakatau expresses our commitment to honour the identity of every person and the communities we serve. It is another way our mission finds real, contemporary meaning.
The launch of our Strategic Plan 2025+ marks an important step in how we live this mission together. Its five pou, sustainable futures, client journey, empowered staff, integrated systems, and mission impact, give us a clear and practical framework for turning values into action. They remind us that being mission-driven means being accountable: measuring impact, supporting our people to flourish, and stewarding our resources wisely so that our mission can continue for generations to come.
What stands out most each year are the people who carry this mission forward. Our staff, volunteers, and partners often work quietly, yet their impact is profound. Their everyday actions, their compassion and their commitment, are what give our mission its real strength.
As we look ahead, we do so with confidence in the path we are building together. The work of the St John of God Hauora Trust is not defined by buildings or programmes alone, but by the spirit of service that runs through them. In a time of change, our mission remains both anchor and compass, guiding us to respond to need with compassion, to work in partnership, and to keep hope at the centre of all we do.
Ngā mihi,
Jason McTague
General Manager Mission Integration
Performance Report 2025
