Social services are working more and more collaboratively to deliver services to New Zealanders. This occurs throughout the sector, from frontline NGOs delivering services on behalf of multiple agencies, all the way to agencies and Ministries in Wellington working together to find new solutions.
This is based on the recognition that addressing complex social issues is rarely the responsibility of a single agency – health affects education affects employment affects justice and around in a circle again.
To help people working in the sector – from Wellington to the frontline – this document outlines the wide range and scope of activities that are occurring in the social sector. It provides a single overarching picture of what is happening across New Zealand, taking time to highlight new approaches, good cross agency collaboration, and particular success stories.
Improving understanding of the social sector will support stakeholders to help individuals, families and whānau into the right services at the right time.
This document has been developed collectively by staff from the Ministries of Social Development, Health, Education, Justice, Business Innovation and Employment, the New Zealand Police, the Department of Corrections, Te Puni Kōkiri, and the Accident Compensation Corporation.