Supergrans 10th Anniversary

Wainoni Family Centre
Hampshire Street
Christchurch

Thank you for the invitation to be here today. I bring apologies from the Prime Minister, who would have liked to be here today to celebrate this important occasion. I acknowledge Ron Mark, a colleague from NZ First, and I bring greetings from my colleagues Tim Barnett & Clayton Cosgrove, but especially from Ruth Dyson, who as Minister for Senior Citizens would have been here if she could have been.

It is a real pleasure and indeed a privilege to be invited to say a few words on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary celebrations of such a wonderful organisation that is providing such important grassroots support in the community where it is needed. Although I wasn't the MP for ChCh East when Christchurch Supergrans began its work, I was a Christchurch list MP and very much aware of the significance of what Supergrans had to offer.

I am pleased that Alister James, Chairperson of the Supergrans Board, and Zoe Manley, the Supergrans Manager, have already acknowledged the presence of Ann Stokes the person who founded Christchurch Supergrans. Her efforts were recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List this year and I would like to invite everyone here to applaud her achievements with me.

As an MP, I see the reality that my constituents face on a daily basis and although things have improved dramatically over the past 7 years, particularly in this area with the combination of the restoration of income related rents and the Working for Families package, there are still gaps that I firmly believe governments cannot fill.

Parenting skills, household budgeting, time management and housekeeping skills. We are not born with them, but we all need to learn them.

Sometimes we are thrust into a situation where we cannot readily learn them and if Mum and Gran are not at hand, then where do we get the support we need? Strong families are the product of strong communities and that is where Supergrans play such a key role.

What if we are feeling down, because life has got very hard and there are kids to look after? What if we haven't picked up some of those basic cooking and sewing skills? (Even I can sew a hem on a skirt that has come down or put a button back on a shirt – I could probably darn a sock if the need arose, but I owe that one to Girl Guides.)

What if I have some budget recipes, but I don't know how to read well enough to follow them through? What if I cannot get the kids to bed at night and then get them up in the morning to get to school on time? That list of 'what ifs' can be overwhelming if it's cumulative – and then it's the little thing that becomes the last straw that broke the camel's back.

A Supergran has the ability to step into a home like this and help the family put its life in order; one step at a time. The fact that Supergrans are volunteers makes their contribution even more significant. It is truly an act of giving that their time and effort represents; so today is also a day to acknowledge and thank the Supergrans themselves for 10 years of public service and devotion to the community.

Supergrans as an organisation has devoted itself to meeting the needs of the community by not only building skills, but also encouraging the self-esteem that is necessary for these families to take charge of their lives. The goal Supergrans sets itself is enabling others to make the most of the resources and finances available to them, by giving guidance and tuition that gives them confidence and skills that are of practical value in the home.

Another aspect of Supergrans' success, which is a problem for the organisation, is that because the Supergrans are so well-trained, they become highly employable and many a Supergran has been snaffled up by employers, who know the quality of the experience they have had here.

Before finishing it is important to get a picture of the significance of the contribution Supergrans makes to our city. In this year alone, 192 families have benefited from in-home programmes; 384 students have enrolled in 7 courses; 15 programmes have been taken out into wider parts of the community including the prisons, high schools and the military camp teaching people financial budgeting and budget cooking skills.

But these are statistics. Behind the numbers are real people. And I want to acknowledge the clients who shared their stories on the video presentation. You inspire us all with your courage; because it does take courage to be so open about the challenges that you face. Well done.

So on behalf of the families that you have enabled to develop their potential and on behalf of the communities that are strengthened by your engagement with those families and on behalf of the government, which cannot do what you do, thank you Supergrans. Congratulations for 10 years of commitment that goes beyond the call of duty. I remember reading once that a volunteer was someone who gave their time for free; not because it was worthless but because it was priceless. And that sums up Supergrans in a single word – priceless.