Services:

• Older People
• Youth, Children & Families
• Mental Health
• Elder Care Canterbury

Who We Are

Mission Statement

Presbyterian Support (Upper South Island) is a Christian social service agency working for a just society.

Presbyterian Support is a true social service - it seeks to make our communities better places.

Meeting Needs for Almost a Century

Presbyterian Support started in Christchurch in 1908 as the Presbyterian Social Services Association, an offshoot from the organisation founded by Scots settlers in Dunedin in 1906. In the almost 100 years since then, it has adapted its work to the changing face of New Zealand society. It began with port chaplaincy and food services to new immigrants; provided orphanages between the wars; and converted the orphanages into homes for older people when requested to do so by the Government of the day. Gradually, as the welfare state eroded, it developed other essential responses: hospital chaplaincy; hostels for young Maori women coming to the city; residential services for broken families, children with intellectual disability, and people seeking to break free of alcoholism. Many of these services have been passed over to others to run, as Presbyterian Support moved on to break new ground, such as the development of counselling services, human relations education programmes, counselling training, a home for young mothers, and dementia day care.

Today, Presbyterian Support is adapting itself again. Recognising that the New Zealand family is in need of support, it seeks to move on from institutional or formal office-based services for people with identified problems towards providing support for the family itself. By promoting attitudes and behaviours which assist the family to work better, it hopes to prevent the need for the treatment services it has provided so well.

When young children are safe from violence, when the situation of older people is honoured and supported, and when all people of goodwill join in the task, then Presbyterian Support will know it has achieved its mission for today, and our communities will be better places.

The Organisation

Presbyterian Support (Upper South Island) is a charitable trust incorporated under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957.  It is one of seven autonomous organisations operating under the same name within New Zealand. It has its own board which determines its direction and is responsible for its work and assets. This board has 13 members, including the Chief Executive. Half the members are appointed by the four Presbyterian Church bodies in its region. The board members are Pat Edward (Chair), Don Church (Mid Canterbury), John McKean,  (representing the West Coast and Buller), Christine Darling, Mac Welsh, Beth Campbell (Nelson and Marlborough), Trish Matunga, Marg Bigsby, Bronwyn Welsh, John Simpson and Andrew Johnston.

Executive Staff

The Executive Director is reposnsible for the management of the organisation, which provides services based on regional offices in Nelson, Blenheim, Rangiora, Ashburton and Christchurch, as well as oversight of more than 250 staff and the same number of volunteers. An Executive Management Team, made up of corporate managers and the four regional managers, assists in this. 

Executive Management Team

Business Development Manager	Penny Taylor
Regional Manager (Nelson/Marlborough)	Chris Walsh
Regional Manager (North Canterbury)	Valda Reveley
Regional Manager (Christchurch)	Gaynor Duff
Regional Manager (Mid Canterbury)	Jackie Girvan

Finances

Funding for Presbyterian Support's work comes from a number of sources: Government contracts, fee income, grants and donations, legacies and investment income. In the current year, direct service income from Government contracts and fees amounts to $3.6 million, while expenditure is $4.9 million. The $1.3 million shortfall is supported by donated income and interest from investments. Without these, the work would need to be severely pruned and the ability to pioneer new activities would be removed.

Investments have grown over the year, due in part to the generosity of supporters, and also to the realisation of the homes previously used to provide institutional care for older people. These investments provide sustainable funding for the organisation's next 100 years.

Please see the Contact Us page for contact details.