Video Conferencing Services - Video Conferencing is now available at all Parent to Parent regional offices








Click Here for information relating to Launch of Parent to Parent video conferencing from
Minister Luamanuvao Winnie Laban (source www.beehive.govt.nz)


Parent to Parent New Zealand
Launch of Stage 1
Video Conferencing Network

17 August 2007 - Overview


Hamilton - Brian Gempton, President Waikato Region

Parent to Parent welcome the opportunity to partner with TelePaediatric Service and the Starship Foundation in a project which will see all Parent to Parent offices linked through video conferencing. We are extremely fortunate to be the recipient of equipment for 5 of our regional offices, in the first stage of the project, and see the huge potential that the Video Conferencing technology will have on providing our service to families who have children with disabilities and health impairments.

The equipment for the first stage has been generously financed by a private donor, with operational costs funded through the Government’s Digital Strategy initiative. It is hoped that further funding from the Government will be received to complete the roll out of the technology to our remaining regional offices in 2008.


Auckland - Left to right - Peter Campbell, National President Parent to Parent-
His worship the Mayor of Auckland City, Dick Hubbard - Anne Wilkinson, CEO Parent to Parent.

Parent to Parent is a national organisation with its national office based in Hamilton and 10 regional offices spread throughout the country. We provide a matching and information service to parents who have children with disabilities. Support is provided by connecting a family with a trained volunteer Support Parent whose child has the same or similar condition. We also provide user friendly information about the child’s condition, run workshops, information seminars and various programmes to support parents and the non-disabled siblings within the family.

Families seeking support through Parent to Parent will have access to volunteer Support Parents from other areas of New Zealand using the network. The technology will also enable us to provide parents throughout the country with an opportunity to connect with other families, informally for mutual support.

We seek to empower parents by providing them with the support, information and tools, which will enable them to handle the challenges associated with parenting a child with disabilities more effectively. A key part of the empowerment process hinges on parents and professionals establishing a good working relationship. The digital technology will enable Parent to Parent to provide opportunities to families in more rural or isolated areas, to access specialist advice and information from professionals located in larger centres, as well as opportunities to connect with visiting overseas experts on their child’s condition. Families throughout the country would have access to workshops/conferences within their region through the network.

Parent to Parent staff and volunteers are situated throughout New Zealand, from Kaitaia to Invercargill. Offices are staffed by part time staff who are supported by National Office. Twice a year Parent to Parent holds organisational training for staff and volunteers and the CEO visits each area annually for 1 on 1 training and support.

The digital network will give Parent to Parent the tools to enhance supervision and support by allowing staff to connect with each other and to national office staff on a regular basis and at minimal cost. Additional group training will be delivered from National Office for staff who will access it at their regional offices.


Hamilton - Left to Right - Nanette Pulman, Mike Pulman - Martin Gallagher MP, Dianne Yates, Sue Maroney, David Bennett MP, in front Mike Pulman - and Laura Langman

Applications for External Use are:

    • Parents supporting other Parents in different national locations
    • Parents receiving voluntary training across the country by one facilitator
    • Rural and Isolated areas can connect with a variety of services and people not in their local community
    • Consultations at Starship hospital and others for out of town families
    • Help Parents develop relationships with Professionals
    • Seek specialist advice
    • Connecting parents and other professionals with visiting overseas professionals and seeking specialist advice
    • Workshops/Conferences through the network

Applications for Internal Use are:

    • Enhancing team communications
    • Enhance supervision with Managers
    • Additional training uses, and more frequent training uses
    • Recording seminars, conferences for library reference

Benefits

Families

    • Families in rural or isolated areas will have access to medical professionals, both nationally and internationally that they might not otherwise have had.
    • Face to Face meetings and support from trained volunteer Support Parents around the country who have been through a similar life experience. Parents will feel less isolated and better able to cope with raising a child with a disability.
    • Access to information through Parent to Parent workshops/training & Conferences
    • Parents will feel empowered and better able to function in the wider community

Community

    • Community organisations will have access to the equipment and will be able to enhance their own communications with individuals and other organisations

Parent to Parent

    • Parent to Parent internal communications enhanced
    • Team building
    • Less frequent travel required with associated down time and loss of productivity


Auckland - Cyril Talbot - opening Karakia

To find out more about using this service please contact your nearest Parent to Parent Video Conferencing office.

Parent to Parent Video Conferencing Location & Contact details

Whangarei
150B Bank St
ph 09 438 0066 Toll Free 0508 236 236
Email:northland@parent2parent.org.nz

Auckland
c/- CCS Royal Oak, 14 Erson Ave, Royal Oak, Auckland
ph 09 625 5021
Email:auckland@parent2parent.org.nz

Hamilton
28 Dinsdale Rd, Dinsdale, Hamilton
ph 07 848 1362 Toll Free 0508 236 236
Email:waikato@parent2parent.org.nz

Rotorua
1115 Haupapa St
ph 07 346 3231 Toll Free 0508 236 236
Email:centrallakes@parent2parent.org.nz

Palmerston North
3rd Floor, 151 The Square
ph 06 355 0787
Email:manawatu@parent2parent.org.nz

Wellington
8 Gough St, Seaview
ph 04 569 9398
Email:wellington@parent2parent.org.nz

Nelson
50 Halifax St
ph 03 546 8973
Email:nelson@parent2parent.org.nz

Christchurch
3rd Floor , 141 Hereford St Christchurch
ph 03 365 3239
Email:christchurch@parent2parent.org.nz

Invercargill
46 Kelvin Street, Invercargill
ph 03 214 3179
Email:southland@parent2parent.org.nz

National Office - Hamilton
25 Claudelands Rd, Claudelands, Hamilton
ph 07 853 8491 ph 0508 236 236
Email:national@parent2parent.org.nz

Coastal BOP
Historic Village, 17th Ave, Tauranga PH 07 578 0222 Toll Free 0508 236 236.
Email coastalbop@parent2parent.org.nz

Dunedin
Ph 03 470 1086, Toll Free 0508 236 236,Level 1 365 Princess St, Dunedin.
Email otago@altogetherautism.org.nz

Phase 2 completing the network of all Parent to Parent sites -
launched at the end of June

VIDEO CONFERENCING NETWORK CONNECTING FAMILIES WITH DISABILITIES AND HEALTH IMPAIRMENTS, MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS, AND COMMUNITIES TOGETHER – PHASE 2 LAUNCHED

Parent to Parent New Zealand, a national disability support network, is pleased to announce the completion of its Video Conferencing (VC) network. Parent to Parent is a 25 year old not-for-profit organisation which provides families with support, information and tools to enable them to manage the many challenges associated with parenting a child with a disability, special need or health impairment.

The first stage of the VC network was launched in August 2007. The installation of the final seven units over recent months means that the technology is now available nation-wide at Parent to Parent offices in:

  • Whangarei
  • Auckland
  • National Office (Hamilton)
  • Hamilton (Waikato Regional Group)
  • Tauranga
  • Rotorua
  • Manawatu
  • Wellington
  • Nelson
  • Christchurch
  • Dunedin
  • Invercargill

Partnering with the Starship Foundation and the NZ TelePaediatric Service, the new VC technology has enabled Parent to Parent to help mitigate the isolation many families feel when a child has been diagnosed with a disability or health impairment. It has also provided improved access to a variety of key services for families.

The VC network has already provided a number of new benefits for families requiring support. This includes having access to Parent to Parent workshops and specialist speakers, conferences, and being able to communicate face to face with Support Parents.

Video Conferencing is an important tool in the empowerment process facilitated by Parent to Parent for families. Video Conferencing technology enables families to access specialist advice from professionals located in larger centres. It also gives parents a chance to connect with overseas experts on their child’s condition.

The project has received operational funding through the Government’s Community Partnership Plan, as well as a generous financial contribution from private donor, Helen Henderson. During the second stage of the project, the Central Otago Pinot Noir Charitable Trust has also come on board to provide funds for a VC unit in Dunedin.

Guest speakers at the latest launch will include Dr Jan Scown, Director for the Office for Disability Issues, Starship Foundation Chief Executive Andrew Young, Simon Hayden, CEO of New Zealand TelePaediatrics Service, and Helen Henderson.

Julie Van Dam a Parent to Parent, volunteer Support Parent will talk about her own personal experience using the VC and Olympian and Atlantic Rowing race champion Rob Hamill will MC the event from the new VC site in Dinsdale, Hamilton.

Parents and community organisations are invited to use the equipment to enhance their own communications and enquiries regarding use can be made to email: national@parent2parent.org.nz or by phoning 0508 236 236.

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