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Learning together as people take the lead in their lives, creating new opportunities to connect within their communities.

Joining Together for Good

October 9, 2024
“This year is our ten-year anniversary since Tautoko Services and Options (in Community Living) joined forces. It has made me pause to reflect on the past 10 years from my perspective of starting up Options in 1997 and then being part of Tautoko.”
Tautoko and Options started around the same time 27 years ago, voluntarily merging in 2014. We had pragmatic reasons for merging because as small organisations, determined to put people we support at the centre of everything we do, we were vulnerable to market forces. Our key driver to coming together was so we could be more effective, creating a bigger impact by combining our resources, skills, and passions. Tautoko Services and Options both from their inception were led by their values to support positive change in people’s lives and communities.

Neighbourhood Connections

Tautoko services provided positive behaviour support in the lower North     upper South Island and the West Coast as well as a training and consultancy service. They developed Neighbourhood Connections, a Supported Living service in Nelson Marlborough. Options started as a Service Brokerage pilot in Palmerston North and then went on to provide individually tailored support across a range of government service contracts.  Following our merger we were able to draw from the strengths of both services,  and go on to create a fuller spectrum of community support across a   geographic spread.

We only needed to take a small leap of faith because we had a history of collaboration and we trusted we could work well together.  We had supported each other already in developing supported living practice and often shared resources.  In 2011, we invited Neighbourhood Connections to join us in a weeklong Helen Sandersons Associates training event.  This was the catalyst to developing our unique person-centred approach across the whole of our organisation, with people we support and our colleagues.

The merger was achieved on 1st July 2014 when Options legally became part of Tautoko Services. Jan Perkins continued in her position of CEO; the Chair of Options’ board, Marlene Anderson joined the Tautoko Board and the Options Board dissolved. What was special about this transition was two of our board members, Wiremu and Trieste Te Awe Awe, kāumatua for Rangitāne o Manawatū, travelled with Marlene to Mana to support her handover to the merging Tautoko Board.

We had a strong commitment to growing leadership skills of people choosing our support, inviting their skills and passions to contribute to the development of Options.  It was important to us that they were an integral part of shaping our future. Our peer led Options Media team assisted us with promoting our person-centred practice.

In July 2014, an Open Day was held at Options in Palmerston North to celebrate our merger.

In November, a two-day hui was held in Palmerston North with Neighbourhood Connections and Options sharing practices, projects, and future plans. The hui was opened with presentations from Options Media team providing a consumer perspective of what matters to them and how they can be best supported to contribute to their communities.

Our North Island services were extended to include Wairarapa and Kapiti and Wellington.

Neighbourhood Connections changed their name to Options.  At that time “Options” referred to our service arm and “Tactics” our training arm.

In 2017 we developed HSA New Zealand, celebrating in Wellington by launching the New Zealand version of Progress for Providers as well as presenting at a Supported Living Network conference – Embracing and Leading Change. Jessie and Gareth shared their One Page Profiles explaining how these had assisted them develop and direct their support. We soon introduced One Page Profiles for all Options team members.

We saw this as an important step in valuing and supporting people working for us and in embedding person-centred thinking for everyone in across our organisation.

Jan’s impending retirement was the factor that initiated our transition into a participatory and self-managing organisation in 2018. Jan recommended to the board that they did not replace the role of CEO when she reduced her days of work. Instead, the roles were redistributed between the then service leaders and we started to organise ourselves into teams and try out new processes that we were learning about.

From my perspective self-managing had the potential to address the following questions:

  • How do we keep our purpose and values alive as we grow?
  • How do we keep decision making closest to the people who the decision affects?
  • How can we make the most of everyone’s strengths and talents, supporting the development of leadership at all levels?
  • How can people who receive support lead our service/have a voice?

“One highlight for me personally, throughout these ten years, has been not having to hold the whole responsibility anymore and now being able to contribute as part of the team.”