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DRIVE Consumer Direction Counties Manukau
Mental Health Service, Addiction
Today
Description
DRIVE is a network for people who have lived or living experience of emotional distress or harm from alcohol or other drugs, and their whānau. All staff have lived experience. We support our people in their personal and professional development. Whatever stage of your recovery journey you're at, we can walk alongside you to identify what is available.
Staff
All DRIVE staff have lived experience. DRIVE is led by Zoë Collins who has a rich and varied history of lived experience to draw from as well as a solid foundation as a Senior Peer Support Specialist, and leader in her former role. She is supported by Ruth Cheeseman who has worked in the sector in a lived experience role since 2006 and was one of the first people trained by Counties Manukau Health. Ruth also facilitates Peer Employment Training. The third staff member is Andrew Blackburn who comes to DRIVE after many years working at Te Whatu Ora Waitemata.
Ages
Adult / Pakeke
How do I access this service?
Make an appointment
As we spend a lot of time in the community we ask that you make an appointment with us. We're happy to travel to your suburb to meet.
Website / App
Contact us
Fees and Charges Categorisation
Free
Fees and Charges Description
All support provided is free as we are fully funded by Te Whatu Ora Counties Manukau.
Hours
| Mon – Fri | 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM |
|---|
We are a mobile service
- Please make an appointment with a coordinator before coming to the office
- Contact us by text, email or use social media platforms.
Public Holidays: Closed Waitangi Day (6 Feb), Good Friday (18 Apr), Easter Sunday (20 Apr), Easter Monday (21 Apr), ANZAC Day (25 Apr), King's Birthday (2 Jun), Matariki (20 Jun), Labour Day (27 Oct).
Christmas: Closed 23 Dec — 10 Jan.
Languages Spoken
English
Programmes
DRIVE is a network for people with lived, or living, experience of emotional distress or harm from alcohol or other drugs and their whānau. All DRIVE staff are in recovery. Everything we do is free. The number one thing we do is navigate for our people. They might want to access counselling, an addiction service, a peer support group, or help with housing or Work and Income NZ. They might want to pursue a career or become a volunteer. We sit in the middle and let them know what's out there. In response to our peers' requests, we created a shared Google calendar because sometimes, they just want to keep busy and be surrounded by others who can relate to what they're going through. We also have two scholarships for our Recovery Camp and the Cutting Edge Conference. DRIVE's Recovery Camp is held every year in mid-March, we take forty network members to the Chosen Valley Christian Camp in Ararimu for a weekend of connection, fun and confidence-building. It is the highlight of our year. People arrive anxious and leave with at least one solid new friendship, if not several. And stories that they will be sharing for years. Campers are a mixture of people still engaged with services and people working in lived experience roles. We are all peers supporting each other at camp. Our other scholarship is to the Cutting Edge Conference. Cutting Edge is a bi-annual get-together for people working in the addiction sector in Aotearoa. If people are interested in working in the sector, we recommend they apply. You will be inspired by the passion, intrigued by the innovation, and warmed by the enthusiasm for lived experience in the sector. Our list of events is here. We are constantly updating this list, so we ask that our people save it on their browser and check it regularly to see if there's anything they're interested in joining. Click the title of the event you want to attend to be taken to a Google form to fill out. We will contact you within 7-days to let you know if you are registered, as some of our events fill up quickly.
DRIVE is a network for people with lived, or living, experience of emotional distress or harm from alcohol or other drugs and their whānau. All DRIVE staff are in recovery. Everything we do is free. The number one thing we do is navigate for our people. They might want to access counselling, an addiction service, a peer support group, or help with housing or Work and Income NZ. They might want to pursue a career or become a volunteer. We sit in the middle and let them know what's out there. In response to our peers' requests, we created a shared Google calendar because sometimes, they just want to keep busy and be surrounded by others who can relate to what they're going through. We also have two scholarships for our Recovery Camp and the Cutting Edge Conference. DRIVE's Recovery Camp is held every year in mid-March, we take forty network members to the Chosen Valley Christian Camp in Ararimu for a weekend of connection, fun and confidence-building. It is the highlight of our year. People arrive anxious and leave with at least one solid new friendship, if not several. And stories that they will be sharing for years. Campers are a mixture of people still engaged with services and people working in lived experience roles. We are all peers supporting each other at camp. Our other scholarship is to the Cutting Edge Conference. Cutting Edge is a bi-annual get-together for people working in the addiction sector in Aotearoa. If people are interested in working in the sector, we recommend they apply. You will be inspired by the passion, intrigued by the innovation, and warmed by the enthusiasm for lived experience in the sector. Our list of events is here. We are constantly updating this list, so we ask that our people save it on their browser and check it regularly to see if there's anything they're interested in joining. Click the title of the event you want to attend to be taken to a Google form to fill out. We will contact you within 7-days to let you know if you are registered, as some of our events fill up quickly.
- Programme Areas
Mental health, Addictions - drug & alcohol
- Programme Type
Peer support (AOD), Community / social support (AOD), Peer / advocacy / group / family whānau support, Community based support - mental health
- Regions
South Auckland, East Auckland
- Age Groups
Adult / Pakeke
- Referral Types
Self referral
Referral Process
We are a network not a service so people connect with us, they are not referred. Most people connect directly, others are brought to us by their support workers or whānau. We are funded to provide support to people who:
- have lived experience of emotional distress or harm from alcohol or other drugs - and their whānau,
- are aged 18-65 years
- live in the Counties Manukau region. Here is the map of the region or see below for more about this.
Please make an appointment to meet with a coordinator. There are only three of us and on any given day we could be in Pukekohe, Māngere or Howick.
We prefer to meet at a location within your suburb such as a local cafe or we can secure a private room in a community venue such as a library.
You can also access us through our social media pages: Facebook or Instagram.
Description
The number one thing we do is navigate for our people. They might want to access counselling, an addiction service, a peer support group, or help with housing or Work and Income NZ. They might want to pursue a career or become a volunteer.
We sit in the middle and let them know what's out there.
In response to our peers' requests, we created a shared Google calendar because sometimes, they just want to keep busy and be surrounded by others who can relate to what they're going through.
We also have two scholarships for our Recovery Camp and the Cutting Edge Conference. DRIVE's Recovery Camp is held every year in mid-March, we take forty network members to the Chosen Valley Christian Camp in Ararimu for a weekend of connection, fun and confidence-building. It is the highlight of our year.
People arrive anxious and leave with at least one solid new friendship, if not several. And stories that they will be sharing for years. Campers are a mixture of people still engaged with services and people working in lived experience roles. We are all peers supporting each other at camp.
Our list of events is here. We are constantly updating this list, so we ask that our people save it on their browser and check it regularly to see if there's anything they're interested in joining.
Recovery College NZ offers peer-led educational workshops that support the personal and professional development of people with lived experience. These workshops are available to anyone in the Counties Manukau community interested in enhancing their well-being. Workshops are typically held from 10am to 1pm, with some sessions aligning with community events like Pride Month, Youth Week, and Mental Health Awareness Week. For more information or assistance, feel free to contact a DRIVE Coordinator. Phone: (09) 263 6508 Email: hello@drivedirection.org.nz Website: https://drivedirection.org/resources/recovery-college-nz Our event schedule is here.
Recovery College NZ offers peer-led educational workshops that support the personal and professional development of people with lived experience. These workshops are available to anyone in the Counties Manukau community interested in enhancing their well-being. Workshops are typically held from 10am to 1pm, with some sessions aligning with community events like Pride Month, Youth Week, and Mental Health Awareness Week. For more information or assistance, feel free to contact a DRIVE Coordinator. Phone: (09) 263 6508 Email: hello@drivedirection.org.nz Website: https://drivedirection.org/resources/recovery-college-nz Our event schedule is here.
- Programme Areas
Mental health, Addictions - drug & alcohol
- Programme Type
Community / social support (AOD), Community based support - mental health, Training - AOD, Training - mental health
- Regions
South Auckland, East Auckland
- Age Groups
Adult / Pakeke
- Referral Types
Self referral
Referral Process
We prefer self referrals. Most people express their interest in attending workshops by filling out the google form. Click on the title of the workshop you're interested in and the google form will open.
We are also happy for support workers and whānau to register people who are interested.
These workshops are available to anyone aged 18-65 years who live or work in the Counties Manukau region. Here is a map of the region. You do not need to have lived experience to attend.
Description
Recovery College NZ offers peer-led educational workshops that support the personal and professional development of people with lived experience. These workshops are available to anyone in the Counties Manukau community interested in enhancing their well-being.
Workshops are typically held from 10am to 1pm, with some sessions aligning with community events like Pride Month, Youth Week, and Mental Health Awareness Week.
For more information or assistance, feel free to contact a DRIVE Coordinator.
Phone: (09) 263 6508
Email: hello@drivedirection.org.nz
Website: https://drivedirection.org/resources/recovery-college-nz
Our event schedule is here.
Disability Assistance
Wheelchair access, Mobility parking space, Wheelchair accessible toilet, Quiet, low sensory environment, A longer appointment time, Support to make decisions, More space to move around
Additional Details
Phone, Speak with women / wahine, Child / Tamariki friendly, LGBTQIA+ friendly, Online / virtual / app
Travel Directions
We can meet at a community location that's convenient for you in the Counties Manukau region. We have Hubs in Ōtāhuhu, Papakura and Pukekohe through Ember Korowai Takitini.
Website
Contact Details
51 Huia Road, Ōtāhuhu, Auckland
South Auckland
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Phone
(09) 263 6508
Email
Website
51 Huia Road
Ōtāhuhu
Auckland
Street Address
51 Huia Road
Ōtāhuhu
Auckland
Postal Address
DRIVE Consumer Direction Counties Manukau
C/o Ember Korowai Takitini
P.O. Box 22424,
Ōtāhuhu 1062,
Auckland, New Zealand
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This page was last updated at 8:58AM on December 23, 2024. This information is reviewed and edited by DRIVE Consumer Direction Counties Manukau.