The Annual Foster Care Awards were held in Wellington last week, and one of our dedicated Specialist Caregivers was a recipient of an award.
Te Aruhu Joe Ruri (Joe) has been a Specialist Caregiver at Kia Puāwai for the past 16 years and was at Oranga Tamariki prior to that. Joe is known for his steady, calm, gentle nature – and his ability to establish trusting and supportive relationships with the young people in his care.
For the last three years, Joe has been caring for a young man of Niuean and Fijian decent, who when first placed in his care, was known for having complex and challenging behaviours. A year into being in Joe’s care, the aggressive behaviours disappeared – and this is a testament to the loving and nurturing care Joe has provided.
Joe is also a Regional Committee Member for Caring Families Aotearoa, helping with free events and giving back to the caregiving community. He provides mentorship for other caregivers - providing valuable knowledge and insights for other caregivers.
We have a highly skilled and passionate team of kaimahi and caregivers who come from a range of backgrounds, cultures, and disciplines. We celebrate the diversity of experiences, knowledge, worldviews, and individual differences as we believe this strengthens our collective mahi. Thank you, Joe for your hard work!