Policy Development, Consultancy & Advocacy
Shine has made an effort to get to know policymakers and be actively involved in Wellington committees that make decisions about national domestic abuse policy. Most policy committees in Wellington are made up of representatives from agencies that are based in or have a head office in Wellington. Shine offices are based in Auckland, and our crisis services have an Auckland focus. Most of the country’s population is in Auckland, and there are many social service and advocacy groups in Auckland that are not represented in Wellington, especially within the family violence field.
Shine has been represented on a number of committees developing national policy and planning for national family violence initiatives over the years, including Te Rito (the New Zealand Government Family Violence Strategy published in 2002), various Action Areas of Te Rito that followed, Work and Income Family Violence Intervention Project, Standards NZ Standard 8006 on Screening and Risk Assessment, Ministry of Social Development Family Services 0800 Project, Family Safety Team, and the Government Family Violence Task Force Advisory Group.
Shine is currently a member of the National NGO Family Violence Prevention Alliance, which has been operating for more than ten years. All of its member organizations play active roles in the family violence sector in New Zealand. The Alliance acts as a key reference group for Government engagement with the non-government sector in relation to family violence policy and service delivery. Shine regularly attends the Alliance’s monthly meetings in Wellington.
Without dedicated funding for policy advocacy, Shine makes it a priority to make submissions on bills and legislative reviews that are central to our work.