Te Hono o Ngā Waka x ACFB – A Change For Better

At Te Hono o Ngā Waka, we’re proud to be part of a powerful and transformative partnership with ACFB – A Change for Better. Together, we’ve been on a journey to shine a light on neurodiversity within our whānau and create real change that supports understanding, healing, and empowerment.

To date, we’ve supported over 30 whānau—rangatahi, pakeke, and tamariki—through neurodiversity screening. For many, this has been a life-changing experience. Some have walked away in shock, finally making sense of challenges they’ve faced for years. Others have felt deep relief, understanding that what they once saw as failure was actually unmet needs. And for some, it's sparked a new excitement about what their future, and the future of their tamariki, might now look like.

What we’ve come to know through this kaupapa is both confronting and clarifying: when neurodiversity goes unrecognised and unsupported, the risks are significant. We see links to drug and alcohol misuse, incarceration, exclusion from education, and a sense of disconnection from identity and belonging. The average life expectancy for a neurodiverse person is just 54 years old. They are nine times more likely to die by suicide, often from the cumulative effects of being misunderstood, unsupported, and excluded.

And yet, despite these realities, our current systems are still not built to support neurodiverse whānau in meaningful, early, and culturally safe ways. Far too often, tamariki are labelled as “naughty” or “too hard” rather than being seen for who they truly are—intelligent, capable, and worthy of love and support.

This is why our mahi with ACFB matters. It’s about more than assessments—it’s about advocacy, awhi, and rewriting the narrative. We want our whānau to understand their own wiring and gifts, to access the tools and supports they need to thrive, and to know that they are not broken—they are different, and that difference is valuable.

As we continue this journey, we remain committed to pushing for systemic change. We want to see more equitable access to screening, culturally grounded pathways to support, and a future where our neurodiverse whānau are celebrated—not sidelined.

Because when we know better, we can do better. And when whānau are seen, understood, and supported, the ripple effects go far beyond the individual—they change generations.

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