Some of our parish Space programmes are starting groups in July 2025. For those of you who are not aware of the work of Auckland Anglican Space, let me tell you more.
Space is a parenting programme for parents of newborn pēpi. It provides early childhood and parent education as well as support for whānau and strengthening of communities. Space in the Anglican Diocese of Auckland is run as a partnership between Parenting Place, the diocese and participating parishes.
Our vision is “empowering and encouraging whānau to support the development of the whole child in their first year of life.”
Auckland Anglican Space has now been operating for 14 years. In 2011 three parishes started offering the Space programme once a week. In 2025 this has now grown to nine different parishes. Several of these parishes run multiple programmes per week meaning that we offer around 15 Space programmes a week with an average attendance of 12 to 15 whānau per programme. To date more than 226 Anglican Space programmes have been completed.
What happens at Space?
Space provides a safe place for parents to bond well with their pēpi, meet other new parents in their community and receive information and support from trained facilitators and each other. It allows parents and pēpi to learn and grow in a supportive, community environment.
The Space programme operates over 20 and 30 weeks. Weekly sessions run for 2-2 ½ hours and each week there is the opportunity to:
- participate in group discussions on child development and parenting topics
- explore play, music, movement, books and stories with parent and pēpi
- chat to other new parents over refreshments.
Who attends Space?
Anglican Space is open to all new parents – it offers an inclusive, safe space for all those looking for support in the early days, weeks and months of new parenthood. Many of our participants to date have been migrants to NZ, or recent arrivals to Auckland from other parts of the country, with little or no whānau support at what can be a vulnerable time. Through Space we offer whānau the opportunity to create their own communities of support.
Statistics show that many of our whānau come along following referrals from friends, although with the increasing visibility of Anglican Space in many communities, we are also getting more referrals from antenatal, postnatal and maternal mental health providers.
What do our whānau say about Space?
“I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your amazing wealth of knowledge. I heard so many people say Space for a lot of people is just to get out, socialise, and meet other mums, but for people like me who have had no modelling of good parenting, it’s been a lifeline. (Husband) and I made a decision when I was pregnant that we would not parent the way we were parented but we had no idea what that would actually look like. Space has given us a solid foundation on where to start.”
“If I’m honest that group saved me. Everything else in my life felt desperate and dire. I was sleep-deprived and in need of a lot of physical healing after a difficult birth.”
“It’s a safe place to share experiences, seek advice and make new friends. Just two hours a week has such a positive impact”.
Upcoming programmes
If you know of new parents who you think might benefit from the opportunity to attend a Space programme, the following Anglican Space venues will be starting groups in July 2025: Henderson, Howick and Pukekohe. The contact details for these venues can be found here.
If you would like to explore how you might become involved in supporting families in your community through the Space programme, please contact:
Carolyn Wellm
Space Programme Coordinator
Photo by Taylor Kopel on Unsplash
