TESTIMONIALS
Our programmes create real, lasting change for tamariki. Hear from educators, sports coaches, youth mentors, social workers, and children’s advocates about the transformative impact of our work.
"Jade Speaks Up is a powerful tool ...
supporting all tamariki to flourish."
Deborah Sim
Family Law Barrister and Children's Advocate
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As a family law barrister, I have seen firsthand the consequences of family violence and unresolved conflict in many whānau. I have witnessed the distress and harm caused to children and understand how profoundly this can affect their development and future wellbeing.
The Jade Speaks Up programme is powerful, not only in empowering and supporting children, but also, through them, their whānau and wider community.
This programme has many strengths, including:
Goals that are both visionary and practical.
Delivery within the school environment, where most children attend, and connections can be made with whānau,
caregivers, and external agencies.
Working in classrooms across whole year levels (Years 5–8), the programme builds empathy, awareness, and practical relationship and safety skills that benefit all children, not only those perceived to be at risk.
Facilitated by teachers, who already have trusting relationships with children, providing a strong foundation for learning.
A strong emphasis on training teachers to respond appropriately to disclosures, better protecting children involved with other agencies and minimising further trauma.
Ongoing evaluation and user feedback.
Integration of Māori and Pasifika worldviews, ensuring the programme remains responsive, effective, and aligned with its kaupapa.
From my work representing children in Family Court cases, I have seen the transformation that occurs when a child is given the chance to speak and be truly listened to. This validation can support a child even when their circumstances do not immediately change.
Jade Speaks Up is a powerful tool that complements other initiatives, supporting all tamariki to flourish and reach their full potential. It reflects the value we place on our children as taonga and represents an investment in the future wellbeing of Aotearoa.
"Jade Speaks Up is an asset
in the family violence practitioner tool kit."
Michelle Clayton
CEO, Family Action
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Family Action is a proud co-creator of the Jade Speaks Up programme and has used it extensively within the organisation since its inception. Led by Elaine Dyer and the team at Violence Free Waitakere, the programme was developed in close collaboration with the local community and family violence prevention experts.
Family Action’s clinical team integrates the programme’s core principles into daily practice with tamariki and their whānau. This supports the co-creation of safety plans and facilitates courageous conversations about family harm, helping parents and caregivers understand the impact of violence on their children and motivating meaningful change.
Jade Speaks Up is an asset in the family violence practitioner toolkit.
"A child without a voice in a violent home feels powerless
and may never realise their full potential."
Lisa Sell
Public Health Nurse
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One of the most powerful lessons I learnt through Jade Speaks Up is that a child without a voice in a violent home feels powerless and may struggle to reach their full potential. Adults face many stressors, and children caught in these situations need to know there is a trustworthy adult in their life who can understand and support them.
By the end of 2019, it was clear that the school I was assigned to as a public health nurse was supporting children facing increasingly complex situations involving family violence. Students needed trusted adults to talk to—not necessarily people in their community, but people at school, where they spend much of their time.
Completing this programme alongside teachers, aides, principals, child advocacy workers, and health professionals like myself helps build stronger, trusting relationships, allowing children to feel more connected and grounded. Many children need to develop resilience and coping skills in a safe environment, and school provides that space.
"What an extraordinary programme!
Jade Speaks Up benefits all children, not just those at-risk."
Eve Tonkin
School Principal
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What an extraordinary programme! Jade Speaks Up is unlike any health programme we’ve had before—authentic, holistic, and emotionally intelligent. Its depth and breadth make it, by far, the best personal safety and emotional intelligence programme I have experienced.
Teachers are often the first port of call for at-risk students, but we are not trained counsellors. Although we always do our best, the demands on teachers can make it difficult to be fully present for every child. This programme created the time and space for students to connect authentically with us as teachers, and with each other, allowing them to support one another and feel more deeply connected—an essential foundation for meaningful learning.
The programme has helped me identify children in need of support who might never have come forward otherwise. At the same time, it teaches all children to become more self-aware, understand their own and others’ emotions, develop tolerance, and practise self-assertiveness—skills essential for students at NZC Levels 3 and 4.
Jade Speaks Up benefits all children, not just those at risk. I was especially impressed with how sensitively the content is delivered, ensuring it is impactful without overwhelming students. They engaged fully, loved the games, and continued practising the skills long after the programme ended.
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