Our Team
Manager - Sarah Halliday
Talofa Lava, I'm Sarah Halliday and have been in the Manager's role at the Community Services since August 2021. Prior to this I was on the Board for several months while working for a Pasifika Health and Social Service in Hamilton.
My background is Managing Disability, Health and Social Services for 25+ years primarily in Auckland, working within services that focus on supporting young people with high and complex needs.
Like many people we started with a Bach in Whangamata several years ago and I have now been a permanent resident for three years. We have four generations of our family living here now so I have a personal interest in providing quality wrap around services for our community.
Youth Worker - Shanan Duffull
Ki te taha o toku Pāpā
Ko Kareoa te maunga
Ko te Puru o Waingaro te awa
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Hoturoa te tangata
Ko Tainui te iwi
Ko Ngāti Tamainupo te hapū
Ko Waingaro te marae.
Ki te taha o toku Māmā
Ko Maungapohatu te maunga
Ko Ohinemataroa te awa
Ko Mataatua te waka
Ko Toroa te tangata
Ko Ngāi Tūhoe te iwi
Ko Ngāti Rongo te hapū
Ko Rongokarae te marae.
Kia Ora, From Mount Maunganui originally, I enjoyed all the fruits that my orchard had to offer; surfing, diving, fishing, and growing up in an era when all I had to accomplish in my day was to be home for dinner.
My role as a Youth Worker at Eastern Coromandel Community Services involves getting tamariki engaged and enthusiastic about being alive, funny, not funny I have worn the gumboots with holes and socks that don’t match, I feel comfortable in their shoes and feel my pathway is a great platform to engage the disengaged.
OSCAR Programmes/ Financial Mentor / Community Vehicle - Jess Morrison
Hello my name is Jess, I came to New Zealand to live in 2019 having spent 2018 travelling India and Nepal. I always knew New Zealand would be my home since touring here on family holidays.
My role includes Financial Mentoring, OSCAR Kids Club Coordinator, Community Vehicle Coordinator, Food Bank and Community Support. I have been working at the Community Services since November 2021.
I love being a part of helping this community and I am proud of all the services we provide for others.
My joys in life are my twin girls, art and painting and the coast.
Whānau Support / ISR / Community Connector / Stop Smoking Practitioner - Heleene White
Kia Ora My name is Heleene White.
I have been working at the Community Services since 2019.
In my role I support and advocate for whanau in a range of areas including but not limited to, family harm, food support, Community Connection.
My mahi is to empower Whanau to confidently navigate services, whilst creating opportunities to develop life skills to ensure their ultimate wellbeing.
In the Family Harm space I work along side both the Victim, Perpetrator and Whanau to ensure the safety and wellbeing needs are meet for everyone.
As a wrap around support for whanau, I present the ‘Seasons for Growth’ program to Tamariki experiencing difficulties as well as Parenting Programs.
As a Stop Smoking Practitioner I also support people in our community to stop smoking.
My passion is ‘People and Place’ connecting the two.
I am fortunate to live in Whangamata with my two Tamariki, we love everything this amazing place has to offer and utilise the incredible beach and bush.
Social Worker / Financial Mentor - Natalie Boyd
Hi my name is Natalie Boyd and I am a registered social worker at Eastern Coromandel Community Services. I am a mum of 2 boys, one is 12 and the other is 5 months old.
I am new to Whangamatā and have only lived here for 2 years, I previously came from Rotorua where I worked as a social worker for Oranga Tamariki for seven and a half years.
I moved to Whangamatā so I could bring up my boys in a town and community that has outdoors recreation and is a safe place for them to grow up in.
I am dedicated to helping the community in any way I can whether through social or personal needs of themselves or their whānau.
Counsellor - Moira Shorten
Tena koutou katoa,
I am Scottish but have lived in New Zealand in rural South Auckland for over 30 years.
I have recently moved to live permanently in Whangamata after several years of holiday visits.
I am a trained counsellor and have been a member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors since 1997.
I have worked with children, adults and particularly teenagers as a school counsellor and in private practice. I have undertaken training in child mental health and psychotherapy practice. I also offer supervision for counsellors and others in the helping professions.
I am married with three adult children and 7 mokopuna.
Kia ora koutou,
I’m Renee and am the receptionist and administrator here at ECCS. I joined the team in October 2022 and am loving working with our local community. I have a long connection with Whangamatā, and have been living here permanently for the past 2 years. It brings me great joy to be meaningfully contributing to a community I have been a visitor to for so long.
My background is in environmental studies, development and management and I aim to integrate this knowledge and skillset into how we work. I’m particularly passionate about sustainability, human-nature connection, creative community building and herbal medicine. I am currently a Diploma Student in Herbal Medicine, and am seeing clients as part of my study.
In my spare time I love to surf, walk in the bush, swim in the river, dance and spend time with my two kittens!