mo mātou
Wana is a charitable trust based in Takānini, South Auckland, dedicated to supporting tāne and their whānau who have experienced family violence. Founded by Dean Clarkson in 2024, Wana was created to address a significant gap in support services for male victims of family harm and to provide a pathway towards healing, resilience, and reconnection.
Our vision is to reconnect tāne and strengthen whānau. Through culturally grounded, holistic support services rooted in aroha, wairuatanga, and whanaungatanga, we empower tāne to rediscover their potential, restore their wellbeing, and create positive change for themselves, their tamariki, and future generations.
Wana provides group programmes grounded in hauora Māori, one-to-one coaching, practical support, and drop-in services that offer a safe and welcoming space for tāne at every stage of their journey.
We are also proud to operate the first refuge for tāne and their tamariki affected by whānau violence in Aotearoa. The refuge provides safe accommodation and wrap-around support services that help whānau heal, rebuild, and move forward with dignity and hope.
Founded from lived experience, Wana understands the often unseen reality that family violence can affect anyone. Too often, tāne and their tamariki are overlooked, under-supported, or feel unable to seek help. Wana exists to change that narrative by creating safe pathways to support, restoring mana, and helping break cycles of harm.
Since opening, Wana has supported hundreds of tāne on their journeys towards healing and transformation. Our mahi is about more than providing services. It is about walking alongside people, strengthening whānau, building resilience, and creating lasting generational change for communities across Aotearoa.Always with aroha. Always with people at the centre.
ratonga
Wana provides a range of culturally grounded programmes tailored to meet the unique needs of tāne with lived experiences of violence. Our approach is underpinned by aroha, wairuatanga (spirituality), and whanaungatanga (relationships), drawing from the whenua (land) and pūrākau (stories) of Aotearoa.
We offer tikanga-based supports to help tāne heal from violence, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and reconnect with their potential to build a resilient and hopeful future. Our services emphasize healing and strengthening whānau relationships, particularly with tamariki and partners.
We accept referrals from social service agencies, NZ Police, healthcare providers and self-referrals. Our community development approach addresses the systemic causes of violence, such as poverty, by working with key partners and prioritizing local iwi. We aim to build resilience and ensure sustainable change for tāne through alternative pathways for training and employment, particularly through social enterprise development opportunities.
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Group Programs
Offering group programs that promote hauora Māori approaches to healing, self-discovery, and personal growth, tāne will be supported to develop skills and coping mechanisms that are healthy and sustainable. -
One-to-One
We work with tāne to develop individualised plans that enable them to set and achieve personal and professional goals, including drivers’ licenses, financial capability, rent and employment readiness, and training and employment opportunities. Wana also ensures all tāne can access counselling services. -
Drop-in Service
Wana offers a safe and welcoming space where tāne can access support, resources, and connection with peers and community members. -
Tāne Refuge
The first refuge for male victims of family harm and their tamariki in Aotearoa, we will provide sanctuary and temporary accommodation in a safe setting with wrap-around support systems.
kupu tautoko
kōrero
Family violence affects people from all walks of life, yet many tāne who experience abuse remain unseen, unheard, and unsupported. Societal stigma, under-reporting, and a lack of dedicated services have meant that many men and their tamariki have struggled to find the help they need when experiencing family harm.
Research has highlighted significant gaps in support for male victims and survivors of family violence, particularly for Māori and those seeking culturally responsive services. For many years, there were few pathways specifically designed to support tāne on their journey towards safety, healing, and recovery.
Wana was established to help change that.
Founded by Dean Clarkson in 2024, Wana was born from lived experience and a commitment to ensuring that no tāne or whānau has to face family violence alone. Based in Takānini, South Auckland, Wana provides culturally grounded, holistic support services that help tāne rebuild their lives, strengthen their wellbeing, and reconnect with their whānau and communities.
Wana provides group programmes, one-to-one coaching, practical support, drop-in services, and operates Aotearoa New Zealand's first refuge for tāne and their tamariki affected by family violence. Through these services, Wana is creating safe spaces where healing can begin and where hope can be restored.
Wana supports tāne on their journeys towards healing and transformation. Every story is different, but the goal remains the same: to walk alongside tāne with aroha, restore mana, strengthen whānau, and help break cycles of harm for future generations.
Our vision is a future where tāne, tamariki, and whānau are safe, connected, and supported to thrive. Through culturally responsive services grounded in Māori values and principles, Wana is helping create stronger individuals, healthier whānau, and more resilient communities across Aotearoa.
This is more than support. It is about healing, restoring hope, and creating generational change.
koha
Wana is committed to creating a future where tāne and their whānau can heal, grow, and thrive. Your support helps us provide culturally grounded, holistic services that empower tāne to reconnect with their potential and build stronger communities.
By donating, you’re directly contributing to life-changing programmes, one-to-one coaching, and the ongoing operation of Aotearoa’s first refuge for male victims of family harm and their tamariki. Every contribution, big or small, helps us continue this vital mahi.
Donate via our Givealittle by clicking here
Donate via bank deposit to our bank account below:
Account name - Te Whare o Wana
Account number - 01-0286-0981691-00