Why I Started Awhimai Advocacy: He Mahi Whakamana

I didn’t set out to become an employment advocate — the kaupapa found me.

Over the years, I’ve supported many people in my whānau, my circle of friends, and my mahi who have been deeply affected by what happens in the workplace. Some were bullied. Some were pushed out quietly. Some didn’t even realise what they were going through was unfair until it was too late.

They were smart, capable, hardworking people — and yet the system failed them. Or worse, made them feel like they had failed.

At some point, I realised that the pattern was too common. And too painful to ignore.

🌿 A Need for Something Different

Awhimai Advocacy was born out of this lived reality.

It wasn’t just about offering legal information or writing letters — it was about walking alongside people with aroha, strength, and clarity.

It was about creating a space where people feel safe, heard, and supported to stand tall again.

And importantly, it was about offering something different:A service grounded in kaupapa Māori values — manaakitanga, tika, whanaungatanga, and aroha — that honours people’s mana while helping them navigate systems that often don’t.

🧭 What I Offer

Whether you need:

• Support to prepare for mediation

• Help writing a letter to your employer

• Or coaching to rebuild your confidence

— I’m here to help.

I’m not a lawyer. I’m an advocate. That means I walk beside you, not above you.

You don’t need to have it all figured out. We start with a simple kōrero, and we go from there.

💬 A Final Word

If you're reading this and feeling unsure, overwhelmed, or even whakamā — I see you.

You deserve to be treated with dignity. You deserve to be heard. And you don’t have to navigate it alone.

Ngā manaakitanga,

Awhimai

Founder & Director – Awhimai Advocacy