Presbyterian Support Upper South Island

What Presbyterian Support Upper South Island does

Presbyterian Support Upper South Island (PSUSI) is an independent New Zealand registered charity (CC21765) headquartered in Christchurch that has delivered social services in the Upper South Island for over 115 years, with a stated operational cost base exceeding NZ$10 million per annum. The organisation operates three service lines: Family Works, which provides free counselling, social work, and group programmes for children, young people, and families/whānau (including Tuning in to Kids™ and Teens™, Parenting Through Separation, Family Dispute Resolution, and EMDR trauma therapy); Enliven, which delivers positive-ageing services for kaumātua including day programmes (Tōtara Club, Harakeke Club), the community-based Dementia Mate Wareware HomeShare programme, falls prevention, and Kaiāwhina support; and Āwhina Mai Wellbeing Services, a fee-for-service social enterprise offering individual counselling at $130 per session, couple/supervision sessions at $150, plus corporate wellbeing programmes and parenting courses, with profits redirected to subsidise free community services.

The underlying technology is modest and operationally focused: online self-referral and professional-referral forms across all three service lines, Zoom for remote Āwhina Mai delivery, and donation processing through Blackbaud Merchant Services, Windcave, and Evergiving, backed by Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT as the donor management platform. Distribution is delivered through eight physical service centres spanning Christchurch (three sites: Te Korowai HQ on Bealey Avenue, Linwood, Riccarton), Rangiora, Nelson, Blenheim, Greymouth, and Ashburton, supported by 207 volunteers who contributed 25,847 hours in the most recent reporting period. Co-CEOs Barry Helem (Tumu Whakarae Tauiwi) and Kim Manahi (Tumu Whakarae Māori) lead a staff of 150+ alongside a Cultural Navigator, with the organisation formally partnered with Alzheimers NZ, Dementia Canterbury, Tuahiwi Marae, and the Department of Internal Affairs' Survivor Experiences Service following the Royal Commission of Inquiry into abuse in care.

The revenue model is a hybrid of individual donations and bequests (including the Change Champions regular-giving programme), government grants that cover part but not all of operating costs, and earned income from Āwhina Mai's fee-based counselling and corporate programmes. The organisation serves over 5,000 vulnerable New Zealanders annually — including 3,551 whānau/families and 895 kaumātua attending Enliven day programmes — across children, youth, families, and older people, with a stated mission to enhance the mana of tamariki, rangatahi, whānau, and kaumātua to be safe, resilient, and connected.

Name

Presbyterian Support Upper South Island

Legal name

Presbyterian Support Upper South Island

Website

https://psuppersouth.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Presbyterian Support Upper South Island is a Christchurch-based New Zealand registered charity delivering free counselling, social work, parenting programmes, and elder care across the Upper South Island via Family Works and Enliven, plus a fee-for-service counselling social enterprise, Āwhina Mai, serving over 5,000 vulnerable children, families, and older people annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Child and Youth Services (624110), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG), Personal Care & ADL Assistance (bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility) (HLADAGAA)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Family counselling programmes
• Positive ageing services
• Youth support services
• Mental health counselling

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations, regular giving (Change Champions), bequests, fundraising activities, and corporate sponsorship provide essential funding to supplement government grants and enable services to continue.
2. Government Funding: Government funding meets part of operational costs but does not cover the full expense of service delivery.
3. Fee-for-Service (Āwhina Mai): Social enterprise offering paid counselling, therapeutic support, corporate programmes, and professional development. Provides profits that support PSUSI's charitable mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PSUSI delivers free community-based social services across the Upper South Island of New Zealand through three service arms: Family Works (counselling, social work, parenting and youth programmes for children, young people and families/whānau), Enliven (day programmes, falls prevention, counselling and the HomeShare dementia programme for older people/kaumātua), and Āwhina Mai (a fee-paying social enterprise offering therapy, corporate wellbeing programmes, parenting courses and professional supervision). Services are funded through individual donations, bequests, regular giving, government grants, and surplus from Āwhina Mai, with annual service delivery costs exceeding NZ$10 million.

Product overview

Presbyterian Support Upper South Island (PSUSI) is a charity providing free social services across the Upper South Island through two main service arms: Family Works and Enliven. Family Works delivers counselling, social work, and group programmes for children, young people, and families/whānau, including parenting programmes (Tuning in to Kids™, Tuning in to Teens™, Parenting Through Separation, Family Dispute Resolution), youth services, financial assistance, and scholarships. Enliven provides positive ageing services for older people/kaumātua including day programmes (Totara Club, Harakeke Club), falls prevention, counselling, social work, and the HomeShare dementia programme. Additionally, Āwhina Mai is a fee-paying social enterprise offering therapeutic support, corporate wellbeing programmes, professional supervision, and parenting programmes, with all profits supporting PSUSI's free community services. The organisation also operates volunteer programmes and accepts donations through online platforms integrated with Blackbaud payment services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Family Works: Family Works provides social services for children, young people and families/whānau including counselling, social work, and support programmes.
• Enliven
• Āwhina Mai Wellbeing Services

Products and services

• Family Works A comprehensive free social service programme supporting children, young people, and families/whānau across the Upper South Island through counselling, social work, parenting programmes, youth services, family dispute resolution, financial assistance and scholarships.
• Enliven

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,551 whānau/families helped to learn, grow and thrive annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alzheimers NZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting the Dementia Mate Wareware HomeShare programme across the South Island. Helps expand the pilot to support younger-onset dementia and marae-based groups for kaumātua.
• Dementia CanterburycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal agency partnership supporting the HomeShare programme and expanding dementia care services in the community.
• Local Agencies (various)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with various local agencies to support inclusive, responsive, whānau-led care.
• The Warehouse RiccartonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter who provided resources (materials for poi-making) for Children's Day celebrations in Christchurch.
• Tuahiwi MaraeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarae in North Canterbury where volunteers gathered for a day of learning, connection, and deepening ties to the local community.
• Dr Matthew CroucherminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisor who reinforced the value of person and whānau-led care at the heart of the HomeShare programme.
• Little Acre Children's Home Governance GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSUSI coordinates this governance group with survivors and supporters, giving a national voice to the mahi of supporting survivors of the former Children's Home to find redress and healing.
• Survivor Experiences Service (Department of Internal Affairs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSUSI signed an agreement with SES to assist with wellbeing support for survivors of abuse in care. SES records survivor experiences and PSUSI provides accompanying support services.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Age Concern New Zealand: National federation focused on positive aging, offering falls prevention, elder abuse services, social connection, and visiting programmes — directly comparable to PSUSI's Enliven service line for older New Zealanders.
• Presbyterian Support Northern: Largest of the Presbyterian Support network, serving Auckland and Northland with Family Works, Enliven, and Lifecare services. Highly comparable in service lines, social-enterprise approach, and community-based delivery.
• Alzheimers New Zealand: National dementia advocacy and support organisation that is also a current strategic partner of PSUSI for the HomeShare programme. Highly comparable in dementia-specific support delivery and community-based service model.
• Presbyterian Support Central: Sister Presbyterian Support organisation covering the lower North Island with the same Family Works / Enliven service model, social enterprise (Wellness Matters), and government/donation funding mix — directly comparable in mission, programme structure, and target populations.
• Presbyterian Support South Canterbury: Smaller regional Presbyterian Support organisation operating Family Works and Enliven services in South Canterbury. Closely comparable in scale, rural/regional service mix, and funding model.

Broad incumbents

• Auckland City Mission: Large metropolitan social services charity delivering emergency housing, food support, social work, and health services in Auckland. Comparable in faith-rooted mission, donations and government grant mix, and wrap-around family support, but operates at much larger urban scale.
• Methodist Mission Northern: Established faith-based social services provider in Auckland offering community support, food banks, social housing, and family services — broader in scope but closely comparable in mission, faith-based funding model, and client populations.
• Barnardos New Zealand: National child-and-family focused NGO providing counselling, social work, and family support across NZ. Directly comparable in Family Works-style service delivery to children, young people, and families/whānau.
• Salvation Army New Zealand: Major national faith-based social services network delivering community ministries, addiction and family services across NZ. Comparable in donation-driven funding model and broad social-service portfolio, but significantly larger and more diversified.

Emerging players

• Lifewise: Auckland-based community services provider (part of Methodist Mission) delivering home support, social housing, and disability services with a strong community-enterprise funding model — partial overlap with PSUSI's elder and disability support lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/presbyterian-support-upper-south-island

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Presbyterian Support Upper South Island