March 2014: It was only a few years ago that Jackie was struggling through her own challenges of learning to budget and getting her family’s finances in order.

As a paeārahi, Jackie’s role is to help whānau begin to see the benefits of planning actively for their future.

Paeārahi help whānau navigate through the challenges that arise and then slowly step back allowing the whānau to see it was actually them all along, who were driving the plan forward, their efforts and their energy that was actually the foundation of their success.

Using easy to use tools, whānau work through a series of steps that allows them to map their goals and dreams. With the support of paeārahi, whānau work out the best way to achieve these goals.

“I learned so much from Maatua Whāngai, and now that I am working as a paearahi myself I feel I’m able to give back to the community and help others who are facing similar struggles” says Jackie.

Jackie loves watching whānau see their plans go from being on paper to being lived and made real, saying “their eyes light up and the joy they feel is just incredible. The confidence they gain is awesome to witness”.