20/07/2026
How wonderful that the Toi Foundation has shared our story throughout their community! ๐๐
Thank you so much Toi, for our partnership, for your support of the programmes that we continue to provide and for the belief in the work that we do and the impact that our programming continues to make.
The Head Office continues to create a ripple of impact for our tamariki, their whฤnau and the schools here in Taranaki โจ
"๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฉ๐ข ๐ต๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ช ๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฐ? ๐๐ฆ ๐ต๐ขฬ๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐ต๐ข, ๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ขฬ๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐ต๐ข, ๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ขฬ๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐ต๐ข."๐๐ฅฐ
THE HEAD OFFICE: SUPPORTING TARANAKI'S NEURODIVERSE LEARNERS
The Head Office Taranaki supports neurodiverse children in Taranaki through two programmes: Head Office for gifted, advanced thinkers and Project D, a strengths-based programme for learners with dyslexia.
โWe know through our mahi here at The Head Office, that 'gifted' fails to really reflect what it means to be a gifted learner,โ said Kim Gillanders, CEO.
โOur community celebrates exceptional minds. They are big thinkers, curious learners, problem solvers, creative with strong interests. They are also sensitive, complex learners and have a learning style that can look different.
โThese differences are needed in our world. Just as the biodiversity of the forest is nurtured and championed as a need in our world, so we nurture and champion the neurodiversity of the incredible learners with whom we get the pleasure to work.โ
Kim says the weekly strengths-based programmes focus strongly on the emotional, social and learning needs of neurodiverse students, providing a space where they feel they have found like-minded peers.
โWe recognise the importance of being surrounded by other learners who think the same way and have shared deep interests. Each of our classes can represent up to nine schools from around our region, meaning that our learners can make connections with people they would not usually have the opportunity to work alongside.โ
Toi Foundation's continued support helps run seven classes a week for 125 students, with more on the waiting list.
Feedback from families and students shows that spending a day each week at The Head Office or Project D strengthens studentsโ attendance back at their mainstream schools, as their confidence and understanding of themselves as learners grows.
Kim says their work ripples far beyond the students attending The Head Office programmes.
โThrough the funding from Toi, we are able to have a reaching impact throughout Taranaki through parent information evenings, support in schools, hosting many visits to our classrooms and professional development opportunities with educators throughout the Taranaki region.
โWe couldnโt be more grateful to Toi Foundation for the support theyโve shown us and their belief in the work that we do.โ
