To matou Tirohangi - Our Vision:

People who experience mental illness and addictions living well

To matou Kaupapa Here - Our Mission:

To contribute positively to the recovery of people who experience mental illness and addictions through the provision of quality community services.

Nga Uara me to Rupunga Whakaaro - Values and Philosophy

Comcare Trust:

understands that recovery for people who experience severe mental illness is supported by participation in activities and access to resources and services, that are part of the wider community
believes that people who experience mental illness have a right to dignity, privacy, safety, independent advocacy and choice
is committed to services that are service user focused and are planned, developed and evaluated in collaboration with service users and other relevant stakeholders
upholds the rights of Takata Whenua as guaranteed by the articles of the Treaty of Waitangi
values a culture for staff that is productive, supportive and creative
aims to be an innovative organisation that accomplishes what it sets out to do
aims to research and investigate new directions in service delivery to achieve the Trusts’ mission based on best practice and identified positive outcomes for service users

Service delivery is based on a Recovery / Strengths approach where:

The service user owns their recovery process
Hope is encouraged, enhanced and/or maintained
Enhancing the strengths, abilities and resiliency of an individual is the focus of service delivery
All people are treated as equals with the capacity to learn, change, make life decisions and choices, and take action to create life change – no matter how severe their symptoms
A holistic view is applied
Access to resources, opportunities and meaningful relationships is encouraged
The best clinical treatment is applied
Family involvement is encouraged.

These values mean Comcare’s work will have the following characteristics:

To continue to grow and develop quality mental health services
To contribute knowledge and expertise to mental health sector development in Canterbury and nationally.
To provide security to quality service provision through sound financial management

Recovery

Ko te whakaora, he hikoi whakamarama. Mana ano tona ake ara whakaora e whakarau.

A journey of discovery where an individual leads their own unique process of moving forwards

Recovery is a deeply personal and unique process of changing one’s attitudes, values, feelings, skills and/or roles. It is a way of living a satisfying, hopeful and contributing life even with the limitations caused by the illness. Recovery involves the development of new meaning and purpose in one’s life as one grows beyond the catastrophic effects of mental illness. (William Anthony 1993)

Recovery is facing up to our struggles with mental illness, and getting to a place where we control the illness so it does not control us. Recovery is not going back to being the same person you were before you became unwell; it is going forward with new insight and understanding gained through illness.

We believe the following:

Everyone has strengths and capacities
All people have the ability to change given the right conditions and resources
People can change and grow their strengths and abilities
People are their own experts
A problem is the problem, the person is not the problem
Problems can block people from noticing and appreciating their strengths and finding their own solutions.
Building open and honest relationships promotes growth
The power for change is within us all

“Recovery is living with hope.”

“Recovery is regaining sense of self worth in the presence of mental illness"

“Recovery for me started when I regained some of my personal power and a valued place in my family and the wider community.”

“Recovery is about getting back up again and being excited to be alive and not afraid anymore.”

“Recovery for me was about getting my life back. I started to think of myself as a ‘warrior’ with battle scars to be proud of.”

“Recovery is a process, a way of life, an attitude, and a way of approaching the day’s challenges... The need is to meet the challenge of the disability and to reestablish a new and valued sense of integrity and purpose within and beyond the limits of the disability; the aspiration is to live, work and love in a community in which one makes a significant contribution.” — (Patricia Deegan)