Rachael Galway
2021 Cohort
Rachael is exploring the experience of whānau involved in statutory child protection processes to develop resources and supports to improve their participation and equity.
Rachael Galway is Manager Housing and Wellbeing Support, Kāinga Ora – Lower South Region. Kāinga Ora is a government agency which used to be called Housing New Zealand. Kāinga Ora brings together the people, capabilities and resources of the KiwiBuild Unit, Housing New Zealand and its development subsidiary HLC. This is designed to enable a more cohesive, joined-up approach to delivering the Government’s priorities for housing and urban development in Aotearoa. These priorities include addressing homelessness and making homes more affordable.
Kāinga Ora has two key roles:
being a world-class public housing landlord
partnering with the development community, Māori, local and central government, and others on urban development projects of all sizes.
Rachael would like to help shift practice within government agencies, so her people have a voice, are seen and heard, and know their rights. She would also like to create spaces for truth-telling and challenge what we know causes harm to our people.
Based in Ōtepoti (Dunedin), Rachael has extensive experience working across government agencies in Aotearoa supporting people who are often at their most vulnerable points in their lives. This has included prisons, child protection services, courts and she is now working in the government social housing space for Kāianga Ora as the Manager of Tenancy and Wellbeing Support for the Lower South Island.
She has also worked for a number of social service agencies both in Aotearoa and Australia with a primary focus on residential care for young people and vulnerable adults, and in the community with at-risk young people.
Rachael studied a Bachelor of Applied Sciences (Major in Psychology) with The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand and is currently completing a Master of Professional Practice from Otago Polytechnic.
Social change work
Rachael hopes to work alongside the Ministry of Justice to support the identification and recruitment of Lay Advocates for the Family Court space. Lay Advocates provide cultural and process support for whānau Māori who are subject to care and protection proceedings within the Family Court.