Staff & Governance

Meet the Key Staff at the Victory Community Centre

Email: vccmanager@victory.school.nz

Phone: 03 546 8389

Rebecca has worked in the Health sector as a social worker for the past 20 years in Christchurch, England and Nelson.  More recently she has moved in to management. 

Her research for her Masters of Health Science looked at the diners at Loaves & Fishes, a local soup kitchen in Nelson, and concluded that those who attend these meals are likely to have significant mental health and addiction issues, live in poverty and are often isolated from family, community and resources. 

Rebecca is passionate about the work of this community and seeks to engage with the people of Victory to hear their needs. 

Email:  vccreception@victory.school.nz

Phone: 03 546 8389

Ko Te Arawa te waka, Ko Te Arawa Māngai - nui ūpoko tū takitaki.

Ara is part of the team here at the Victory Community Centre, since December 2018. Having grown up within the Victory Community she comes with a wealth of knowledge and some great connections with the community. Ara enjoys meeting and greeting and helping others with information sharing. Ara will also be running our Playgroup Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Feel free to pop in for a cuppa tea or chat

Email: vccnurse@victory.school.nz

Phone: 03 546 8385

Steph joined the team in May 2019. She has many years experience of community nursing, and loves to help make a difference to peoples lives. Steph is keen to help you access local health services and can also undertake comprehensive health assessments. Please give Steph a call or drop into the centre and have a chat.
 

Email: vccaod@victory.school.nz

Phone: 03 546 8389

 
Sabien joined the Victory Community Centre in March 2019. She has worked in the mental health and addictions fields for a number of years both in New Zealand and in the United States. She is passionate about supporting tangata whaiora (people seeking wellness) to live meaningful and productive lives. She moved to New Zealand in 2011 with her family and is grateful to be welcomed to such a beautiful country.
Please feel free to contact Sabien with any questions or concerns regarding alcohol or other drugs
 

Email: vcccomnav@victory.school.nz

Jenni joined Victory Community Centre as Community Navigator for Migrants and Former Refugees in July 2019. Since moving to Nelson three years ago she has been working in the migrant/former refugee space and very much enjoys helping people with their settlement. Being an active member of the community volunteering for a variety of places and also as a Justice of the Peace, Jenni is also a Marriage and Funeral Celebrant.
She loves working with people and helping make our Nelson community the best and safest place to live, work and play. Every one of us deserves to feel safe and included wherever we choose to live, and as she has felt welcomed and included since being in nelson, Jenni likes to help make all those she meets feel welcome too.

 

 

Phone: 03 546 8389

Steve McLuckie has just started as the new Community Coordinator at the Victory Community Centre. He & his whānau have just arrived in Nelson after 12 years in Auckland. He is really excited about the role and about becoming part of the Victory community. Steve has spent the last four years coordinating a community development project in Auckland. He has also spent time working for Auckland Council and organising support services for homeless people in Auckland. Steve is keen to hear from local people about how we can make the Victory Centre even more of a thriving hub at the centre of our community.
You can catch up with Steve at the centre, email steve@victory.school.nz or or ring him on 027 328 9922.

Learn more about our Board of Trustees

Helen’s employment background is in health sector policy and research. Helen currently works in governance across the non-profit sector in Nelson. In addition to chairing the VCC board, she is the Chair of the Victory Primary School Board of Trustees and the Workstar Supported Employment Board. She is a member of the Safeguarding Children Initiative board and is part of the Governance Group for Te Kāhui Ako ki Whakatū. 

Helen enjoys working in collaborative enterprises, particularly in the social services sector.  Helen is passionate about Victory and is committed to supporting local community spirit and enterprise. 

Margaret is a Chartered Accountant with 35 year’s experience in the commercial sector and is a committed Nelsonian for 25 years.  She has volunteered in the not-for-profit sector for most of that time. 

She joined the Victory Community Board in 2017 inspired to help provide opportunities for new New Zealanders and other families who struggle with access to employment, health and accommodation.

I have a passion for governance. Having been in governance roles for Iwi, Maori, Health and the community I like to share what I know. Working for Maori, Corporates, Community, government agencies or Not for Profits all bring their own variances, possibilities and risks. It is how we embrace what we do, how we share that knowledge and pass on the skills so that the coaching, multicultural/diversity awareness, leadership training and governance can be used for succession, best practice to raise up the next ranks coming behind us so that they have the best support and frameworks to function appropriately in.
I currently have the awesome pleasure to be part of some amazing board’s SVS Living Safe, Victory Community Board and from a management perspective Nelson Women’s Refuge.
Past governance roles have included:
Awataha Marae Board, Ngati Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust, Tama Asset Holding Company, Kotato Ltd, Whakatu Marae, National Choosing Wisely Board, Choosing Wisely Nelson, Consumer Council Nelson Marlborough DHB, National Iwi Water Advisory.
There is not enough diversity on boards, capacity and capabilities need to be broadened, accepted and educated to both new and old governance.

 

Kylie is a communications and community engagement specialist of 15 years, having gained broad experience working for organisations in Australia and New Zealand.
 
Kylie has a Masters in Organisational Communication and a Diploma in Applied Photography.  Her current roles include Communications Manager for Predator Free Wellington, and Social Investment Manager for Shell New Zealand. 
 
Kylie is a strong believer in the critical role played by grassroots organisations and volunteers in our communities, as such she includes a volunteer component in all of her working agreements. Currently her volunteer roles include managing communications for Tiaki te Mauri o Parininihi Trust in Taranaki, as well as providing communications advice to various volunteer conservation groups supporting the work of Predator Free Wellington.
 
As a Victory local, Kylie is passionate about the potential of Victory and its people.  She is excited about being on the Victory Board and working collaboratively with the community to help achieve our vision of a thriving and caring community.
 

I have enjoyed being apart of Victory Community for over 20 years. The highlight was being apart of the establishment of VCC followed by the opportunity to be the first nurse at the Victory Community Centre. Now I enjoy participating in a variety of activities here and supporting the board and the VCC team.

 

Watiri Maina is a counsellor, supervisor and counselling educator, in private practice. She is also an Anglican minister. She has worked with communities and various cultural contexts in Kenya, South Africa and New Zealand. She has a passion for community engagement and cohesion. She has worked with refugee and migrant populations, economically disadvantaged groups in Nairobi and with non-governmental organizations seeking to lift peoples well being and standards of living. She trained as a counselling psychologist who values working with individuals, couples and families and communities seeking to foster holistic well-being.