Branch Information

Profile coming soon.

Ko Raukawakawa te moana
Ko Tapuae-o-Uenuku te maunga
Ko Kurahaupo te waka
Ko Wairau te awa
Ko Wairau Pa te Marae
Ko Huataki te tangata, Ko Huataki te hapu
Ko Rangitaane , Ngati Kuai, Ngati Apa Ki Te Ra To nga iwi
Ko Neame te whanau
No Awarua ahau
Kei te Waiharakeke ahau e noho ana
Ko Viveyan Tuhimata - Weke toku ingoa

Kia Ora to all, my name is Viveyan or Vivvy for short. I am married to Graham and between us have six children. Last year we welcomed our first mokopuna.

Our son Cruz has been supported by CCS Disability Action for the last seven years.

As a parent I felt it important to give back to the organisation that has supported our son, and who continues to support in ways that we, as busy parents, are unable to.

Part of the CCS Disability Action local governance committee for five years, last year I became part of the Local Committee under the guidance of Wendy Coutts.

I have since attended two National Finance meetings, and as such I am still very much finding my way in this role. I believe that like a good wine one becomes better with time.

Having taken an active role as a parent in all our children’s education, I have been on both kohanga and school boards.

I have also been an iwi trustee, as well as a member of the Iwi Health Board.

I am a sitting member on the Nelson Marlborough West Coast Community Lotteries committee until March 2019.

I work for Te Piki Oranga Ltd, as a Pukenga Manaaki or Navigator working alongside the registered nurses and the social workers. Te Piki Oranga Ltd is Māori Health Provider Service contacted to the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board.

I believe strongly in the CCS Disability Action Vision and Mission Statements "Including All People".

My role is to support the running of the six entities in the South Island and to support local leadership to provide quality services to people in urban and rural areas around the island.

My association with CCS Disability Action began in 2000 when I was a student social worker at Otago University. During my placement I recognised how easily my values align with those of CCS Disability Action, and after graduation I joined the Southland branch as a Support Worker and then Community Worker (now Service Coordinator).

To alter my horizons, I moved to Western Australia to work at the Deaf Society, where I ran the employment and community services departments. A qualified sign language interpreter, I never thought when I moved to Australia that I would need to learn another language!

I saw the Team Leader role in Otago advertised in 2009 and came home to take up that position. When the region restructured, I also became Team Leader in Waitaki and later moved into the acting Regional Manager role. In October 2016 I commenced as the General Manager of the new Southern Region.

CCS Disability Action is a family affair for me. My Mum is a Service Coordinator in the Southland branch. I had my son while working as Team Leader in Otago and he came back to work with me at 11 weeks of age. My partner is a researcher at the Donald Beasley Institute and has partnered with us on projects. My stepdaughter is a student at Otago University. My work-home life divide can sometimes be a bit blurry, but I quite like that.

Richard lives in Christchurch and manages a small business called ‘Buck The Trend Ltd’ which provides project support to organisations within the disability sector.  Between 2013 and 2016, Richard was part of the Enabling Good Lives Christchurch demonstration team and before that, had worked for Manawanui (an individualised funding host provider) as their National Projects and Contracts Manager. He has worked in the disability sector for the last 18 years in roles that have included teaching, management and leadership. Richard’s previous roles with CCS Disability Action have included LAC member, Branch Manager, Service Leader and Adult Services Manager.

Richard was born and bred in Westland where he and his family first became involved with CCS Disability Action (known then as the Crippled Children’s Society). His cerebral palsy does not stop him giving everything a go and he looks upon potential barriers as challenges rather than obstacles.

Richard was elected as the Upper South Regional Representative in November 2012 and is committed to playing a part in ensuring disabled people have access to a fully inclusive society. He has an extremely supportive family and a wonderful team of support people who he employs using individualised funding. Richard enjoys the outdoors, sport and fine wine.