Moni Ora is grounded with its roots in the Tairāwhiti community
who we are
Moni Ora is a non-profit organisation that is committed to helping people
plan better to live better.
We are a small team of qualified Financial Mentors who offer free professional and confidential budgeting support to individuals and families who want help.
It is our aim to help people build financial capability and resilience by finding workable solutions to the financial challenges they face.
Registered as an incorporated society since 16th February 1982
Registered with Charities Services since June 2008, CC28561
what we do
Moni Ora financial mentors provide invaluable support to individuals and families throughout Tairāwhiti. Sessions are free and confidential, offering support with managing financial challenges and improving financial skills.
Financial mentors can support with
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Exploring options and creating a step-by-step financial plan.
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Budgeting and debt management.
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Hardship applications—creditor negotiations, KiwiSaver, property rates, and insolvency options.
A session with a financial mentor gives you dedicated time to take a critical look at your finances and identify ways to improve them.
A mentor listens without judgement and respects your privacy. We understand that discussing finances can be a personal and challenging topic. However, sharing your concerns with a mentor may help reduce stress.
We’re here to help you find options that you might not have thought about.
Things always seem more manageable when you have options.
Our Values
Whakaute – to respect
Respect to all through manaakitanga & whānaungatanga—hospitality and connection. Clients, their families, and whānau are the experts in their own lives and maintain tino rangatiratanga—self-determination—by leading their own journey and kōrero along the path to financial wellbeing.
Tautoko – to support
Free, Confidential, Non-judgemental assistance to all without discrimination. Support with empathy and understanding to empower people to take control of their finances.
Muna – to talk privately
Total confidentiality in all matters according to the provisions of the Privacy Act 2020. Before discussing details with any third party, permission is obtained from the client.
Noho Haepapa – to be accountable
All staff display reliability, integrity and accountability, working as representatives of Moni Ora when communicating with individuals, families, creditors, or any other people.
Hōnore te Tiriti – Honour the Treaty
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is fundamental to Moni Ora's operations. The Principles of Partnership Protection and Participation are reflected in daily practices.
Whakangungu – to support staff
All staff are trained and qualified. Moni Ora ensures all staff have the appropriate resources and professional development to deliver services competently to the communities of Tairāwhiti.
Na roto i te hanga hononga,
ka tautoko matau i a whānau kia anga whakamua
Through building relationships, we support people to move forward
- Moni Ora Mentor
Tash
...a little history
Gisborne Budget Service has been providing free budgeting support to the Gisborne community since the early 1960s. It began as a national initiative launched by a group of dedicated volunteers in response to the financial challenges that arose from the introduction of credit products in the post-war era.
From its volunteer beginnings to where it stands today, the Service has undergone a significant transformation. Yet, the fundamental principles of budgeting remain the same.
For many years, Gisborne Budget Service worked out of a one-room office on Peel Street. But as community demand grew, the service relocated to larger premises in Cobden Street in September 2011.
Over the years, the service has responded to the community's changing needs, adjusting daily practices to remain relevant.
Since 2017, Moni Ora has provided Building Financial Capability (BFC) services that are client-centred and strengths-based.
A financial mentor will work 'with you' ...not 'for you'
This marked a significant shift in our service delivery, moving from budget advisors who handle everything for clients to financial mentors who work alongside them.
A financial mentor partners with their client, who decides their own path, priorities, goals, and level of participation. They respect the client's autonomy in making decisions at every step. Whether they're learning new skills or exploring options, the client leads the conversation and determines what is right for them.
Around the same time, we expanded our services beyond Gisborne City to include the wider Tairāwhiti region and changed our name to 'Moni Ora' to reflect an all-welcoming and user-friendly approach.
foundations in the volunteer sector
Moni Ora respects all volunteers and the contributions they have made to the service and its clients over the years. While we welcome volunteers for our governance committee, all frontline team members are now paid for all hours worked, ensuring they receive fair compensation for their efforts.
With the increased complexity of the client cases we are seeing, the role of financial mentoring requires a level of commitment that is unreasonable for a volunteer.
Moni Ora Financial Mentors undergo on-the-job training that begins with FinCap's comprehensive introductory programme and continues throughout a provisional period, learning the practical applications of the role and developing the skills needed to confidently navigate the complexities of client cases.
The principles of budgeting remain relevant today
Moni Ora values traditional tools like spreadsheets and often relies on paper, pencil, and a calculator during client sessions to enhance understanding and awareness.
In 2018, moniora.org.nz went live, with budgeting planners freely available for anyone to download and use privately, offline, at a time and place they felt comfortable with. These are the same budgeting tools we use at the service.
With a world full of distractions, it is easy to overspend and inadvertently push goals so far away that we lose sight of them. The intensification of marketing, easy access to credit, and convenient one-click purchasing make spending easy—so easy.
The budgeting process—as old as it is—helps to bring priorities and goals back into focus and helps build financial resilience. Moni Ora is a small community organisation with limited resources, sharing a process that works.
While the service delivery model has changed considerably since the Service began in the 1960s, its purposes have remained true. We aim to help people manage their money more effectively so they can lead better lives—Plan Better Live Better.
Moni Ora's strength stems from years of experience, consistently high standards, ongoing training programmes, community networks, and responsiveness to community demands.
The clients are our heroes.
Since its inception, the service has consistently offered free budgeting support to the community. While our methods may have evolved, our aims have stayed the same. We continue to provide this service at no cost to clients, thanks to the support from funders and donations.
