Sep-Oct 2016 Issue | Business View Oceania

159 AT A GLANCE WHO: Aparangi Village WHAT: A unique retirement village with various housing options and numerous activities WHERE: Waerenga Rd, Te Kauwhata 3781, New Zealand WEBSITE: aparangi.co.nz The retirement village covers an area of 14.5 hectares with multiple choices for accommodation and residential care. Aparangi Village is a blooming community and things have only gotten better since Jackie Long’s arrival in 2013. The village’s General Manager has a long background in nursing as well as the mental health and addiction fields. Her management skills allow her to focus on funding the organization around, developing the village’s infrastructure, ensuring maximum occupancy, following the rules and regulations of the various governing bodies, and connecting with the residents. Driving success through innovation and care According to Jackie, the staff at Aparangi Village is treated like family. After all, the organization is a larger employer of Te Kauwhata so the people who come to work there have long links with the village. There’s a sense of community place and ownership and a culture that’s “built on principle and vision”, according to Jackie. Linking people together, young and old, is very important to the village. And even though there’s a structured hierarchy, the village rarely operates on a hierarchical basis. Instead, everyone rolls up their sleeves and gets to work.