Connect & Share sessions expand to Hamilton after positive feedback

The Hearing House is taking its popular Connect & Share sessions into the regions with a new series of gatherings launching in Hamilton this month as demand for regional support grows.

The sessions, designed for kiritaki/clients, their whānau and support people, have become a valued source of connection and reassurance for participants in Auckland.

Now, after feedback from our kiritaki whānau/family support counsellor Hazel Benson-Dawe says The Hearing House is trialling the programme in Waikato.

"We’d been asking kiritaki/clients in our Tāmaki Makaurau Connect & Share invitations whether people outside Auckland would be interested in local groups,” says Hazel.

“We had requests from Hamilton and the North Shore for groups closer to home. If possible, in time, we’d love to offer groups across all our regions.”

The response to the Hamilton announcement was immediate and enthusiastic. More than 30 people RSVP’d within a short time, highlighting the strong interest in opportunities to connect with others who share similar experiences.

“We had over 30 RSVPs very quickly, which shows just how keen our kiritaki are to meet and connect with each other,” says Hazel.

Despite the strong interest, the sessions are intentionally kept small. Hazel says the ideal group size is 12 people or fewer, creating a welcoming environment where everyone feels comfortable taking part.

“We ideally keep the groups to 12 people or fewer,” she explains. “Any more than that makes it harder for kiritaki to engage meaningfully. The larger the group the harder it is to hear and see each other, and it also creates more background noise.”

That thoughtful approach is central to the programme’s success. Many attendees have previously struggled in noisy group environments, so the sessions are carefully structured to support easier communication.

“A lot of our kiritaki have negative experiences in groups, so it’s important to try and create a space where people  feel seen and heard,” Hazel says.

The Hamilton events mark a significant step for The Hearing House, which has traditionally run the sessions only in Auckland. Hazel says taking the programme on the road has required extra planning and flexibility.

“This is the first time we are taking the group outside of Auckland,” she says. “It’s a bit more to organise. We need to make sure that we can provide a good space, and we will be hosting one of the sessions at Kia Roha in Hamilton where I will be joined by hearing therapist, Trina Briggs.

She hopes the move will pave the way for more regional sessions in future.

The gatherings are open to adults of all ages, though many attendees are aged 50 and over. Hazel says the sessions are especially valuable for people in the first year after their cochlear implant switch-on, when people are often adjusting to significant change.

“From what kiritaki have said at other groups, the real value they get is seeing other people on the journey, realising they are not the only one,” she says.

“We also hope the kiritaki get a sense of community when they come, knowing they are part of something bigger – and that the support is right there for them and their whānau.”