Verna McFelin, MNZM, Christchurch
For services to the community. Mrs Verna McFelin helped to establish and, since 1988, has been the Chief Executive of Pillars, a community organisation that helps the families and children of prisoners. First started in Christchurch, Pillars opened a branch in South Auckland in 2008. Pillars has managed contracts with a number of government agencies supporting families, and providing pre and post release support services for offenders, as well as a children’s mentoring programme. She is a member of Te Runaka ki Otautahi o Kai Tahu, an urban Māori authority in Christchurch. She secured funding for the first detailed research project on the effects of imprisonment on the families and children of prisoners. This research has led to work on developing best practice in order to prevent intergenerational offending. She developed a simple and useful internet-based guide for children, which was launched in 2010. Mrs McFelin has been invited to speak at many national and international conferences on the rights of children of prisoners and breaking cycles of intergenerational crime.