NEXT Foundation has announced it is investing in an educational support programme for new parents and their babies – SPACE. SPACE for you and your baby is a programme run through early childhood education and community organisations offering parent education, parent support and community connectedness. NEXT is funding its expansion over the next few years as it integrates with another family support network, Parenting Place. 

NEXT CEO Bill Kermode says NEXT is delighted to support the growth of SPACE as part of the foundation’s commitment to invest in the first 1,000 days of a baby’s life.

“The first 1,000 days is one of our key investment areas in education, because of the research showing the relative impact investment at this stage has. SPACE delivers an outstanding support programme that sets parents and their babies up for this critical time of life.”
More than 6,000 new families already attend SPACE each year – started by a group of Wellingtonians 14 years ago who noticed a lack of support for new parents. One of its founders Leanne Dawson says she welcomes the investment, integration and expansion.

“SPACE is passionate about building a future where quality postnatal support is an expected, integral part of the important transition to parenthood in New Zealand. With modern society constantly evolving, bringing new pressures to the parent-child dynamic, and the community, and furthermore knowing how critically important the early years are, we believe parents are truly worth investing in.

“It is with great excitement that we embark on this collaborative journey with Parenting Place, with significant support from NEXT Foundation and the Tindall Foundation to grow SPACE to reach more families and continue to build strong foundations for parents, children and the community,” she said.

Parenting Place CEO Greg Fleming also welcomed the investment.

“The shared heart of SPACE and Parenting Place is to inspire and equip every whānau to thrive in their relationships. By bringing our two works together we will be able to reach thousands more families, and support parents from the very beginning of their parenting journeys. We are enormously grateful to the NEXT and Tindall foundations for bringing this dream to life.”

SPACE is the second investment for NEXT in the first 1,000 days. It is also seed funding Talking Matters, promoting the importance of rich language in the early years.

Click here to view a three minute video about SPACE


For more information please contact: 

NEXT Communications Director Polly Hudson 021 772 482
polly.hudson@nextfoundation.org.nz 

About NEXT Foundation  

NEXT is a strategic philanthropic foundation launched three and a half years ago. NEXT is investing $100 million over 10 years to build a legacy of environmental and educational excellence for the benefit of future generations of New Zealanders. For more information please visit our website – www.nextfoundation.org.nz