Your Way l Kia Roha has been announced as the new name for the organisation previously known as Life Unlimited Charitable Trust.
The bi-cultural name has been chosen to honour the shared history of Life Unlimited and Access Ability Charitable Trust, two organisations which, for more than 40 years, have paved the way for disability leadership, serving New Zealand’s disabled community and showing power and control is in the hands of New Zealand’s disabled people and their whanau.
Operating under its new brand, Your Way l Kia Roha, the not-for-profit organisation will continue to create meaningful impact in the lives of disabled people. Your Way l Kia Roha Chief Executive, Megan Thomas, says the new name sets the intent of the organisation to support choice and control and grow disability leadership.
“Both Life Unlimited and Access Ability have been major providers of services, disability information, advice, and advocacy for our disabled community for more than 40 years. The merger of these two organisations in June 2021 was a natural evolution in strengthening and developing the further services and support Aotearoa’s disabled people require to express their own choice and control over decisions impacting their life.”
Your Way l Kia Roha is a bicultural name that recognises the history of an organisation which is grounded in Te Ao Pākehā (the Pākehā world) and the aspiration of the new organisation to establish and maintain connections between Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) and Te Ao Pākehā in the context of tangata Whaikaha (disabled people) and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Your Way speaks of self-determination and refers to the fact that each person is unique, hence on a unique journey. Kia Roha means to spread your wings and fly. It speaks to people being aspirational, actively seeking and reaching their goals.
Genevieve McLachlan, Co-Chair of Your Way l Kia Roha’s Disability Leadership Group Chair, says the launch of the Your Way l Kia Roha brand is a significant development in the history of disability support within New Zealand.
“One of the things I am really proud of is being part of an organisation where there is a real commitment to disability leadership and having our voices heard and our opinions valued. This has really been demonstrated in this whole rebranding process. As part of my role, I have been involved right from the initial concepts and it’s been a real pleasure to have been involved in the new branding process.”
Thomas says Your Way l Kia Roha will continue to champion Aotearoa’s disabled voice, working with and advocating for, disabled people in partnership with the community. “Our new name and logo tells the story of our role in New Zealand’s disabled community. We’re bringing together guidance, resources, and connections that support disabled people and their whanau to make informed choices and have control over their lives, to meet their aspirations. Under our new name, we have great ability to create meaningful impact with support from partners and government.”
Your Way l Kia Roha launched with events held around the country in the communities the organisation serves.
