Teinia Smith

Teinia is a social worker with over 20 years of experience across iwi organisations and Oranga Tamariki, and also has a background as an early childhood teacher in centres, home-based settings, and schools. She now works alongside rangatahi in low-decile high schools, ensuring their voices are heard and valued in the spaces that impact them most. Teinia holds her Māori values close, which guides her practice and strengthens her commitment to supporting tamariki and rangatahi through relationships built on respect, care, and empowerment.

Teinia's practice is grounded in a child-centred and whānau-focused approach, where she prioritises listening to and uplifting the voices of tamariki and rangatahi. She believes in building strong, trusting relationships that create safe spaces for young people to express themselves and be part of the decisions that shape their lives. Guided by her Māori values and cultural identity, Teinia's goal is to empower young people to recognise their own strengths, nurture their potential, and feel a strong sense of belonging.

Being a mother of five is her greatest joy and achievement, and she feels blessed to watch her children grow into strong, grounded young people who know who they are and where they belong. Teinia's whakapapa connects her back to Northland, and her Māori culture is at the heart of who she is and how she carries herself in life and in mahi. Teinia has a deep love for people and their stories, and finds purpose in building genuine connections, walking alongside others, and supporting them in their journeys.