Evaluate. Innovate. Educate.
Working together for change

Our beliefs and mission

As an organisation, we believe in disabled people’s and whānau rights to mana, self determination, and to have a ‘voice’.

Our mission is to provide disabled people and their families with increased choice and control in all aspects of their lives.

Who we are

SAMS (Standards and Monitoring Services) is a national evaluation, education and leadership development organisation governed and primarily staffed by disabled people and families.

We are committed to supporting positive change in the disability sector and wider community.

SAMS is a principles-based organisation with a long history and record of achievements in disabled people and family-led developmental evaluation, leadership development, community development and service development fields.

SAMS and Care Matters

Our values, practices, and history is grounded in the Enabling Good Lives approach.

Enabling Good Lives

SAMS works in partnership with Parent to Parent to deliver Care Matters. Care Matters is the national learning and well-being resource service for Carers in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Developing disability community capability and leadership

SAMS is one of five organisations working on a year long project to support disability leadership and community development informed by the Enabling Good Lives approach and principles. We will be working to build capability in West Auckland and Hawkes Bay. See here for more on this important project, and contact us if you would like more specific information.

What we do

Service Development through Collaboration

Using a SAMS developmental evaluation approach, we work with disabled people, whānau and providers to improve the development of disability support services. We ask “how’s it going?” and “how could things be done in a better way?” 

SAMS creates a collaborative space to explore areas of strength and areas requiring further development.  The voice of disabled people and whānau are central to this process.

Resource Development

Through the provision of current, relevant, accurate and accessible information, we support disabled people and their families to use an Enabling Good Lives approach to explore what a good life is for them.

Tailored Training and Education

Our team have a deep and practical understanding of the Enabling Good Lives approach with many years of experience facilitating Enabling Good Lives training and education. We specialise in customised approaches and tailor our training and education for individuals, groups, communities and organisations.

Leadership and Community Development

We work collaboratively and in partnership with disabled people, whānau and communities to design and deliver leadership development programmes. Investing in the capability building and leadership development of disabled people and family leads to increased opportunities for self-determination, choice and control.

Collaborating for change and partnering for progress: supporting good lives and inclusive communities

Meet our team

The real strength in our organisation lies in our people. Our team is made up of disabled people and family members. As a diverse team from a range of different backgrounds, we each bring a unique lived experience and set of skills to our work. We work from a strength-based perspective, supporting our team to focus on, and grow in areas that interest them.

Interim Chief Executive

Meet our board

Contact us

Like to know more about our organisation?
Fill in the form or contact us using the details below.

Level 2, Findex House

57 Willis Street

Te Aro, Wellington
Aotearoa New Zealand

(04) 569 8301