Since 2004 Te Aroha Noa Community Services has made a commitment to building practice teaching and research capacity to advance its own capacity to innovate, and also to make a wider contribution nationally and internationally. In the future it is hoped that this work will be formalised into a Practice Research and Teaching Centre. Te Aroha Noa has been greatly assisted in moving towards this goal by developing a strong research partnership relationship with Professor Robyn Munford and Dr Jackie Sanders of the School of Health Sciences, Social Work and Social Policy. Te Aroha Noa has an active practice teaching programme which makes significant contributions to academic and inservice development at Massey University’s Social Policy and Social Work Programme and the Bethlehem Tertiary Institute. It also contributes to the development of innovative practice by contributing workshops at several National Conferences each year.