Ngā Kōrero Mō Ōtihi | Our History
Odyssey House was founded in New York City in 1966 by Dr. Judianne Densen-Gerber, a group of patients, and other professionals as a drug-free Therapeutic Community (TC). The model quickly spread to different areas of the United States and Australasia. The timeline below shows the history of Odyssey in Tāmaki Makaurau, Te Tai Tokerau, and Waikato.
1979-1989
A grassroots therapeutic community
Dr Fraser McDonald started an Odyssey treatment programme in Aotearoa. The first few Odyssey facilities opened in Auckland, and then Odyssey House in Christchurch.
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In 1979 Dr Fraser McDonald, then Head of Carrington Hospital, was asked to start an Odyssey treatment programme in Aotearoa.
An interim board was set up in 1980. Dame Barbara Goodman, former councillor and mayoress of Auckland City, joined as Odyssey’s Chairperson. She remained on the board for the next decade.
The first Odyssey facility, Vanguard House, opened in October 1981 in Rose Road, Grey Lynn, with a single employee.
In 1982 a facility opened in Parnell, Auckland on St George’s Bay Road. At this time, Odyssey completely relied on fundraising and donations to operate.
Odyssey then opened an adolescent TC, located nearby at Lantana Lodge. This was the first residential programme in New Zealand for rangatahi with substance challenges.
A separate Odyssey House offering was founded in Christchurch in 1985, which still operates today.
In 1989 Odyssey purchased a villa in Mont Le Grande Road, Mt Eden for its adolescent centre, naming it the Fraser McDonald Centre.
1990-1999
Building on our foundations
From a grassroots movement to an established sector presence. Four new sites opened in Auckland. Services are offered to support people with gambling and mental health concerns.
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In 1990 Odyssey purchased the former Bollard Girls’ Home facility in New Windsor. This new site accommodated additional service offerings.
Odyssey purchased the Periodic Detention Centre at 390 Mt Eden Road. This building was used for admissions, youth services, and administration.
In 1995 a dual diagnosis programme was established to support people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drug issues. Located at 61 Campbell Road, Royal Oak, this was the first of its kind in New Zealand. This was the genesis of Odyssey’s Te Wairua services, which are now in two Auckland locations and one in Whangārei.
In 1996 a service for people diagnosed with compulsive gambling disorder was established.
In 1997 youth residential services for 18–22-year-olds are modified to support retention of participants. This was established at the Bollard campus.
In the late 1990s Odyssey opened a non-residential youth service in Kelston, Auckland. This included day and evening programmes that were established to better support youth. The service included a contract to deliver AOD services to the Kaipara region.
2000-2009
Extending our reach
Odyssey branches into new areas to support various treatment and aftercare needs. The Goodman Centre opened in 2001 to provide specialised support for youth with higher needs.
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Named after Dame Barbara Goodman, the Goodman Centre is leased in 2001 on Mt Albert Road. This residential service supported youth with higher levels of need to what the Fraser McDonald Centre could support.
In 2004 Odyssey expanded its Bollard Ave site by opening a purpose-built family facility, where caregivers could undertake residential treatment programmes with their tamariki. The Odyssey school was also situated here.
In 2006, Odyssey receives a contract to develop Stand Up! - a school-based youth harm reduction service in South Auckland.
In 2006 a contract enables development of the two additional dual diagnosis facilities. One is opened in May at 5 Ford Ave, Kamo in May 2007; the second is opened in November 2007 at 12 Orakau Road, Mangere East.
In 2009 Odyssey opened a base at 94 Newton Road, Auckland for its Youth and Adult Aftercare services and school-based practitioners in Stand Up!
2010-2019
More ways of working, in more places
Odyssey expands to different regions: Te Tai Tokerau, Waikato, and other parts of Tāmaki Makaurau. Projects like Te Whare Whakapiki Wairua (2012), Te Puawai Aroha (2014), our Kai Garden (2019), and construction of the Ngā Wai building (2019) broaden what’s possible.
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Te Whare Whakapiki Wairua, the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court (AODTC), is founded in November 2012. The Courts are located in Auckland and Waitākere. The AODTC is established to address underlying causes of offending, giving an alternative for people whose offending has been influenced by alcohol and other drugs. Successful participants are granted a community-based, rather than custodial, sentence.
In 2014 Te Puawai Aroha – Blossoming Love, a school holiday programme, is launched. This programme works with tamariki and their caregivers where parents impacted by mental health or alcohol and other drugs.
Odyssey opened Te Tāwharau Community Hub in 2015. The building accommodates the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court team, assessment and admissions, and facilitates community groups, such as SMART support groups. A social enterprise café was opened onsite and available to the public, providing work experience opportunities for tāngata whai ora in Odyssey’s programmes.
In 2016 Youth INtact starts in Waikato - a youth service supporting rangatahi to reduce substance use and make wellbeing improvements.
A Drug Treatment Programme is opened in 2017 at Spring Hill Correctional Facility.
In 2017 Department of Corrections funds day programmes to support people on probation in Auckland and Whangārei.
Te Ara Oranga launches in 2017 in Northland as a collaboration with Police and Te Whatu Ora (previously Northland DHB). The service supports people and whānau who are impacted by methamphetamine and want to move toward recovery and healing.
In May 2017 a community hub opened in Bank Street, Whangārei, partly to facilitate an intensive outpatient day programme, delivered in partnership with Corrections. Te Ara Oranga and Assessments & Admissions Northland grew from there.
Ngā Wai Ōtihi building is completed on the Bollard Ave site and opens in June 2019. This building brings operations management and service support teams on site with the Adult and Family Centre residential services, the Odyssey School, and the Stand Up! youth team. The name Ngā Wai Ōtihi describes the coming together of many different streams of Odyssey and suggests ‘a journey we take together’.
Haven opened in October 2019 at Merge Café, 453 Karangahape Road. It is a peer-led support space where people can come in after-hours, after taking substances or who want company. It operates as a partnership with Lifewise, Mind & Body and Te Whatu Ora.
Odyssey’s Kai Garden Work Training Programme started in late 2019. The māra kai (food garden) is a living classroom and grows spray-free produce for the adult residential services in New Windsor and Odyssey Café. The programme helps tāngata whai ora to build work ready skills and a new CV, increase their recovery capital, improve wellbeing, and have a positive learning experience while gaining new kai growing skills.
2020-present
A commitment to harm reduction
We focus on tāngata whai ora, whānau, and community wellbeing. We are responsive to new areas of need and our projects mirror these commitments.
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Haven gained sustainable funding in 2020, bolstering Odyssey’s harm reduction offerings.
E Ara E, work and study support for ages 18-24 began in May 2021. The aim of E Ara E is to support wellbeing and development goals for young people.
Odyssey launched Taupae Wheako in 2022, home to our lived experience peer support and social recovery workforce initiatives.
In 2021 Odyssey’s Youth INtact service in the Waikato began a monthly collaboration with New Zealand Drug Foundation and Know Your Stuff to do drug checking at their premises. This collaboration also extends to festivals where both organisations have booths together to promote harm reduction.
In 2023 Odyssey launched drug checking at Te Tāwharau, New Lynn hub in collaboration with New Zealand Drug Foundation. This is a free and anonymous way that people can find out what is in the drugs they are taking.
In 2024 Odyssey opened Waiora, a purpose-built therapeutic centre to expand its cultural interventions, activities, and clinical services. At the same time the hand-carved pou Rewarewa is unveiled.
In 2024 Odyssey pilots a new community-based continuing care service, delivered in partnership with CADS for tāngata whai ora sectioned under the SACAT Act, and their whānau.
In 2024 Odyssey is involved in the Counties Manukau Kia Ora Ake consortium alongside other service providers. Kia ora Ake is a co-designed tamariki hinengaro approach (mental and emotional wellbeing). It is a school-based holistic wellbeing approach providing support to primary and intermediate school aged tamariki, their whānau, and schools.
Auckland South Drug Treatment Programme opens in 2024, a 6-to-12 month AOD programme within the prison delivered in collaboration with Serco.
