Ewen Laurenson

Ewen commented that his academic and sporting achievements at College were not particularly memorable.  However he went on to graduate with a BA and a Dip Ed.

He married Gillian and they have four children and five grandchildren.  With Gillian he started the Open Home Foundation, a Christian child and family support service in 1977 in Wellington.  The Foundation is involved in the care and protection of at-risk children and their families.  They provide a range of services including social work, foster care, kinship care, parent education, mentoring and similar.

From Wellington the work spread throughout New Zealand and today is a significant provider of services in the care and protection sector.

The work also developed overseas and today through Open Home Foundation International they have an involvement in India, Zambia, Uganda and Rwanda as well as Romania.  The overseas work is focussed largely on community training and development so that communities are empowered to look after their most vulnerable and impoverished children.  Ewen travelled in this work from 1991 until 2011 with training being the most important focus.  They have now handed over all responsibilities within the Open Home Foundation.