Manu Ora thrilled with the response to its opening

Manu Ora thrilled with the response to its opening

"I come away from work feeling my soul is full; it’s pretty special," says Dr Sara Simmons, one of the three mātanga rata (general practitioners) working at Manu Ora, a new ‘by Māori, for Māori’ Hauora centre in Howick Road, Blenheim.

Te Piki Oranga established Manu Ora in collaboration with Simmons and fellow GP Rachel Inder, with support from the Marlborough Primary Health Organisation and Rangitāne o Wairau, and has since received funding support from other agencies including Nelson Marlborough Health.

The new practice opened on 9 August but lockdown soon followed, so it only got to celebrate its official launch with a pōwhiri on 5 October.

Manu Ora has been established to support Māori whānau with high needs, as well as other vulnerable communities.

"With more than 500 enrolments already, we’re tracking ahead of our targets," says Sara. "Of these, many either didn't have a GP or don’t have a strong relationship with a GP, and many have complex care needs. We’re thrilled to have them with us."

Manu Ora is still taking new enrolments. Sara says the practice can take up to 1,000 enrolments and can continue to support a much higher proportion of those with high needs.

"We haven’t yet actively promoted Manu Ora to these whānau," Sara adds, "It’s all been word-of-mouth. We’ve also built enrolments because Te Piki Oranga’s kaimahi have been referring people."

When a patient first signs up, they are offered an extended enrolment appointment with a nurse and a GP from the team. Following this, a coordinated management plan is developed and documented to ensure each patient’s health needs are met.

"The longer appointment times make a real difference," says Sara. "It gives us time to learn about each person’s background and home life. We can really get to know people and build a relationship and trust, which enables us to understand what other things in their life might influence their acute healthcare needs.

"We’re family-first, whānau-centred."

She also predicts Manu Ora’s other key to success will be its much higher staffing ratio (to patients). Manu Ora currently employs three GPs, three nurses and three receptionists. All nine Manu Ora kaimahi are deliberately employed on a part-time basis.

"In general, the pressures on kaimahi are so great in general practice," says Sara. "So our decision to work part-time is quite purposeful. We’re also a small enough team to be able to adapt and improve quickly."

Nationally, there is one full-time equivalent GP for every 1,700 patients. At Manu Ora, there is one full-time equivalent GP for every 1,000.

Manu Ora is also a not-for-profit organisation, which makes it quite different from other medical practices.

"We’re not a business, but a charity, focusing on providing quality care for low or no cost if people are unable to pay and enabling us to continue to attract more funding," says Sara.

Visit the Manu Ora website if you would like to enrol as a patient.

Notice of Annual General Meeting

Notice of Te Piki Oranga Annual General Meeting

11.00 am – 1 pm, Friday 29 October 2021

Tokomaru, Te Awhina Marae, 133 Pah St, Motueka 

Enquiries to: Anne Hobby, Tumuaki 03 543 7016

COVID-19 Level 2 rules will apply

You can build better health through Te Ao Māori

You can build better health through Te Ao Māori

Te Piki Oranga is rolling out a pilot programme, Te Ata Pūao, to help whānau take more control over their health and wellbeing through a better understanding of their cultural identity.

Te Ata Pūao has been developed in recognition of the low to medium anxiety levels people are experiencing following the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it has had on jobs, security, families and mental health, especially for those in rural communities.

It will support positive changes to improve Māori health and wellbeing through a better understanding of Te Ao Māori.

Participants will develop an awareness of their whakapapa and feel more at home within Te Ao Māori. As they work through the course, participants will be supported to answer questions about their culture and whānau, and develop an understanding of how this can affect personal health and wellbeing.

Te Ata Pūao has been developed to help Māori to explore how their thoughts and feelings affect their actions in a fun, supportive learning environment. It will help participants to take more control of their own health and wellbeing as they develop a health and wellbeing plan, which they can continue to develop once they have finished the course.

The programme will run once a week for 2.5 hours a week over six weeks.

The course will be delivered in three parts, exploring culture and identity,  developing a holistic approach to your health and wellbeing, and working with professional support services to make long-term improvements to health and wellbeing.

Te Ata Pūao will be delivered for tāne, wāhine and whānau, at locations in Whakatū and Wairau. For more information visit www.tpo.org.nz or phone 0800 ORANGA (0800 672 642)

Te Piki Oranga is an essential service in Level 4

Te Piki Oranga is here for your health during Level 4

New Zealand will be in Level 4 lockdown from midnight tonight for three days. In Level 4, Te Piki Oranga is still an essential service, so we will continue to operate our services this week, although differently than usual.

At Te Piki Oranga most of our kaimahi/staff will work remotely at home. Kaimahi will be taking whānau phone calls and will help ensure you can manage your health needs.  Home visits will take place where necessary and safe for everyone. We will continue to help you access your GP or other health services if you need to this week.

Our kaimahi will also be ringing as many whānau as they can to ensure that they are safe and well and have what they need to self-isolate.

If you have health concerns for a member of your whānau or someone else at this time, please let us know by ringing 0800 ORANGA (672 642). We will also have a few kaimahi working at our hubs in Whakatū, Wairau and Motueka over the next three days. Any Te Piki Oranga kaimahi travelling outside of home or our office will wear our Te Piki Oranga ID to identify themselves as essential workers.

You may wish to visit the COVID-19 website if you would like more information about what you need to do in Level 4.

Arohanui to all our whānau as we go into Level 4 together – we are still here and doing everything we can to support you.

Meanwhile, we do encourage whānau to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Our COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics in Picton, Wairau, Nelson, Richmond and Motueka are continuing in Level 4, with Level 4 restrictions. We will be in touch if we need to rebook you to a different time, otherwise please come if you are scheduled to come and don’t hear from us. You can book now for you and your whānau at any of our upcoming clincis, call 0800 672 642 and press option 1 to register.  

Manu Ora takes flight

Manu Ora takes flight

Today, Wairau’s new Manu Ora healthcare service is open and giving local whānau a new, high-quality and culturally appropriate way to improve their hauora. The service is a partnership between Nuku Health and Te Piki Oranga, and is supported by Marlborough Primary Health and Rangitane o Wairau.

The service’s name ‘Manu Ora’, represents a bird taking flight after achieving hauora (wellbeing). 

Manu Ora is a charitable organisation with a small healthcare team dedicated to providing quality care within a kaupapa Māori model and committed to te Māori me ngā tikanga Māori. The service is subsidised for Te Piki Oranga whānau, Community Services Card holders and other whānau who meet the enrolment criteria.  

‘We are committed to reducing the inequities in both access to primary health care and the health outcomes for our highest need patients in Wairau, particularly our Māori community,’ says Manu Ora's Sara Simmons.

‘We strive to create an environment that is caring, respectful, empathic and collaborative with our patients and their support networks, and supportive, stimulating and rewarding for our kaimahi (staff).’

The Manu Ora team will work closely with each other, alongside patients, to ensure every staff member can provide high-quality and ongoing care.

When a patient first signs up, they will be offered an extended enrolment appointment with a nurse and a GP from the team. Following this, a coordinated management plan will be developed and documented to ensure each patient’s health needs are met.

The Manu Ora team also aims to act as health advocates for their patients, and to go the extra mile to ensure their health needs are met.

You can book an appointment in advance or drop into the walk-in clinic (where patients are prioritised according to how urgent their medical treatment needs are).

Call Manu Ora on 03 577 5810 or drop into 219 Howick Road, Wairau.

Manu Ora’s guiding whakataukī

Mā te huruhuru, ka rere te manu

Me whakahoki mai te mana ki te whanau, hapū, iwi.

Kia korowaitia aku mokopuna kit e korowaitanga hauora.

Adorn the bird with feathers so it can fly and return the mana to us.

Let our future generations be embraced in good health.

Get vaccinated at one of Te Piki Oranga’s vaccination clinics

Te Piki Oranga is working closely with Kotahi Te Tauihu Charitable Trust and Nelson Marlborough Health to bring COVID-19 vaccine clinics for iwi, hapu and whānau.

Protecting our whānau is what we do

Everyone in Aotearoa aged over 16 will be allocated to one of four groups for receiving their free COVID- 19 vaccination.

To date we have focussed on those in groups 1 & 2 – those working on the border, our kaumatua and those living in the same household as kaumatua.

We are now turning our attention to those in groups 3 and 4. To find out what group you are in, use the COVID-19 vaccine roll out online tool.

How to get vaccinated

Bookings are essential for our vaccine clinics. You can book your appointment by calling 0800 ORANGA (0800 672 642). We can help with transport to and from the clinics, just let us know when you book your appointment.

Vaccination clinic information can be found on our Get Vaccinated page.

A new purpose for whānau whare

A new purpose for whānau whare

When Carolynn Tipene learned of the new Manu Ora clinic opening at 219 Howick Road in Wairau, it brought back years of happy memories.

For Carolynn and her siblings, the building that houses the new Manu Ora clinic was called home for many years.

Jim and Violet Walker bought the building from Māori Affairs around 1959 and the whare was home to all nine of their children until 2016, when Violet sadly passed away.

“As a whānau we were sad to see the house go, but life must go on!” says Carolynn.

But when the whānau learned that the whare was to become a clinic providing culturally sensitive primary health care, it brought tears to their eyes. Carolynn believes her mum and dad would be so happy to learn of the whare’s new purpose.

As tamariki, the Walker’s were brought up to understand whānau ora and holistic wellbeing and Carolynn says that the whare is steeped in the values of te whare tapa whā (Māori holistic model of health).

The news of Manu Ora was an opportunity for the whānau to share their memories and Carolynn says it has brought them all much happiness.

She recalls the backyard was full of fruit trees and gardens that not only fed the whānau, but the whole neighbourhood. “Our father gardened by the moon and the flower garden was Mum’s domain. It wasn’t unusual for people to wander off the street for a closer look,” says Carolynn.

The harakeke still growing there was gifted by the whānau’s Papa, Kereama Keelan (Ngāti Porou), when his daughter Violet left her home in Tolaga Bay, as a young bride, and moved south with Jim. 

 Carolynn also remembers that the whare had an open-door policy; there was always kai and a bed available to anyone who might need one.

 Jim leased the paddock at the back of the property (now full of houses) where he kept sheep, chickens, pigs, and a horse at one stage.

 The whole neighbourhood of kids visited the house, where they created a BMX bike track (long before its time) and took bike frames from the dump and welded and built their own BMX and chopper bikes.

 On behalf of her entire whānau Carolynn would like to thank Te Piki Oranga and Manu Ora for bestowing hauora and mana once again to 219 Howick Road and says “you have brought a lot of joy to the whānau of Jim and Violet Walker.”

Mobile clinic helps whānau reach their potential

Mā Te huruhuru, Ka rere Te manu
Me Whakahoki mai te Mana ki te
Whanau, Hapū, Iwi, ara
Kia korowaitiaaku mokopuna ki te
Korowaitange hauora
Tihei Mauri ora!

A stunning tui with its vibrant green and blue feathers and distinctive white throat tuft, along with a whakataukī – which loosely translated means ‘adorn the bird with feathers so it can fly’ – features on one side of Te Piki Oranga’s new mobile clinic. The other side features a landscape image of whānau enjoying one of Te Tauihu’s beaches. Inside is comfortable and cosy, with a heat pump to warm the space in winter and cool it in summer, and cups of tea are on tap.

The purpose-built ‘mobile health clinic on wheels’ hit the road on June 11 and has already supported the hauora (wellbeing) of close to 600 local whānau members, after it was used as a base for two COVID-19 vaccination clinics at Whakatū Marae.

Te Piki Oranga’s Operations and Service Delivery Manager Lorraine Staunton says a successful funding application enabled the setup of a mobile immunisation clinic but it has already become a multi-purpose clinic, with additional potential uses continuing to evolve.

As well as being used as a vaccination ‘base station’, it provides a comfortable and private space for cervical screening, a first aid hub, health promotion centre at community events and is being fitted out with telehealth technology to ensure local whānau can access specialists across Aotearoa.

Lorraine, who joined Te Piki Oranga at the beginning of the year, set about defining the requirements for the custom-built clinic. The project team, which also includes Sonia Hepi-Treanor (Te Hā / Stop Smoking) and Rameka Te Rahui (Alcohol & Other Drugs Clinician), then commissioned Chris Dufeu at CJ Fabricators in Tahunanui to oversee the build. Lorraine says, ‘Chris really put his heart into the job; nothing was too much trouble.’

At first, the plan was to build the mobile clinic from scratch. Using chalk, they marked out the imagined size of the clinic on concrete. But, with supply chain delays for many building products to consider, it soon became apparent that it would be better to explore other options.

With Chris’ help, Te Piki Oranga was fortunate to find the perfect ‘shell’: a mobile room that had already been lined, had a door and a window, and electrical wiring in place. Adjustments were made and lights, benches, storage cupboards, a sink and a small fridge were installed.

‘This gave us a headstart of about five weeks,’ says Lorraine, ‘and we were able to start using the clinic in early June.’

Nelson Marlborough Health’s telehealth team is providing support to ensure Te Piki Oranga has access to the appropriate conferencing capabilities that will facilitate appointments with specialists in other areas of the region and country.

Lorraine says that, as a country, Aotearoa is not meeting many of the health targets for Māori but the new mobile clinic will support better health outcomes.

‘It has huge health promotion potential. We’ve also bought a gazebo that we can use alongside the clinic at community events.’

Watch out for the mobile clinic in towns across Te Tauihu in the coming months. And, it is likely to be used as a first aid hub in Whakatū for 2021 Te Mana Kuratahi, the national primary school kapa haka competition.  With kapa haka groups from around the country descending on Nelson for what's being described as ‘the biggest Māori event in the world’, Te Piki Oranga’s new mobile clinic could be there to support thousands of people.

Support for survivors of abuse through Te Piki Oranga

If you, or someone you know, have had an experience of abuse in care, Te Piki Oranga can now offer one-on-one support for people sharing their experiences with the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.

Te Piki Oranga has put in place qualified and trained community champions who can help you through the often difficult journey of sharing your experiences and telling your story.

Rameka Te Rahui is one of the Te Piki Oranga community champions who can answer your call for support, while you go through the Inquiry process.

“We’re here to help anyone through that process – deciding whether and how to take part, navigating the process and getting the follow-up care you need.

“We understand that anyone telling their story is going to go through many emotions. Talking about it can bring up a lot of grief, anger, and fear. Sometimes the hardest thing is making the first move and picking up the phone.

“We can talk with you before you make that first call to the Inquiry, sit with you while you do it, or talk with you afterwards if you need that support, so you are not left hanging there alone.”

Rameka says that sometimes this can be the start for people seeking help and treatment.

“If you’ve been living with this for a long time, sharing your story with the Commission could be the start of a healing journey for you and your whānau. There is free counselling available, and for many people, this has made it possible for them to get treatment for ongoing trauma as a result of their experiences.”

If you have an experience you want to share, the best way to get started is to call us on 0800 ORANGA (672 642), and ask to speak to one of our community champions for the Royal Commission of Inquiry. We’ll then facilitate getting you the support you need.

The Inquiry is in the process of gathering information from survivors of abuse, so it can look into what happened to children, young people and vulnerable adults in care.

The Commission wants to hear from everyone who has been affected, including:

·       Those who have been directly harmed

·       Those indirectly impacted by the abuse

·       Witnesses to abuse

·       Those advocating on behalf of another person including your own tamariki, rangatahi and tīpuna.

If the person who was abused has died, you can even share on their behalf, in memoriam.

Once the investigations are complete, the Inquiry will report to the Governor-General and make recommendations about how New Zealand can better care for its young people.

National Award for Māori health champion provides funding for new programme

National Award for Māori health champion provides funding for new programme

Paraire Huata Health and Wellbeing Award recipient Rameka Te Rahui is dedicating the $5,000 Award to a new wānanga to help young Māori to follow the right path in life, and is calling for sponsors to match the funding, so he can deliver a high impact programme that will change lives.

Rameka Te Rahui says he was delighted to receive the Te Rau Ora Paraire Huata Award in May this year, especially as the award will provide base funding to run a new wānanga targeting at-risk young Māori men.

The Te Rau Ora He Tohu Hiranga: Excellence and Innovation awards acknowledge and recognise excellence and innovation in the Māori health, mental health, addiction sectors.  Paraire Huata was best known for his focus on the health and social service sector, and for his commitment to Māori mental health and addiction services. Te Rau Ora is a national organisation dedicated to strengthening Māori Health.

“I want to acknowledge the honour of being the recipient of the Paraire Huata Award, it was a wonderful surprise and truly appreciated. A big thank you to the team at Te Rau Ora,” says Rameka.

Rameka has been in Nelson for two years, working in addiction services for Māori health and wellness organisation Te Piki Oranga. Prior to that, his career in Māori community wellbeing has spanned 39 years and included working in probation services, alongside the New Zealand Police, family violence and Children, Youth and Families Service, and most recently as a Team Leader delivering kaupapa services in the Bay of Plenty.

The Paraire Huata Award recognises contributions towards Māori health and wellbeing. The award is in the form of funds to facilitate local wānanga, to share and raise the standards of practice regarding Māori models of practice.

Rameka says the award holds special meaning for him because of his friendship with Paraire Hauta.

”Paraire Huata, of Ngati Kahungungu ki Heretaunga,  was a dear friend, colleague and teacher whom I had the privilege of working with under the kaupapa he co-developed, which was well known across Aotearoa, not only for his work with Māori but with the world’s indigenous people.’’

Rameka is currently facilitating the Kia Taumata Te Oranga Methamphetamine MatrixPprogramme –a successful addiction programme developed in the US and adapted for New Zealand. The programme launched in October 2019 and is already making strides in helping people break the cycle of drug use and addiction.

“We’ve found that people who stay with the learning and complete three or four blocks of the programme are able to make lasting changes in their lives. Many of our clients are self-referred or come through people who have successfully completed the course and are making real progress,” says Rameka.

Rameka is using the award money to facilitate a wānanga for 20 young Māori males (taiohi, rangatahi tamatāne,) aged 14 to 20 years old which will run in October this year and will be Marae-based within Te Tauihu. 

“We are hoping to target many of our local young tane who have fallen through the gaps and are likely to be an adult tane ‘Māori statistic’ within the next 3-8 years,” says Rameka. “Our aim is to try to break this cycle and to expose these young tāne to good role models and a variety of activities and opportunities that provide an alternative to a life of drug use, gang violence and crime.”

To support the programme, Rameka is calling for sponsorship from other agencies to help build a programme that will make a long-term difference to young men and their whānau.

“I am dedicating the Paraire Huata award as part of my role with Te Piki Oranga, and I challenge the appropriate services and community of Nelson, to either match or better this contribution.”

Building better health through Te Ao Māori

Te Piki Oranga is rolling out a pilot programme to help people take more control over their health and wellbeing through a better understanding of their cultural identity.

Te Ata Pūao has been developed in recognition of the low to medium anxiety levels people are experiencing following the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it has had on jobs, security, families and mental health.

Programme facilitator Charles Clover says the course has been developed to support positive changes that will improve Māori health and wellbeing through a better understanding of Te Ao Māori.

“Through Te Ata Pūao, participants will develop an awareness of their whakapapa and answer questions about their culture and whānau, developing an understanding of how this can affect personal health and wellbeing.

“This is a chance for Māori to explore the complexity of their whakapapa, and look at how their thoughts and feelings affect their actions. We will show people how they can take more control of their own health and wellbeing and feel more at home in Te Ao Māori in a fun, supportive learning environment,” says Charles.

Te Ata Pūao programme will run once a week for 2.5 hours a week over six weeks, and will work through a bi-cultural health model to develop a health and wellbeing plan that participants can continue to develop once they have finished the course.

The course will be delivered in three parts, exploring culture and identity,  developing a holistic approach to your health and wellbeing, and working with professional support services to make long-term improvements to health and wellbeing.

Te Ata Pūao will be delivered for tāne, wāhine and whānau, at locations in Whakatū and Wairau. For more information contact Charles Clover by calling 0800 ORANGA (0800 672 642).

Everything is an opportunity, says new Te Pou Taki

Everything is an opportunity, says new Te Pou Taki

Carl Baker took over the role of Te Pou Taki (Māori cultural adviser) at Te Piki Oranga earlier this year and has spent the past four months undertaking a cultural assessment of Te Piki Oranga’s activities.

The Pou Taki position was advertised after Sonny Alesana moved to a new role as Kōtuitui Hapori (Community Connector). When Carl saw the position advertised, he jumped at the chance to relocate to Te Tauihu to take up the role and be closer to his whānau based in Whakatū.

In this role, Carl aims to support both kaimahi (employees) and whānau. He says the purpose of the cultural assessment he’s been undertaking is to ‘make sure our activities align with what we say we’re doing’. He is looking for ways to enhance how kaupapa Māori informs Te Piki Oranga’s strategic direction and to ensure tikanga Māori (Māori custom) is implemented accurately across the organisation, starting with the leadership team.

Following this, he has his sights set on a development plan for management and kaimahi. Then he will take a ‘deep dive’ with individuals, to support them to improve their cultural development.

‘I see everything as an opportunity,’ Carl explains. ‘I’m looking at how we can progress staff along the continuum of learning and interventions we can put in place to help that shift. For example, I’m aiming to increase staff members’ overall cultural capability which will ensure Te Piki Oranga continues to transform as a kaupapa Māori health and wellness organisation.’

His previous experience, as Pou Tairangahau (cultural manager) at the Department of Conservation in Hawkes Bay, has equipped him with transferrable skills that have given him a great head start in this role as Te Pou Taki.

Are you aged 15-30 years? Protect against measles

Are you aged 15-30 years? Protect against measles

Become a Guardian of the Future by getting immunised against measles. Not only will you be protecting yourself against a disease that’s about 8 times more contagious than COVID-19, you’ll also be protecting your whānau, your community, and future generations from harm. 

Measles is a serious disease that can make you very sick. Not everyone aged 15 to 30 years was immunised as a child. But it’s easy and free to get immunised now.

Protect the people you care about. Immunise to help stop the spread of measles. It’s free at GPs or participating pharmacies.

Not sure if you’re immunised against measles?  It’s okay to get immunised again.

Find more information on our MMR Vaccine page, which includes a “Your Quetions Answered” section.

Te Piki Oranga host first COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Te Āwhina Marae

Te Piki Oranga host first COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Te Āwhina Marae

Te Piki Oranga ran its first Māori-focused COVID-19 vaccination clinic in a marae setting in the Tasman region on Friday, 28th May. While the doors were open at Te Piki Oranga’s offices at Te Āwhina Marae, its nurses administered 53 doses to local kaumātua (elders) and their whānau.

With a successful track record in ensuring Māori over the age of 65, along with their whānau, receive the vaccine, Te Piki Oranga has now run one clinic at Te Āwhina marae, three clinics at Waikawa Marae in Marlborough and three clinics at Noho Pakari (kaumātua ‘sit and be fit class’) in Blenheim. These clinics have resulted in over 500 whānau in the Te Tauihu (Top of the South) region being vaccinated so far.  The next two clinics are at Whakatū Marae on 11 and 12 June.

Māori over the age of 65 are receiving priority access to the vaccine because they are more at risk of developing severe illness if they contract COVID-19. Because so many kaumātua live in intergenerational households, whānau members over the age of 16 are also eligible to be vaccinated at Te Piki Oranga’s clinics.

‘Te Āwhina Marae is an ideal venue,’ says Te Piki Oranga Covid Response Manager Claire McKenzie, ‘because it’s based in a very active community. It’s been an opportunity for community members to receive the vaccine from people they know and trust in a familiar environment, rather than in a clinical setting. We want whānau to feel really comfortable.’

McKenzie said a lot of Māori communities are unaware that the vaccine is free, so she wants to get the message out there that it does not cost to be vaccinated. Te Piki Oranga has seen, during clinics at Waikawa Marae, that confidence in the vaccine increases when kaumātua and their whānau see others being vaccinated; they need time to be reassured that adverse side effects are very unlikely.

‘It’s important for whānau to understand that they need to book in advance for the clinic if they wish to be vaccinated, and if they have any concerns about the vaccine, they are also welcome to call us and ask questions,’ said McKenzie. ‘There is a lot of misinformation out there and we can provide reliable advice.’

Across Aotearoa, a higher proportion of Māori, compared to the general population, are hesitant about having the vaccine. According to Horizon Research's March report for the Ministry of Health, approximately 21 per cent of Māori said they 'need to know more' before deciding whether to take the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. In the latest research, Māori have a similar intention to take a COVID-19 vaccine as they did in previous surveys (conducted in December and February), but the percentage of those who are unlikely to take a vaccine has dropped from a peak of 27 per cent in December to a below-average 18 per cent.

In recent weeks, Nelson Marlborough Health has run two very large clinics in Tasman, which has resulted in 970 doses being administered, so while this is not the first COVID vaccination clinic in Tasman, it was the first Māori-focused clinic on a marae.

The next clinic at Te Āwhina Marae is being held on Friday 18th June, from 10am. Kaumātua and their whānau are invited to book an appointment at this clinic by calling 0800 ORANGA (0800 672 642).

 Getting vaccinated at Te Āwhina Marae also means Te Piki Oranga can extend manaakitanga to its Māori community members, ensuring they are welcomed and supported.

Te Āwhina site manager Lydia Mains said she has been calling local whānau to let them know about the clinics and encourages them to bring their kaumātua to the marae, and to come along as well. ‘We’re saying, don’t put older people at risk. The clinic will be somewhere everyone can come to meet, talk and share. It’s not just a quick “in and out”.’

Mains and her fellow kaimahi are also offering support, if needed, with arranging transport to the marae.

If whānau have any pātai (questions) about the COVID-19 vaccine, they can contact Donna Grace at donna.grace@tpo.org.nz or on 027 4133 697.

Visit our COVID-19 pages for further information on Te Piki Oranga’s vaccine clinic roll out and where your nearest clinic is.

Māori Cancer Community Hui - Saturday 12th June, Ūkaipō

Hear the voice of Whānau Māori!

Ūkaipō, Rangitāne Cultural Centre, 1 Fell Street, Grovetown, Blenheim
Saturday 12th June 2021

Te Aho o Te Kahu is committed to working together with Māori Leaders, Stakeholders and Communities to improve outcomes!

Come have your say and help us design kaupapa Māori cancer solutions.

Kai, kōrero, kapa haka, mirimiri, rongoā, whānau workshops.

Registration: 8.30am | Mihi Whakatau: 9.10am | Poroporoaki: 3:30pm

RSVP with attendance & transport requirements.

Name: Te Hauora o Ngāti Rārua
Email: hauora@thonr.org
Phone: (03) 577-8404

Transport available from Nelson and Blenheim.

Get Vaccinated. COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics at Te Āwhina & Waikawa Maraes

Te Piki Oranga are running two COVID-19 vaccination clinics on Thursday 27th & Friday 28th May.

We invite kaumātua (65+), and whānau who live with them, to receive their free Pfizer at the following clinics:

Thursday 27th May

Waikawa Marae
Waikawa Road
Waitohi (Picton)

To book into this clinic please call our Wairau office on 03 578 5750 or email admin.wairau@tpo.org.nz

Friday 28th May

Te Piki Oranga Office
Te Āwhina Marae
133 Pah Street
Motueka

To book into this clinic please call our Motueka office on 03 528 1046 or email admin.motueka@tpo.org.nz

BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL

PĀTAI/QUESTIONS

If you have any pātai, contact Donna Grace | E: donna.grace@tpo.org.nz | M: 027 4133 697

Come hear about the COVID-19 Vaccination programme from Hon. Peeni Henare

You are invited to a COVID-19 Vaccination Information Evening with Associate Minister of Health Hon. Peeni Henare and the Ministry of Health.

Wednesday 7th April 2021, 5pm-6pm

We look forward to hosting this important hui, so you can kōrero with Minister Hon. Peeni Henare and health officials in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Come to the United Bowling Club, 201 Waimea Road, Nelson.

Light refreshments will be provided

Nau mai, haere mai.

Are You Aged 15-30 Years? Protect Against Measles

Are You Aged 15-30 Years? Protect Against Measles

Become a Guardian of the Future by getting immunised against measles. Not only will you be protecting yourself against a disease that’s about 8 times more contagious than COVID-19, you’ll also be protecting your whānau, your community, and future generations from harm. 

Measles is a serious disease that can make you very sick. Not everyone aged 15 to 30 years was immunised as a child. But it’s easy and free to get immunised now.

Protect the people you care about. Immunise to help stop the spread of measles. It’s free at GPs or participating pharmacies.

Not sure if you’re immunised against measles?  It’s okay to get immunised again.

Find more information on our MMR Vaccine page, which includes a “Your Quetions Answered” section.

Driver’s licence the key to shearer’s future

When Te Piki Oranga Kōtuitui Hapori Sonny Alesano arrived at the Nelson Courthouse one day in December, he overheard a conversation. Twenty-four-year-old Jason West had been charged with driving without a licence. Sonny introduced himself, gave his business card to the rangatahi and let him know about Te Piki Oranga’s He Tangata driving programme.

Jason, who works all over the region as a sheep shearer, says, ‘It was such a relief off my shoulders; I was stressing out and didn’t know what to do. Sonny told me he could help me with my licence and I said, “Yep, done, I need that”. It was the good luck I needed.’

In the past, Jason had lost his licence for driving unaccompanied to work on a learner’s permit. He thought the waiting list meant it wasn’t possible to book in for his practical test. Then he was pulled over driving without a licence. ‘It was such a pain, I was stuck in a cycle, flat out. It’s also my hobby, I’m real passionate about cars. When I’m not working, I’m always underneath my car. So to have a car and not be able to drive was devastating.’

Jason passed his restricted driver’s licence test in early January 2021. ‘I’m so stoked, Emani is such a nice person. It’s great, now I don’t have to be worried about being pulled over.’

It also means he can keep his licence. ‘The judge said if I got my licence before the next court date, she wouldn’t take it off me. I still have to pay the fines, because I broke the law, but now I’m able to drive. She gave me the opportunity because there’s a real shortage of shearers in the country; a lot are stuck in Australia because of Covid-19.’

With work all over Te Tauihu, a driver’s licence is essential for Jason’s employment. There isn’t any public transport that will get him to where he needs to go and on time. ‘We start shearing at 7.30am, so wherever I’m coming from, I have to been there by then. And if there’s no work up here, I can now go down to Alexandra.’

Jason says he feels unstoppable now. ‘It’s a real boost in confidence.’

But he believes it wasn’t just his future at stake. ‘I could see that, if I passed, it would encourage the judge to give someone else the same opportunity. If I’d failed to get my licence, maybe she might not have been so lenient with other people in the same situation. I would have tried, regardless, but having the support really helped me mentally. It’s especially great to be able to talk to someone with more life experience, someone other than your parents.’

Jason looks forward to shearing for at least the next five years. Then, he says, he might become a barber, like his mum. ‘I’ll be going from animals to humans,’ he laughs.

Sonny says Jason’s story is not unique.

‘You turn up to court to support someone and you see how many youth are there, and we know there are processes other than the justice system,’ Sonny says. ‘We are looking at how we can support these rangatahi to ensure that court is not the only option for them. Helping them get their driver’s licence is just one. Emani Soane, one of our driving instructors, has done such great work with our young people.’

Sonny says he’s also been working with Pasifika communities, offering learner driver licence courses with Emani.

‘When English is their second language, it can be an additional barrier.We provide support because having a licence gives them more opportunities for other work,’ Sonny says.

Jason and Sonny

Covid-19 Vaccines: What you need to know

Aotearoa has received the first batch of a Covid-19 vaccine and has prepared roll-out plans for three different scenarios, depending on the level of community transmission.

If there is no/low community transmission, border and managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) workers will be vaccinated first. This is to reduce the risk of them getting Covid-19 and the roll out should be completed by the end of March.

Healthcare and essential workers, including Te Piki Oranga kaimahi, and those most at risk of severe illness will then be vaccinated in the second quarter of the year (from April to June). The general public vaccinations are expected to begin in the second half of 2021 (July onwards).

If there is widespread community transmission, those most at risk of severe illness—including older people, and Māori and Pasifika—will receive priority access to the vaccination.

This will be the largest immunisation programme our country has ever undertaken and a lot of work is going on behind the scenes with the Ministry of Health leading the roll out.

Te Piki Oranga’s Covid Response Manager Sarah Lee was employed last year to coordinate Te Piki Oranga’s response and coordinates Covid-19 recovery activity across Te Tauihu.

To make sure the correct information is in the community and online, she has prepared answers to some frequently asked questions about the Covid-19 vaccines to help you and your whānau make an informed decision when the vaccine becomes available. More information on the general vaccine roll out is due from the Coivd-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins on Wednesday 10 March.

Click here for more general information about Covid-19 and if you have any further questions about Covid-19 vaccines, please contact your local public health organisation (PHO).