Heartwarming happenings for te tari o Wairau

By Melissa Nally – Pūkenga Manaaki, Te Hā Aukati Kaipaipa

The Wairau celebration for our anniversary was a heartwarming occasion bringing together kaimahi (old and new) and people in the community we have worked alongside over the years.

Kaimahi who have been here since the beginning

(Flo Joyce, Karena Martin, Mares Martin) spoke to their experiences. Te Piki Oranga started as ‘bare bones’ at Nelson Street before moving to the second floor of the Wairau community health hub where we have continued to grow – both in numbers of kaimahi and in the services provided.

Ricky Carr, Pūkenga Kaiwhakahaere Wairau, spoke about the evolution of Te Piki Oranga as a provider of Māori health services to a provider of Māori wellness services – bringing deeper immersion in Te Ao Māori practice and service provision.

The support Te Piki Oranga provides has expanded with the addition of services that address the social determinant of health such as housing (Healthy Homes Initiative), restorative justice (Te Pae Oranga), and mental health support (Te Ata Pūao, Te Kākano Hou).

The past 10 years have seen a progression of partnerships with Waikawa Marae, Picton Medical Centre, Cancer Society and Manu Ora GP practice. These partnerships were built through whanaungatanga, and benefit our whānau.

The floor was opened up to friends to kōrero (Margy Crosby and Felicity Spencer spoke). The influential impact on the wellbeing on our whānau through services and collaborative effort in development was a constant theme, and highlighted the high esteem in which Te Piki Oranga Wairau holds its community relationships.

Top: Ricky Carr speaks while a presentation of photos from the past 10 years plays in the background.

Bottom: Plenty of kai and kōrero was enjoyed by kaimahi and manuhiri.

Stand-out memories from 10 years with TPO

By Arihia (Alice) Adair – Pūkenga Manaaki

• Meeting with Tumuaki Anne Hobby during the formation of Te Piki Oranga.

• Our poari. Their kaha, aroha and the leadership of Aunty Jane. Mema poari who gave knowledge, cultural support, mentoring and coaching to me. Some have now passed to be with their tūpuna.

• The kaupapa Māori journey for some of us to understand the bigger meaning of kaupapa, what it looks like and how the knowledge can be applied in our mahi and daily lives. It is fun too!

• Our Motueka tari: Fun, fun, fun! We have heaps of laughter and do not need a reason to celebrate. Every day is wā harikoa.

• Whānau achievements are always acknowledged. We care and we say so. Together, we strive for excellence in the enabling of Māori wellness.

• Whānau, kaumātua, ngā hoa kaimahi. We look back to the contribution of kaimahi who have left the service for other fields of mahi.

• Matariki. The different hubs and tari are unique, and at Matariki we celebrate together.

• COVID-19 was an invisible taniwha amongst us that has no qualms about who will receive a dose. Our nurses had our backs, and fronts – all sides!

• Pride in Te Piki Oranga. Pride in Iwi i te Tauihu o te waka-a-Māui.

• Gaining further qualifications in my mahi.

• I am thankful I have ‘walked the talk’ with community groups and people. Community co-operation and collaboration makes for strong relationships, understanding and whānau wellness.

• I never doubted that Te Piki Oranga would graduate from being the ‘new kids on the block’ to an unmistakably Māori, highly functional wellness service. We are good at what we do!

  He aha te mea nui o te ao?

  He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata!

Arihia (left) shares a hongi with Anne Hobby at Matariki 2024.

Insights from an original! My 10 years of care

By Gaynor Rikihana-Tākao, Pūkenga Kaiwhakahaere ki Motueka

My Te Tauihu story starts when I moved to Motueka in October 2008 to joi my husband and his whānau.

I worked in rest homes and in public health and primary health roles. They paid well and I enjoyed working with the elderly, but these roles were culturally unsatisfying.

This was because I wasn’t working with Māori. I was working mostly with Pākehā – some stunning, but mostly not. This caused me awful health issues and low self-esteem, and those who know me would say that it is hard to bring me down!

During this time, Māori health services in Te Tauihu were amalgamating, causing unhappiness for some. As a rāwaho (outsider) I observed and gave support, where required by ngā iwi kāinga.

Finding my hauora home in Te Piki Oranga

In July 2014 Te Piki Oranga was established, and I was employed soon afterwards in October. Having worked in other Māori health services, I could see we had a long way to go culturally as an organisation. But I also knew that I had found my home in healthcare.

Our Tumuaki was chosen well, in my opinion. I only knew a little bit about Anne Hobby then, but I had faith and was ready to be led forward as a warrior for hauora Māori.

We couldn’t have proven ourselves in that first year-long contract without our Tumuaki, who grew broad shoulders during roles in nursing and in mental healthcare. To this experience Anne brought a strong sense of justice – driven to change those outrageous statistics for Māori health.

Anne was clearly going to make Te Piki Oranga work ‘come hell or high water’ and saw that employing Māori, and people sensitive to our kaupapa, was key to putting ngāi tātou te iwi Māori on the pathway to better health.

Bringing cultural competency to clinical expertise

From the start I planned to make my workplace a Māori space, a safe space culturally for Māori, and for me.

I have loved seeing kaimahi develop with the music, waiata and celebration of things Māori that I have enjoyed bringing into our mahi to complement our clinical training and services.

Cultural competency is key to achieving our whakatakanga me te kitenga – to restore whānau health for a positive future.

Our growth has been staggering, from kaimahi personal growth to the huge increase in the contracts we’ve secured and services we provide.

As we grew, we stayed true to our kaupapa – by Māori for Māori – to the point where we could proudly call ourselves a Kaupapa Māori Wellness Service employing over 75 per cent Māori staff.

I’ve seen kaimahi come and go, and some return. This space is not for the faint-hearted. If you’re looking for the biggest salaries – aroha mai e hoa mā kei wāhi kē.

We have experienced racism, sexism, ageism.

But we’re Māori and we’re tough.

It was tough for our Pākehā kaimahi also sometimes, receiving jibes from their Pakeha peers for working in a Māori organisation. That made me reflect on my experience working in Pākehā organisations – feeling isolated, among people unwilling to understand me and care for me as a Māori person with a rich cultural background I was very willing to share.

Kei te tū tonu mātou a Te Piki Oranga, ka haere ki mua kāore tō mātou mahi e mutu ahakoa te aha. He aha te mea nui o te ao, he tangata, he whānau, he hapū, he iwi.

He aroha mau roa ki a Te Piki Oranga, mauri ora!

Gaynor Rikihana-Tākao in her element at Matariki 2024

New forms for a better online experience

We have updated our forms, to make it easier for you to get in touch.

A new service referral (application) form

One new form has replaced separate forms for our health hubs.

• complete the form on a mobile phone, tablet or desktop computer

• or complete it as an online PDF, or by printing the PDF and filling it out by hand

• new sections, such as a list of available services, aim to make your application efficient

All options are in one place here.

A new whānau services feedback form

Te Piki Oranga values your feedback. It’s good to know when we get things right, and we need to know if we can do things better. Our new whānau service feedback form:

• replaces the former ‘client evaluation form’

• can be completed on all types of device

• is still available as a PDF to print or complete online

• includes new sections, to help us consider your feedback

New complaints form

If your feedback is strong and you would like to make a complaint, we have a new, improved process for doing this.

• information about our process to handle complaints is on a new complaints webpage

• you will find online and PDF forms on this page also

10 years of manaaki for Te Tauihu

Te Piki Oranga celebrated its 10th anniversary in July with open days at Whakatū, Wairau, Motueka and Waitohi health hubs.

The events were fun and whānau-friendly, with kai, cake, games, quizzes, raffles and kapa haka alongside the offer of health checks and immunisation.

The open days were an opportunity to both celebrate and learn about Te Piki Oranga, an organisation that has grown to become the leading provider of kaupapa Māori health services in Te Tauihu – Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough.

One of the facts that Tumuaki (General Manager) Anne Hobby shared in media coverage about the anniversary milestone is that, in 2024, approximately 25 per cent of people enrolled for Te Piki Oranga healthcare services across the region were non-Māori.

Anne says that this is a typical enrolment rate. “It is validation that non-Māori appreciate and do well under our model of care, Te Puna Hauora, which weaves te ao Māori values and tikanga into evidence-based, mainstream health and wellness practice.”

Te Piki Oranga was established on 1 July 2014 through the collaboration of, and merger with, six Māori health providers. The first services began from Whakatū Marae and health hubs opened soon after in Motueka and Wairau. Kaimahi also provide mobile clinics and in-home services.

Approximately 4,500 people now use Te Piki Oranga services each year and the workforce has grown from 50 to 100 full-time positions to support increasing demand.

Anne says that over the 10 years, Te Piki Oranga has rapidly expanded and diversified its services as new funding and contracts were offered or won.

Antenatal and early years care, quit-smoking services, cancer screening, counselling, driver’s licence support and healthy homes services are now available alongside healthcare such as immunisation, nursing, health checks and diabetes clinics.

At the Whakatū tari celebration, a 10th anniversary cake was cut by some of the kaimahi who have been with Te Piki Oranga since it was established in 2014.

Front row, left to right: Anne Hobby, Tumuaki; Jane du Feu, Chairperson; Shelley Carter

 Back row, left to right: Deborah Tauwhare; Trudy Gibson; Rana Eggers; Walter Tia; Dianne MacDonald; Gloria Eggling

Kaimahi from the Whakatū Te Hā and Stop Smoking Service teams, from Te Piki Oranga and Te Whatu Ora / Health NZ respectively.

Members of the kapa haka team at the Whakatū tari performed at least 10 waiata, under the cover of a marquee during heavy rain on the day of the open day at the Whakatū tari.

Gaynor Rikihana-Takao, Pūkenga Kaiwhakahaere - Site Manager (Motueka) with a healthcare colleague from Hato Hone St John - Motueka.

Motueka turned on the sunshine for a fun whānau day packed with games, kai and health services. Here, Motueka kaimahi with a 10th anniversary cake.

A Motueka haka haka group performed for kaimahi, whānau and guests at the Motueka tari open day.

Waiata and karakia before kai for kaimahi and guests at the Wairau open day.

A message from Anne

This is a message from Tumuaki Anne Hobby, in the April issue of Te Puna Pānui.

In this issue, I would like to acknowledge the rapid pace of change and announcements from the new coalition government in its first few months.

In particular I’d like to mihi to Riana Manuel and Tipa Mahuta, chief executive and chair of Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) respectively, for their leadership following the announcement that Te Aka Whai Ora will be disestablished by 30 June.

In her message to Aotearoa New Zealand, Tipa Mahuta reminded us of the unwavering force behind Te Aka Whai Ora – the “the self-determination of whānau, hapū and iwi, and the advocacy of rangatira and Māori leaders”.

In her message to organisations such as Te Piki Oranga, Riana Manuel said, “I know you’ll remain steadfast in your commitment to providing quality care to whānau, regardless of the changes ahead, and you’ll continue to deliver outstanding services for our communities.”

This is my message to you also – Te Piki Oranga remains steadfast in its mahi, with the funding, support and partnership we need to achieve our kitenga: Me whakahaumanu te mana o te whānau, ā ka haere whakamua – to restore whānau health for a positive future.

Our mahi continues, unwaveringly, while Te Aka Whai Ora moves its functions and kaimahi into Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora and the Ministry of Health / Manatū Hauora. We will draw strength from the tūāpapa (foundation) of our 10 years of service, partnership and ngā uara, our values. And we have the guiding light of our Mahere Rautaki / Strategic Plan 2023-2028. Whānau are at the centre of this plan, because we want to support the development of healthy, strong and self-sufficient whānau, and support access to cultural knowledge that unites us as Māori.

This year we will continue to grow our range of services and support. At the same time, we will continue to grow our own cultural capabilities, so we can provide culturally appropriate services and increase kotahitanga across our organisation. Having worked in hauora Māori long enough to have experienced many iterations of government and public services, I take heart from the whakataukī ‘Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua‘. Translated, this means, ‘I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past.’

As a final note, we have included a readership survey in this issue of Te Puna Pānui. Please take the time to give us your feedback – it is important to us.

Nāku noa, nā

Anne Hobby, Tumuaki

Te Puna Pānui readers' survey

18 July: This survey has now closed.

Please contact us with your feedback about Te Puna Pānui or communications by email: admin@tpo.org.nz.

Please help us improve our Te Puna Pānui (newsletter) by taking part in our readers’ survey.

How to take part

Complete the survey online at: www.bit.ly/TPO-survey

If you have a printed copy of the latest Te Puna Pānui, you can also pull out a printed version of the survey to complete and return to us.

Your survey answers are confidential, and anonymous to us.

Ngā mihi nui ki a koe for taking part in this survey.

Healthy homes at the heart of hauora

Te Piki Oranga provides the national Whare Ora / Healthy Homes service to whānau in Te Tauihu. We aim to increase the number of children and whānau living in healthy homes. By doing this, we can prevent avoidable hospitalisations of whānau whose ill health is caused by cold, damp and mouldy housing.

From left: Teana Scoon (Whare Ora Pūkenga Manaaki), Rawinia Howard (Taituarā) and Khylee Baker (Whare Ora Kaituitui).

Kaimahi Teana Scoon and Khylee Baker share some of their amazing mahi.

Teana Scoon

Ko Puketapu te maunga

Ko Te Arai te awa

Ko Takitimu te waka

Ko Ngāi Tāwhiri te hapu

Ko Ohako te marae

Ko Rongowhakaata te iwi

Ko Teana Scoon ahau

I am a Pūkenga Manaaki / Advisor with the Whare Ora team in Wairau.

Working with vulnerable people has opened my eyes to the everyday challenges that some of our whānau face including, and most importantly, suitable housing.

In my career in different community roles I have found that reliable accommodation gives whānau stability and a base to work from. My goal is always to help a whānau realise their worth and give them the tools to enrich their lives in a way that makes them feel valued.

Khylee Baker

Kia ora whānau

Ko wai au?

Ko Mauao kohatunui te maunga

Tauranga moana ki te awanui

Ko Te Whānau o Tauwhao te hapu o Ngāi Te Rangi

Ko Tauwhao te wahine toa

Mataatua te waka

Ko Khylee Baker ahau

I’m the Kaituitui / Co-ordinator for Whare Ora / Healthy Homes for the Te Tauihu rohe.

It’s my job to let whānau know about how we can help make your home warmer and drier.

Part of co-ordinating this wonderful service is to equip our Home Advisors, who meet with whānau in their homes and help with ways to make it healthier, safer, warmer and drier.

Khylee Baker and delivery crew with a donation of bedding from Linen House.

The gifts that keep on giving

Te Piki Oranga is grateful for the manaakitanga of Laser Plumbing, Mr Plumber and Linen House for their donations to whānau in need, distributed through our Whare Ora / Healthy Homes service.

Laser Plumbing in Wairau / Blenheim donated several generous grocery vouchers that we distributed to vulnerable whānau just before Kirihimete.

For one whānau, the grocery voucher put kai on the table for nine people in a three-bedroom house, including three tamariki they care for from another whānau. For another recipient, a young hapū māmā, a voucher eased her worries and lifted her spirits.

When Te Piki Oranga shared a little of these whānau lives on social media – small insights of life in temporary housing, overcrowding and trying to stay well in a cold and leaky whare – Wairau tradesman Mr Plumber was moved to donate his professional services.

The recipient whānau were delighted with Mr Plumber’s improvements to their whare – certifying gas fittings and upgrading the gas bottles.

Lastly, just in time for winter, Linen House donated $75,000 worth of winter bedding to three Whare Ora / Healthy Home teams in Te Waipounamu.

We worked with our peers in Ōtautahi / Christchurch and Ōtepoti / Dunedin to arrange shipment of the bedding: Te Piki Oranga paid for the shipping costs, the Christchurch provider organised the storage and the Dunedin provider organised the shipping at a heavily discounted price.

The share of the bedding received by Te Piki Oranga will go a long way for whānau in need this winter.

If you are hapū or have young tamariki (0-5 years) living with you, we may be able to provide support to improve your housing conditions.

Please get in touch using the details on our webpage.

Te Pae Oranga Iwi Community Panels

From right: Ngareta Campion, a social worker based in Motueka photographed at a Te Pae Oranga Iwi Community Panel training hui with Teresa Ngaruhe, a Te Pae Oranga panel member.

Te Pae Oranga Iwi Community Panels are proving a powerful way of reducing re-offending and improving outcomes for Māori in contact with the justice system.

A 2019 evaluation showed that, at a national level, Te Pae Oranga reduced harm from re-offending by 22 per cent. In this article, we look at how the programme works in Te Tauihu o Te Waka-a-Māui.

Our role in remediation and reducing re-offending

Te Piki Oranga has partnered with New Zealand Police, under the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, to provide the panels in the Te Tauihu rohe since August 2018.

The panels are an alternative to court for minor offending by people aged 17 years and older. They give community members a voice, involve victims in the remediation process and, with an average of 350 panel hearings each year, save police and court time.

How the panels work

Police refer people to Te Pae Oranga and provide panel members with the facts. The participant is asked to explain themselves and how they could repair the harm and prevent re-offending. The panel then works with all parties to decide remedial actions.

Our Te Pae Oranga facilitators ensure the participant has the chance to have any health and wellbeing needs addressed – these are often contributing factors.

A perspective from Te Piki Oranga

As Te Pae Oranga Kaikawe Kōrero (Co-ordinator), Betty Soane has been involved from the start. She describes the impact of Te Pae Oranga as providing second chances and freeing up the justice system.

“Our clients are forever telling me that they appreciate the panel listening to their stories, as they have never told them, and we are accepting and listen,” Ms Soane says.

An important part of Te Pae Oranga is mahi aroha, where participants give back to the community. This could be hunting, fishing or gardening for a community, carving and gifting an item, or making a donation to a charity.

“Most of our clients have not really achieved much and once they complete something like this they are very proud and come into the office to let us know, or call.”

Driving offences, often due to lack of a licence, are a good example of how Te Pae Oranga can make a difference.

“We will pay for them to sit their licence and to have driving lessons with our instructor, and ask the participant to make a donation to the Road Safety programme in return,” Ms Soane says.

“Driving licences are very important especially for our young māmā as they are able shop and take kids to doctors without looking over the shoulder for police.”

“Te Pae Oranga is about giving people a second chance and the opportunity to avoid a criminal record, if they complete the programme.

“We have had many successes, with our amazing panelists who can think outside the square and who have insights into participants’ lives,” Ms Soane says.

“The police have been amazing and are always ready to help. I believe the officers we had with us have changed their ways of thinking.”

Te Pae Oranga is for people of all ethnicities who benefit from a kaupapa Māori approach, says Ms Soane.

“We start with a mihi whakatau and karakia and let them know that is because we ‘start Māori and finish Māori’. This is a special kaupapa that I am proud to be a part of. It’s a real honour and privilege to be able to help people through these hard times and get them the results they need.”

Te Pae Oranga Liaison Officer Sergeant Dave Edwards and new panellists at a Te Pae Oranga training hui.

A perspective from Te Tauihu Police

Sergeant Dave Edwards is Te Pae Oranga Liaison Officer for the Whakatū / Nelson rohe. He has seen how the panel process can re-set the course of someone’s life.

“It’s common to see people not trust what’s happening, or they’re surprised when support is put on the table. They see that the people they’re talking to are specialists and not necessarily there to judge their actions at face value,” Sergeant Edwards says.

He emphasises that the panels provide holistic benefits.

"Everything we offer the participant can be offered to the victims as well, which can provide needed support.”

Sergeant Edwards also wants to correct any assumption that the panels are an easy way out for offenders.

“Participants are required to not only explain their situation, but also complete taskings and formally take accountability for the event that brought them before the panel. That can be difficult in front of three well-respected members of the community.

“Ultimately, they’re before the panels because the court wasn’t the right place for them in the first place. It’s great this pathway exists to deal with that, but that it also takes a good look at the support needed to prevent the situation happening again.”

This year, Sergeant Edwards intends to raise police staff awareness on how they can use the panels, to achieve increased referrals from the front line. His message for his colleagues is clear – to use their intuition.

“If your gut is telling you this person shouldn’t before the courts, or the event doesn’t warrant it – come and talk to me.”

Police, Te Piki Oranga kaimahi and panellists at a Te Pae Oranga Iwi Community Panel hui in November 2023.

““I cannot express how grateful we are to participate in Te Pae Oranga. I have witnesed the significant change in my son’s manner and ongoing wellbeing.””

— A panel participant’s feedback

““Thank you for treating me with respect and giving me a chance...sitting in handcuffs is something I never want to experience again.””

— A panel participant’s feedback

““The services and supports offered have not only helped me address the challenges I faced but have also empowered me to become a responsible and contributing member of society.””

— A panel participant’s feedback

Tuku Te Rere – our wings unfurling

Now in its second year, our Tuku Te Rere programme, established by Te Pou Taki Carl Baker, has put kaimahi firmly on a journey towards greater cultural capability.

Our kitenga is to have culturally capable kaimahi providing an exemplary Māori wellness service. Through Tuku Te Rere, kaimahi progress through four phases of learning that are shaped around the concept of a manu, or bird.

Pitopito kōrero, by Carl Baker

Ko tō tātau anga āheitanga ahurea, our cultural capability framework, is thriving.

In resonance with our taukī whakatakanga (mission statement), ‘mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu’, we are equipping ourselves with the mātauranga to provide a hauora service aligned to tikanga Māori.

All kaimahi have an ‘onboarding’ pass for their flight plan on the continuum of learning and I am pleased with the journey so far. For the year ahead, we will continue to focus on the majority of kaimahi at Manu Pūhouhou and Manu Kūao stages.

We have met our target, with 30 per cent of kaimahi reaching these taumata. Fifty per cent of kaimahi have undertaken Te Ataarangi training and almost 70 per cent attended our tikanga wānanga, which included Te Tiriti o Waitangi training.

Mahi a Atua training and learning is continuing to be a highlight for kaimahi. This year we hope to see the rest of kaimahi undertake Mahi a Atua courses.

Kaimahi perspectives of their learning journey

Summer Stronach

Pitopito kōrero, by Summer Stronach

I found the resources provided on SharePoint very helpful. It was handy to have the correct kupu and info available to me so I didn’t have to second guess anything I searched on the internet.

Any other awhi I got from kaimahi always felt safe for me and I wasn’t too scared to ask for help when needed.

The process of sitting my assessment felt very informal – in the best way. Lots of us freak out and think it’s going to be a test in strict circumstances and that no mistakes are allowed. It was a really nice way to kōrero and ‘be tested’ at the same time.

Rachelle Tauroa

Pitopito kōrero, by Rachelle Tauroa

I was a bit whakamā to sit my Manu Pūhouhou assessment. My nerves made me feel I couldn’t do it.

Carl was probably key to me taking that first step as when he said, ‘You are sitting your Manu Pūhouhou’, I thought, ‘I am ok’. While those nerves were still there, Carl made the process feel easy.

That push helped me to make a commitment that by the end of 2023 I would sit my Manu Kūao assessment, which I did and received my badge. Now I am on my journey to sit my Manu Pīrere.

Along with Te Ataarangi, the resources are very helpful in helping me to start that kōrero journey of putting sentences together. I am now trying to kōrero te reo Māori when I can, and with who I can.

I feel Tuku Te Rere has really helped me feel more confident in my reo journey and being ok about making hapa (mistakes).

Pitopito kōrero, by Georgie (Georgina) Taukamo

I found the assessment included awesome, important fundamentals for my te reo journey, covering a lot of the basic formal / informal greetings that I did not know.

Another fundamental for me is the expansion / revival of my prior knowledge around our health models that underpin our values and practice. Being able to implement this into my mahi helped me with my work. It was highly valuable to revisit this and have Carl kōrero about hauora Māori health models more in depth.

I found that attending Ataarangi weekly with fellow kaimahi helped with confidence. Being able to kōrero and practice in the tari helped further my understanding of sentence structures and pronunciation of kupu.

I also found that by completing the assessment in a formal Word document prior and working through each task scheduled through my week helped my understanding. So when I was ready to sit my assessment I felt confident, because I had taken the time to really study it in depth at my own pace and, importantly, I understood it.

I really appreciated the links to learning resources. I also took the opportunity to ask Ataarangi kaimahi questions I had at the time, which was really helpful.

I think overall it was the awhi from fellow kaimahi that further encouraged me to complete the assessment. Mentors like Amber were helpful for other pātai. And just having a relaxed environment while completing the assessment with Carl really helped with my nerves.

It was also important to share my experience with other kaimahi who also attended Ataarangi – to encourage them to complete the cultural assessment, too. In my opinion, it all comes down to our peers – supporting each other to give us the confidence we lack within ourselves.

Once I completed Manu Kūao, I made a personal commitment to prioritise the time for me to learn and further my knowledge in Te Ao Māori. Also to encourage and annoy my peers to make the leap too!

Protect yourself and your whānau from flu this winter

Nau mai, haere mai – talk to us about getting your free influenza (flu) vaccine

The 2024 flu vaccine protects against seasonal flu, a virus that can make you seriously unwell.

Our qualified kaimahi create a supportive and welcoming environment for whānau to access and receive their vaccinations, whether it’s for flu, COVID-19, MMR or childhood diseases.

We are here to kōrero, listen, answer any pātai and provide accurate information if you are unsure whether vaccination is right for you or your whānau.

To kōrero and find the closest flu vaccine opportunity to you, please contact:

• Marissa Pou in Whakatū / Nelson 03 546 9099

• Donna Grace in Wairau / Blenheim 03 578 5750

• Or freephone 0800 ORANGA (0800 672 642)

Here is some more information about the flu.

Here some more information about the flu vaccine.

Caring for whānau with cancer

Te Piki Oranga Cancer Care Service is here to awhi whānau as they navigate the complexities of cancer care.

We provide:

• Health education for whānau

• Cancer screening support

• Support with transport and kai

• Support to access services

• Support for GP and specialist appointments

• Telehealth, mobile clinics, and outreach immunisations

Our experienced team also build relationships with existing cancer-specific and support services within Te Tauihu to influence and help ensure equitable outcomes for Māori are being met.

We are proud to work alongside kaimahi from Health New Zealand / Te Whatu Ora, Manu Ora, the Cancer Society, Victory Community Centre, Nelson Bays Primary Health, Marlborough Primary Health and others to awhi whānau through diagnosis and treatment.

Introducing Noi Burgess

Kaituitui Matepukpuku / Cancer Care Co-ordinator

Ko Aoraki te maunga

Ko Te Ara-a-Kiwa te moana

Ko Takitimu te waka

Ko Kāi Tahu, Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe ngā iwi

Ko Murihuki te whenua

I te taha o tōku whaea Anaha Peterson

Ko Tarawera te maunga

Ko Te Puarenga te puna

Ko Te Arawa te waka

Ko Te Arawa te iwi

Ko Tūhourangi/Ngāti Wāhiao te hapu

Ko Te Pakira te marae ki te wahi o Whakarewarewa ki Rotorua

I te taha o tōku matua Hotene Haira

Ko Noi Burgess ahau

Heartland Services are here for rural whānau

Te Piki Oranga and Waikawa Marae are delighted to offer a new service to whānau living in rural and remote parts of Marlborough – Waikawa, Waitohi / Picton and Tōtaranui / Marlborough Sounds.

Te Piki Oranga is a leading provider of health and wellbeing services for Māori whānau in the Top of the South. With Waikawa Marae, the two organisations are now providing Heartland Services – for people in rural and remote regions of Marlborough.

Ricky Carr is Pūkenga Kaiwhakahaere (Site Manager) for the Te Piki Oranga services in Wairau. He says that Heartland Services will provide a much-needed presence and support for rural whānau.

“We can offer a physical location – a place to get things done in-person – as well as support on the phone or by video-conference,” Mr Carr says.

“Living, working and raising a family in rural and remote Marlborough can be challenging enough as it is. With Heartland Services we can provide access, information, support and specialist health and wellbeing services that will make life a little easier.

“Although it is early days we already have many Government and community agencies ready to run regular drop-in sessions and workshops in-person from our High Street hub in Waitohi, Picton,” Mr Carr says.

Allanah Burgess is Kaiwhakahaere (Manager) of Waikawa Marae. Ms Burgess says the decision to locate Heartland Services in Waitohi Picton township was made after first considering Waikawa Marae. By being in town, Waikawa Marae kaimahi are able to extend manaakitanga into a central location, she says.

“A lot happens on a marae, more than may be appreciated, such as our provision of health and social services like Whānau Ora that enable whānau and wider community members to thrive.

“When discussing how to make these essential new services available to whānau and others who need awhi, we decided in favour of the High Street hub from iwi-owned premises. This way we can uphold the tikanga of whakaruruhau to provide a safe, comfortable place as we do on the marae, and that happens to be in a convenient, central location for people.”

What is Heartland Services?

Heartland Services is a Ministry of Social Development initiative, with locations from Northland to Southland. Waikawa Marae and Te Piki Oranga were successful in their co-bid provide the newest Heartland Services hub, from Waitohi / Picton. The main services are:

• assistance with technology: email, printing, photocopying, scanning, phones and internet

• support with accessing government and community service forms, applications and websites

• a place to meet with government and community service staff, kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) or via videoconferencing

Drop-in sessions and health clinics

Government and community service staff are available on specific days, including:

• Inland Revenue (IRD)

• Workbridge and Connect agencies, for jobseekers and employers

• Diabetes support group

• Cancer information group

• Community Law (kaupapa Māori)

• Justice of the Peace

• Māori Land Court

• Whānau Ora navigators (from Waikawa Marae)

• Employment support (for both employers and employees)

Appointments are needed for some sessions – see the main webpage for detail

Building resilience with Te Ata Pūao

Mental health and addictions support programme Te Ata Pūao is now available in the Wairau rohe.

Te Ata Pūao supports people experiencing mild to medium mental health and/or addiction issues, including rangatahi who may not be eligible for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Te Ata Pūao began as a pilot programme in 2021 to support whānau in rural communities at a time when the effects of COVID-19 were exacerbating anxiety and dependency on drugs and alcohol.

In 2023 the programme was redeveloped as a permanent service offering, starting in Wairau with recruitment underway soon afterwards for a Whakatū-based programme.

Kaimahi include:

• pūkenga hauora hinengaro (mental health clinicians)

• pūkenga manaaki (whānau navigators)

• tautoko ahurea (cultural support workers)

Kaimahi work with tāngata whaiora (people seeking wellness and balance), and their whānau to provide support, treatment and therapy.

Rachelle Tauroa, Kaiawhi Hangarau Whakaaturanga, was pivotal in establishing Te Ata Pūao. Rachelle says the programme has a focus on early detection, so that support can be provided sooner rather than later, and on supporting tāngata whaiora to become more resilient and able to cope with life’s challenges.

“The service expands the reach of other Te Piki Oranga mental health and addictions services, to increase equity of access, address whānau needs in a more holistic manner, reduce wait times, and improve outcomes,” Rachelle says.

“We use a kaupapa Māori model that focuses on positive aspirations to obtain hauora, recognising that hauora aligns with tikanga Māori and Māori cultural standards.”

From left, Mahia Matika and Aiden Broughton (both pukenga manaaki) and David (‘Chook’) Norgate (tautoko ahurea) are members of an expanding Te Ata Pūao team.

Tikanga wānanga brings kotahitanga

A tikanga wānanga for Te Piki Oranga kaimahi was held at Waikawa Marae in December as part of the Te Piki Oranga Cultural Capability Framework Strategy.

Carl Baker, Te Pou Taki, says that wānanga is a place of learning, where kaimahi are taught aspects of celestial and terrestrial Māori knowledge.

“For some kaimahi this was a new experience, and all kaimahi were kept safe and well-informed of the cultural practices. There was time for reflection, karakia, waiata, working together and laughter,” Carl says.

“Wānanga will continue to be an essential component of Te Piki Oranga, especially more beneficial by being on the marae, with mana whenua throughout Te Tauihu.”

The whakataukī Carl chose to describe the tikanga wānanga is: Whatungarongaro te tangata toitū te whenua – as people disappear from sight, the land remains.

Participant Rachelle Tauroa, Kaiawhi Hangarau Whakaaturanga, says the wānanga was an opportunity for kaimahi to learn, and strengthen knowledge, about important tikanga such as pōwhiri.

Kaimahi enjoyed a kōrero from Barney Thomas, Te Tauihu pou tairangahau (extensive cultural advisor) who talked about his life growing up in Waitohi, his mahi with the Department of Conservation and his mahi within the rohe, iwi and hapu whānau of Te Tauihu.

Mr Thomas holds many governance and kaitiaki roles with Ngāti Rārua Ᾱtiawa Iwi Trust, representing the iwi in areas such as resource management, land management and Te Āwhina Marae. In November this year he was awarded Te Tohu Ratonga Tūmatanui o Aotearoa, the New Zealand Public Service Medal as recognition for 40 years of civil service.

Rachelle says another highlight of the wānanga was the workshop around ngā uara (values).

“This started with each tari doing a skit or kōrero around what they have been doing in their tari around ngā uara,” Rachelle says.

One example of this is the kōrero led by Gaynor Rikihana-Takao, Nehi Arahanga for the Motueka tari.

“Gaynor described how our values are a taonga and a way of being within Te Ao Māori, which was supported with a brief kōrero from Chook Norgate.”

Also at the wānanga, Thomas Ngaruhe gave a kōrero about Te Tiriti o Waitangi. And kaimahi all contributed to wānanga duties ranging from breakfast and clean-up, to leading karakia and waiata.

Photo captions, from top left and going around clockwise:

• Te Piki Oranga Board Chair Jane de Feu

• Te Piki Oranga Tumuaki Anne Hobby

• Barney Thomas

• Ngareta Campion

• Kōrero about ngā uara, values

• One of many waiata

• Thomas Ngaruhe

• Te Piki Oranga Te Pou Taki Carl Baker

Kaimahi at the tikanga wānanga held at Waikawa Marae in December 2023

Mana Wāhine takes aim at equity

Te Piki Oranga reduces inequitable health outcomes by providing high-quality, accessible services that are consistent with the concepts of whānau ora and tino rangatiratanga.

The Mana Wāhine hauora clinics are an example of this, where women can access free cervical screening among a wide range of health services. Kaimahi make the clinics comfortable and ensure they happen at a relaxed pace with plenty of time for kōrero and pātai between wāhine, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

Mana Wāhine clinics grew in strength this year

The first two clinics were held in 2022, and this year continued with the most recent Mana Wāhine clinic on 9 December at the Waimeha tari, where cervical screening and HPV self-testing was available to Māori and Pasifika wāhine between the ages of 25 and 69. Each wahine who participated received a take-home kete full of kai and there were gift vouchers and a prize draw to encourage participation.

An earlier Mana Wāhine clinic on 16 September was held to coincide with Cervical Screening Awareness Month, and with the start of HPV self-testing as an option for wāhine in Te Tauihu.

For the September clinic, Te Piki Oranga collaborated with Allanah Burgess and her team at Waikawa Marae,  and Felicity Spencer and Kaye Macdonald from the Marlborough Cancer Society.

Lorraine Staunton, Kaiwhakahaere Ratonga – Service Delivery/Operations Manager, says kaimahi received some excellent feedback about the new HPV self-test experience, and the Mana Wāhine clinic in general.

“This new, safe and effective cervical screening option was offered to wāhine who were eligible. We exceeded our goal to complete 20 screenings, with 21 completed and eight more women who we are following up with to complete their screening another time,” Lorraine says.

“Many thanks to Belinda and Stevie from Te Whatu Ora who continuously work so closely with us to prepare for these events.  Having Belinda’s support via phone on the day to check for anyone walking in on the day was a great help.

“Leading up to the day we had the honour of our recent recipient of the prestigious Kings Service Medal, Whaea Miraka Norgate, from Te Whatu Ora also, support us with making phone calls to book wāhine in.  Although she was on leave, she still found the time to support this kaupapa she believes in so strongly,” Lorraine says.

“We made many referrals for follow-up vaccinations, to Breast Screen Aotearoa, to Quit Coaches, GP services and Te Piki Oranga services.

“As always, the day was great fun, we had a great team and great connections were made. The wāhine went away with their goodies and the pride of knowing they are now up to date with important health checks.

“Ngā mihinui maioha to all those who made this day such a great success. It was yet another example of kotahitanga and services working together to achieve the best outcome for whānau.”

The health kōrero and education included:

• GP enrolment

• Vaccinations

• Diabetes (there was a diabetes nurse specialist onsite)

• Support to quit or reduce smoking/vaping

• Bowel screening: How a home test kit works, and the change to the eligibility age range for Māori and Pasifika people from January 2024 (changing to ages 50 to 74).

• Breast screening: How to check your own breasts (especially important for wāhine who are not within the age range for free breast screening)

Wāhine feedback (quotes)

• Amazing experience, lovely and warm welcoming from all the ladies, I will let all my whanau and friend’s know how easy it was to do the self-swab.

• Absolutely felt confident in the information received, appreciated the self-swab. It was a wonderful atmosphere. Lovely wahine Maori lead Kaupapa.

• That was a positive experience, very informative, the nurse listened to all my questions and answered them in a way I could understand and appropriately.

• The moment I walked in the door I was taken care of, it felt great to be on the Marae.

• Easy-peasy, Now I can tell all my whanau how easy it was.

• Fantastic experience, I felt safe and comfortable.

• I was well looked after with lots of aroha, it’s the 1st time that it wasn’t uncomfortable.

• Great first-time experience with the self-swab test. Very easy and straight forward

 
Key points about cervical screening

• Regular cervical screening is one of the best protection against cervical cancer.

• In Aotearoa New Zealand, cervical screening used to be done by taking a sample of cells from your cervix. This was known as a 'smear test'. 

• From 12 September 2023 the cervical screening test changed to a human papilloma virus (HPV) screening test.

• HPV primary screening is important for anyone with a cervix who is aged between 25 and 69 years who has ever had any sexual contact.

• Treatment is available if your HPV screen result suggests it's needed.

Manu Ora wins Supreme Business Award

Manu Ora have been awarded the Supreme Business Award in the 2023 Marlborough Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards.

The Wairau-based primary care team, established in 2021 in partnership with Te Piki Oranga, also won the ‘New and Emerging Business’ and ‘Community Impact’ award categories. Manu Ora Director and GP, Dr Sara Simmons, says the team feels humbled.

“This recognition shines a light on health equity, and particularly Māori health equity. We are incredibly honoured to be acknowledged for our mahi and would like to thank all those who have supported our innovation and commitment to do things differently, since Manu Ora was founded in 2021.

“We see this acknowledgement as another indicator of the difference that can be made to the hauora (wellbeing) of our whānau. It has been a busy two years for us, and there is still so much to do.

Manu Ora Director and GP, Dr Rachel Inder, says it was a leap of faith to establish a different kind of practice that focuses on achieving health equity in meaningful ways.

“We are grateful to Te Piki Oranga for their partnership, and for the founding contributions from Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough, Marlborough Primary Health Organisation, Rātā Foundation, Rangitāne o Wairau, Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, and The Care Foundation who supported our vision. We are so pleased to have this recognition for their commitment to our kaupapa right from the outset.

“Thanks to our amazing kaimahi and community, Manu Ora is really flourishing,” Dr Inder says.

In a letter of congratulations to Ricky Carr Pūkenga Kaiwhakahaere - Site Manager for Te Piki Oranga in Wairau, Drs Simmons and Inder say:

Ka mihi mātou ki tō tautoko i a mātou mahi. As our partnership with Te Piki Oranga is integral in this success, we acknowledge you and your rōpū as we celebrate these awards. Ngā mihi maioha for believing in us, and for supporting our vision, our mahi, our whānau.

It was a leap of faith to establish a different kind of practice that focuses on achieving health equity in meaningful ways. One that offers no or low-cost health care to our whānau with complex needs in a flexible, culturally safe and whānau centred way.

After a busy two years, we know there is still much to do. Our caring and experienced rōpū are committed to continuing to offer a service that meets the needs of our whānau, ensuring we reduce inequities in access to healthcare and improve health outcomes for Māori in Wairau.

Ka tino mihia tōu ki tō mātau kaupapa. Your commitment to our kaupapa is truly appreciated.

About Manu Ora

Established in 2021 by Wairau locals Dr Rachel Inder and Dr Sara Simmons (Ngāi Tahu), in partnership with Te Piki Oranga, Manu Ora is a medical centre with a difference.

Manu Ora is a kaupapa Māori charity set up to offer low or no-cost healthcare in a more flexible, culturally safe, and whānau-centred way.

In December 2022 an independent evaluation assessed the ways in which this unique kaupapa Māori primary healthcare service in Wairau is achieving its goals. Read about this in our pitopito kōrero here.

www.manuora.org.nz

Most of the Manu Ora team at the awards.

Supporting winter wellness for essential workers

Supporting winter wellness for essential workers

With warnings from virologists that New Zealand should prepare for a bad flu season, Sealord has taken steps to protect its workers and their household members from the virus.

The major Nelson employer held a special vaccination event, organised by the company’s Health & Safety team, in conjunction with Te Piki Oranga on 26 April. 113 members of the company’s whānau are now better protected against catching and spreading influenza to the colleagues, families and communities.

The clinic was set up in Sealord’s amenities building at the Vickerman Street site, making it close and convenient to workers.  

“I didn’t need to take time off work or organise a visit to the doctor,” says Wetfish Factory General Hand Alan Bruning.

The other benefits of free onsite vaccination appreciated by workers included the supportive presence of friends and whānau, and being able to ask colleagues to translate some of the nurses’ advice and instructions into their native languages.

Three nurses from Te Piki Oranga administered the vaccinations and some workers, such as Forklift Driver Grant Faulknor, opted to receive their COVID-19 booster vaccinations at the same time. Sealord support staff helped people check-in and guided everyone through the required recovery time in a special waiting room.

“We joined forces with Te Piki Oranga nearly two years ago to enable members of the Sealord team to have COVID-19 vaccinations on-site,” says Sealord Occupational Health Nurse Anne Campbell.

“Many people commented on how well cared for they felt, so when we had so many sign up for flu jabs this year, it seemed a great idea to team up with them again.

“This is the first time they’ve been on site to do both the flu and Covid vaccinations and I’m very pleased with how well it went. While I’m able to give the flu vaccinations myself, I could never have helped so many people in one day and would have needed someone else to be working with me – either another nurse or a first aider – in case anyone needed extra assistance. The fact that they’re able to give both vaccinations is an added bonus.

“I’m just so grateful that they were able to come to help out.”

The team from Te Piki Oranga were also pleased with how the day worked.

“It’s just been awesome,” says Marissa Pou, Kano Kano Kaituitui (vaccinator/educator coordinator). “It’s really important to be able to provide a service like this for everyone because we are able to get to whānau at their place of work, and here at Sealord we have a significant number of Māori and Pasifika workers, so being able to reach them in their place of mahi is good for everyone.

“We were supported on the day too by Te Whatu Ora and Te Waka Hauora nurses. Anne from Sealord put together an amazing schedule and was able to send out information to people in advance, which helped with the flow of the day.”

Photo: Marissa Pou, Kano Kano Kaituitui (vaccinator/educator coordinator).

Hapori happenings

Community engagement

The annual 'Cops with Cakes' event in Whakatū is a whānau favourite, with interactive displays from the region's key community organisations.

Te Piki Oranga hosted an information stall at the 25 February event this year. We had great company, with stalls and activities also from Nelson Coastguard, Te Korowai Trust, Big Brothers Big Sisters, St John Ambulance, Fire and Emergency New Zealand and Nelson Tasman Police (who put the 'cops' into 'Cops with Cake'!) among others.

The event was an invaluable opportunity for Te Piki Oranga to connect with our hapori whānui (community). And thanks to donations of Lego as prizes from Sam Currie from the Top of the South Brick Show, our stall was very appealing to whānau, as can be seen in these photos. Tau kē Sam!

Is your whānau prepared for an emergency?

The devastating effects of Cyclone Gabrielle in February serve as a reminder to assess things at home and check you have all you need to be ready for emergencies.

After the severe storms experienced by whānau in our own rohe, Te Tauihu, in August 2022, Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu Trust developed an emergency plan template to help whānau prepare for the unexpected.

The Rautaki ā Whānau (Whānau Plan) is part of the Te Tauihu Emergency Management Strategy.
You can download a copy here.

Sit down with your whānau, make your own plan and pop it on the fridge so everyone knows where it is.