Last week Te Rau Matatini hosted its Annual General Meeting at Spectrum Theatre, BP House, Wellington.

Te Rau Matatini is an independent not-for-profit limited liability company based in Wellington. It is one of four health workforce development centres established by the Ministry of Health, but is the only one focussed on the Māori health workforce. Te Rau Matatini employs just over 45 FTEs. Its initial focus was mental health, but it has recently broadened its scope to include the wider health sector.

The following examples are only a few of the accomplishments and successes achieved this past year.

New PTE established: Te Hau Maia
Te Rau Matatini has set up its own Private Training Establishment, Te Hau Maia, which will be launched on Thursday. It has taken about 18 months of focussed work by Nicola Ehau and other staff members of Te Rau Matatini. New Zealand Qualifications Authority recently approved its application.

The initial focus of Te Hau Maia is the accreditation of two Te Rau Matatini-based training programmes – Parahia Te Ara Māori Health Promotion and Te Whakauruora Māori Suicide Prevention. Other programmes will be added to this suite according to health workforce needs.

New Kaumātua Resource Kit: Puna o te Ora
There has been significant expansion in the Māori health workforce over the last 25 years, with more than 250 Māori health providers now operating and many Māori health units within DHBs and Primary Health Organisations. Kaumātua have key roles in these health teams, reflecting their knowledge of tikanga and te reo, and of whānau, communities and Māori networks.

In March of this year Te Rau Matatini launched “Taiawhiotanga: Kaumātua Guidelines Handbook”, which aims to guide and support kaumātua who are working in or supporting services for whānau. Following the successful introduction in the health sector Te Puni Kōkiri have offered to support Te Rau Matatini publish a second handbook for kaumātua ,to use in the wider community. “Puna o te Ora” will also be launched on Thursday.

Relationshipship Agreement to be signed – Te Rau Matatini and the Mental Health Foundation
Te Rau Matatini and the Mental Health Foundation have been working closely together for several years, particularly in the area of Māori suicide prevention. The Foundation has seconded Witeria Ashby to a kaitakawaenga/liaison position at Te Rau Matatini to liaise between the two organisations. The aim of this role is combine the strengths of both organisations to support the development of Māori resources, training programmes and research relevant to individuals and whānau, particularly within mental health.

Te Rau Matatini has this year provided Te Whakauruora Māori Suicide Prevention training for Kia Piki Te Ora co-ordinators at eight marae around Aotearoa New Zealand.

ENDS

For more information contact:

Heeni Collins
Communications Officer
Te Rau Matatini
Telephone: 0800 MATATINI
Website: www.matatini.co.nz