Eleven providers and Te Puni Kōkiri kaimahi gathered at Ōrongomai Marae in Upper Hutt, Wellington to support the kaupapa - ‘E Tipu e rēa’ - creating a space for those who work in the Whānau Centred Facilitation Initiative (WCFI) which is due for an update in 2025.

“The first day was an opportunity for providers to share how they support their communities through the initiative,” says Jaclyn Williams, Te Puni Kōkiri Acting Director Wellbeing, Social Policy.

“The second day gave providers the opportunity to wānanga about how the WCFI could be reframed in its final year of prototype as a mechanism of whānau-centred approaches.”

Tim Marshall, Co-ordinator for Tauawhi Charitable Trust, says it was great to be able to do that and to hear about the awesome mahi being done to support whānau. “For us as a provider, we rarely get the opportunity to come together and connect with others around the country who are part of the same kaupapa.”

Initially there were four providers – Waikato Coalition, Ōtautahi Co-Lab, Kōkiri Marae, and Ōrongomai Marae. In the 2022/23 financial year, 13 contracts were agreed with a few being collectives including 10 iwi groups, two marae and their communities, six mātā waka and six independent organisations.

“It was an excellent hui that provided the opportunity for providers to showcase and share how they have navigated funding from Te Puni Kōkiri into their mahi supporting whānau and communities,” says Jaclyn.

Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua. ‘Walking backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past. 

Over the two days, common findings from the providers noted two specific areas. Firstly, that funding was used as a conduit in joining other funds together and removing barriers and silos which are current realities when dealing with different government agencies. Secondly, the ability to manaaki and tiaki kaimahi wellbeing meant providers could upskill and protect their kaimahi who work in family violence and sexual violence spaces.

Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka also visited Waiariki Whānau Mentoring and Te Hou Ora services to understand how their work under the WCFI supports whānau in their community.

Maree Tukukino, Te Puni Kōkiri Whanau Centred Team lead says the wananga gave us an understanding of what each provider is doing from implementation to challenges and to outcomes or results achieved.

“It was great having the earlier and newer providers together in one room to share how their programmes and services are making a difference to whānau in their communities.”

Charles Smith, Te Puni Kōkiri Senior Analyst, Social Policy says provider organisations can achieve great progress in communities when given the freedom to do whānau centred, locally led, government enabled work.

“The rich kōrero, and diverse range of prototypes presented, were really useful for providers, with many talking about the value of kotahitanga.” says Monique Zwaan, National hui facilitator, Zwaan Enterprise Group.

“We really appreciated providers gifting their time and kōrero so that we can understand what they do for whānau, iwi, hapū and their communities,” says Jaclyn.

The next steps include evaluating all of the feedback from the wānanga, and investigating how the WCFI can be transitioned into sustainable, long-term delivery.

The WCFI has already contributed to meeting Te Puni Kōkiri responsibilities under Te Aorerekura (the National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence).

Te Aorerekura is an all of government commitment and has 40 Actions for agencies to complete. In early 2023, through the WCFI, we completed Action 36 which was to extend and expand whānau-centred initiatives to more communities to support kaupapa Māori service providers to work with whānau experiencing low to medium levels of family violence.

 

E Tipu e rea mō ngā rā o tō Āo
Ko tō ringa ki ngā rākau ā te Pakeha Hei ara mō tō tinana
Ko tō ngākau ki ngā tāonga a ō tīpuna Māori
Hei tikitiki mō tō māhuna
Ko tō wairua ki tō Atua, Nānā nei ngā mea katoa
- Tā Apirana Ngata

Grow up and thrive for the days destined to you
Your hands to the tools of the Pakeha to provide physical sustenance,
Your heart to the treasures of your Māori ancestors as a diadem for your brow,
Your soul to your God, to whom all things belong
- Sir Apirana Ngata