A Q&A with Alaine Huata, Kaiwhakahaere Hinengaro (Mental Health and AoD Service Manager)
Kia ora Alaine, can you share your pepeha with us?
Ko Whakapunake te maunga
Ko te Waiau me Wairoa Hōpūpū Hōngenengene Matangirau ngā awa
Ko Takatimu te waka
Ko Ramoto Kireara te marae
Ko Te Poho o Rākaihākeke te urupā Ko Ngāti Kahungunu te iwi
Ko Ngāti Mihi rāua ko Ngāti Pāhauwera nga hapū
Ko Alaine Huata ahau.
What has your journey been to this role with Te Piki Oranga?
I have worked in mental health and addictions since the late 1990’s when I graduated from the Christchurch Polytechnic with a Bachelor of Nursing.
Prior to this I travelled overseas, with no qualifications, and realised I needed a career that would help me continue to travel. Little did I know, this idea would lead me to a lifelong career in health and wellbeing and walking alongside others.
I joined the ranks as a new graduate on the NESP programme (New Entrant Specialist Program) for mental health, and haven’t looked back. I’ve worked in many areas: acute mental health, community care management, rangatahi and tamariki mental health and older persons’ care.
It was when I started working alongside kaimahi who support whānau that my passion for a whānau-centred approach pulled me towards organisations like Te Piki Oranga.
What is it like being a Kaiwhakahaere Hinengaro and a mental health clinical specialist in general?
Nothing has changed about who I am, rather I have been given the privilege to be a kaitiaki for this treasured space that whānau pass through at various stages. This role feels like a natural progression.
He whakaaro on how your mahi aligns to Te Piki Oranga kitenga – Me whakahaumanu te mana o te whānau ā, ka haere whakamua (revitalise whānau for their future)?
Integrating Māori values and practices into my work helps me stay focused on what matters. Restoring and maintaining cultural identity and mana of whānau is always in the forefront of my mind. This cultural connection is crucial for whānau sense of belonging and ongoing growth.
Is kaupapa Māori mental health and wellbeing a good career for rangatahi to consider when leaving kura? There are endless opportunities in this line of work and in a hugely rewarding kaupapa. Being relatable and having a good attitude can be the start of anyone’s career in this area.
