Hapori happenings in ngahuru

Te Piki Oranga kaimahi support community events to share health information and connect with whānau.

Here are some of the events we supported in March 2025.

Kia ora – E te iwi Cancer Education and Prevention Hauora Expo

• 8 March at the Victory Community Centre in Whakatū / Nelson

• Organised by the Cancer Society Te Kāhui Matepukupuku a Aotearoa

• Featuring presentations and kaimahi from Te Piki Oranga, Nelson Bays Primary Health, Health NZ Te Whatu Ora, Pacific Radiology, Te Waka Hauora and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of NZ.

Te PIki Oranga Ratonga Pukupuku Manaaki / Cancer Care Services represented at the expo. The kaupapa of Ratonga Pukupuku Manaaki is to support whānau affected by cancer and to improve the quality of their lives.

Read about Ratonga Pukupuku Manaaki / Cancer Care Services

Mauri Ora – Every Life Matters Hīkoi (for mental health and suicide awareness)

• 8 March at Rutherford Park in Whakatū / Nelson

• Organised by Maataa Waka ki te Tau Ihu

• Supported by Te Piki Oranga, Maataa Waka Ki te Tau Ihu, Nelson City Council, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora, Kia Piki Te Ora, the Heart Foundation, Pathways, Te Korowai Trust, Nelson Bays Primary Health, Māori Women’s Welfare League, Red Cross, Employable NZ, NZ Fire Service and many more.

The day highlighted community connectivity and the need for more support in mental health and suicide prevention services.

Te Piki Oranga kaimahi Lauren Sainty works in the Te Ata Pūao team (mental health services) in Whakatū. She attened the hīkoi, and reported:

‘My involvement in the event was truly impactful! Engaging with various organisations and gaining a clearer understanding of their roles in the community was a valuable experience.  We were able to distribute information about Te Piki Oranga’s mental health services and even receive referrals, highlighting the importance of our presence.

“The stories from guest speakers' Rutu King-Hazel and Dee Keefe were clearly powerful and thought-provoking, bringing depth to the conversation around suicide awareness. The hikoi being such an emotional experience for many made it even more meaningful. The community spirit was evident, especially with the rangatahi performing kapa haka and the shared enjoyment of the sausage sizzle.

“Overall, our participation contributed to a day filled with connection, learning, and support’.”

Heartland Services into the rhythm of its second year

It has been more than a year since Heartland Services opened its doors on Waitohi / Picton’s main street, providing access to Government and community services for rural whānau.

Heartlands – Ngā Ratonga ki te Manawa o te Whenua – became a place where people could get support kanohi ki te kanohi, face to face, in a world where many services have moved online.

We asked Brigid Eriksen, Kaituitui Pumanawa Whenua/Heartlands Coordinator, to tell us about her first year with Heartlands. Here is her kōrero:

The first year was tough, setting up a new tari, and going through an intense time of people getting to know us, and know what we do.  Now we are in our second year and while more people know us (although people still ask), this year has been even more full on with a lot of networking/whakawhanaungatanga which has carried through to now.  

I had support from Wairau kaimahi as I started out alone and they continue to awhi us here in Waitohi.

Heartland Services kaimahi Natasha and Brigid, on the Waitahi foreshore not far from the Heartlands hub on Main St.

What is a typical week like at Heartlands?

On the most recent Monday I had 21 people walk through the door.  We are getting regulars who come for a chat or a coffee and who just need support some for their loneliness. 

I started a regular ‘coffee and kōrero’ hui this year on Thursdays to support our local community, and ask our staff and locals who they would like to hear from as a speaker.

Our biggest thing at the moment would be our Community Hui which started as bi-monthly in December 2024 but which quickly needed to be made a monthly hui.  We gather to talk about what is happening in Waitohi, share about our individual mahi and share pānui. It’s a great time of whakawhanaungatanga and kotahitanga.

How is the Waitohi community engaging with Heartlands?

The three classes of morning Tai Chi are going well and are well-attended.  People are also loving the Holistic Pulsing sessions.

We still have transient people, those without homes, coming in to Heartlands and we help in whatever way we can. It might be a cuppa and biscuits, a kai parcel if we have any, help with WINZ or emergency accommodation.  Sometimes I think they want someone to talk to.

People are still needing kai and we direct them to other supports if we don’t have anything to give, such as the Vinnies Op Shop or the Picton Foodbank.

Our work brokers, offering employment support, continue to be available weekly to people, as do Community Law kaimahi and our person from Connected.

People also come in for help wiht technology, with their phones and laptops or to get photocopies or something scanned.

A Coffee & Kōrero session underway at Heartland Services.

Where can I find out what is happening on Heartlands?

We are a dynamic, responsive service that changes regularly according to what people tell us they need most. We do have a regular schedule of drop-in sessions and support groups, such as Community Law, Inland Revenue and Whānau Ora navigators from Waikawa Marae.

We recommend following Te Piki Oranga on Facebook, and to keep an eye on our webpage: www.tpo.org.nz/heartland

Mana Wāhine is making a difference

By Lorraine Staunton - Kaiwhakahaere Rātonga (Service Delivery Manager)

Mana Wāhine hauora days for women have grown from strength to strength again this year. Here is Lorraine’s pakiwaitara:

Te Piki Oranga Cancer Care team hosted our Mana Wāhine hauora day in December, in partnership with kaimahi from Te Whatu Ora Public Health Service, Nelson Bays Primary Health and Nelson Tasman Pasifika Trust.

The day was an opportunity for wāhine Māori and Pasifika to get up to date with their cervical screening. We completed almost all booked appointments, rescheduling times for wāhine who couldn’t make it.

Our immunisation team attended with the nursing team, providing immunisation to tamariki, wāhine and hapū māmā. Each wahine recieved a kai or petrol voucher, a sunscreen pack, a kai pack and a gift they chose for themselves (some donated by local businesses).

We were very appreciative of Bunnings Nelson, which donated a lovely gift basket, and to Sealord, which donated kaimoana and funds to transport wāhine to the event.

The day ran at a comfortable and relaxed pace, giving wāhine lots of time to have a kōrero with nurses about their health. One of the successes of the Mana Wāhine model of care is the health kōrero that results in wāhine asking to be referred into services such as Te Hā (smokefree), Tamariki Ora and cancer screening.

Photo captions, clockwise from top left:

• Kai basket and giveaways to make the day even more enjoyable

• Lorraine Staunton undertakes a health check with a Mana Wāhine participant

• Hamish Brown receiving a donation of kaimoana from Sealord’s Annabel Scaife

• One of the wonderful wāhine who attended Mana Wāhine

Whānau feedback about Mana Wāhine hauora days

• “When you walked in it looked like Christmas. They had a table with prizes that the wāhine could choose from, a bit like a lucky dip.”

•  “Kai parcels, some feminine hygiene products and sunscreen were given to whānau.”

•  “Overall, it was another great Mana Wāhine day.”  “It was an inviting experience, they made it better than going to a GP.”

•  “Everyone is super lovely and made me feel comfortable.”

•  “Being able to share and speak about my medical worries with the nurse today was awesome.”

•  “Just to have caring people listen and give advice and not feel ashamed in sharing.”

•  “Friendliness of the staff made me feel less worried and much more confident.”

•  “Being able to chat with the nurse was very helpful and have the time to chat was valuable.”

•  “The service was amazing, informed me of everything very thoroughly.”

•  “Keep striving forward wāhine ma for our Māori health and wellbeing, this was such an awesome experience.”

•  “Was an easy nice way to do health checks.”

Lets kōrero about what matters most

By Tania Smith - Kaiāwhina / Kaiatawhi (Community and service support / Health promotion and prevention)

A warm welcome from Summer Stronach (left) and Marissa Pou.

Hauora days held at Franklyn Village gave whānau an opportunity to kōrero freely about their hauora and wellbeing. Here is Tania’s pakiwaitara:

We have recently had the privilege of hosting two ‘Kia Piki tō Ora’ hauora days for Franklyn Village whānau.

The kaupapa for the first event was to invite kōrero about ‘what matters the most when it comes to your hauora’. This was informative kaupapa for whānau engagement with whakawhanaungatanga. A good group of whānau participated, asking questions and enjoying the spot prizes and kai at the end.

The kaupapa for the second event was to manaaki whānau with clear hauora information. We did this ‘expo-style’ with stalls for immunisation, cancer screening, diabetes, smokefree, nutrition and more.

It was encouraging to see a good number of whānau attend and fabulous kōrero happening. Kaimahi made it enjoyable for whānau, enabling them time to engage and enjoy the process and kōrero.

We received enquiries and follow-ups, including referrals into services such as cancer screening and Te Hā – quit smoking services. We plan to make hauora days in regular event in 2025.

Whānau feedback about Kia Piki tō Ora hauora days

• “Franklyn Village is based purely on the idea of being a village and people like you and people like us is what makes it a community, so kia ora and thank you so much, it has been really enjoyable.”

• “I think it’s good we’ve got these sorts of services, there’s nothing out there like this for us doing it hard. One of the things we’ve got here is a community and you guys (TPO) are part of that community so the more we see your faces the more we’ll consider you as family. A lot of us get very whakamā and we shouldn’t because it’s about our wellbeing, so having these things encourages us to ask for help.”

Photo captions:

• Left: Maria Briggs (left) and Naomi Johnson kōrero with whānau

• Riht: From left, Naomi Johnson, Hamish Brown and Noi Burgess.

Helping our hapori

Te Piki Oranga kaimahi combined forces with Māori Wardens and volunteer Fire Brigade staff to support the 18th annual Marlborough Foodbank Street Appeal on 25 November.

Crews of drivers, walkers and packers followed the fire truck sirens around the streets, collecting food and monetary donations from the community.

It was wonderful to see children waiting patiently for the fire engine to come into their street, handing over their donations, getting a wave and a burst of the siren in reward.

The generosity of the Marlborough community will once again assist those affected by the cost of living crisis.

Photo captions: Left: Teanna Scoon (aka ‘Speed runner’) and right, the A-team combining forces to collect kai donations for food bank.

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

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!