Whanau Ora : Report of the Taskforce on Whanau-Centred Initiatives
Whanau Ora : Report of the Taskforce on Whanau-Centred Initiatives
Whanau Ora : Report of the Taskforce on Whanau-Centred Initiatives
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<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was a high level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> agreement at most hui that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Whānau <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ora</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
c<strong>on</strong>cept was distinctive, and from submissi<strong>on</strong>s made to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Taskforce</str<strong>on</strong>g> it<br />
was possible to identify at least six key characteristics.<br />
i. Whānau <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ora</str<strong>on</strong>g> is about group (whānau) wellbeing. While <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> status<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> individuals is important, it is not by itself an adequate measure <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
whānau wellbeing. Hui participants generally supported <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> noti<strong>on</strong> that<br />
Whānau <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ora</str<strong>on</strong>g> is more than <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sum total <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> individual measures;<br />
it is primarily about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ways in which <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> group operates as a whole to<br />
achieve health and wellbeing for its people.<br />
ii. The <str<strong>on</strong>g>Taskforce</str<strong>on</strong>g> was frequently reminded at hui that Whānau <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ora</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
is about self-determinati<strong>on</strong>. While from time to time outside<br />
assistance is needed by many whānau, a core feature <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Whānau <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ora</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
is self-management and self-determinati<strong>on</strong>. L<strong>on</strong>g-term dependency <strong>on</strong><br />
outside agencies is not c<strong>on</strong>sistent with Whānau <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ora</str<strong>on</strong>g>; instead <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> aim is<br />
to enable whānau to assume resp<strong>on</strong>sibility for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir own affairs.<br />
iii. Arising from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> engagement hui and written submissi<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re<br />
is a str<strong>on</strong>g message that Whānau <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ora</str<strong>on</strong>g> is c<strong>on</strong>cerned with <strong>on</strong>going<br />
intergenerati<strong>on</strong>al transfers. Participants c<strong>on</strong>sidered positive and<br />
empowering interacti<strong>on</strong>s between generati<strong>on</strong>s to be at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> heart<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> whānau. Those interacti<strong>on</strong>s include <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> transmissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> values,<br />
knowledge, culture, technologies, lifestyles, wealth and assets.<br />
In a three- or four-generati<strong>on</strong>al whānau, transfers are bi-directi<strong>on</strong>al:<br />
from older to younger generati<strong>on</strong>s and from younger to older.<br />
iv. During <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> engagement hui it was made clear to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Taskforce</str<strong>on</strong>g> that<br />
Whānau <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ora</str<strong>on</strong>g> has a str<strong>on</strong>g cultural dimensi<strong>on</strong>. For all individuals and for<br />
all groups, wellbeing depends <strong>on</strong> many social and ec<strong>on</strong>omic variables<br />
but, in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> whānau c<strong>on</strong>text, wellbeing is also closely linked to Māori<br />
cultural identity and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> expressi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Māori cultural values. Te reo Māori,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> observati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> cultural codes <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>duct (tikanga), protocols to guide<br />
interacti<strong>on</strong>s within <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> whānau and bey<strong>on</strong>d <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> whānau (kawa), as well<br />
as cultural preferences for food, recreati<strong>on</strong> and socialisati<strong>on</strong> are integral<br />
to Whānau <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ora</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
Whānau <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ora</str<strong>on</strong>g> – well that’s us,<br />
it’s who we are.<br />
v. Whānau <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ora</str<strong>on</strong>g> is also about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ways in which whānau interact<br />
with wider society. While access to instituti<strong>on</strong>s such as schools,<br />
health clinics and social service agencies is an important part <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> that<br />
interacti<strong>on</strong>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Taskforce</str<strong>on</strong>g> was frequently reminded that access is not<br />
by itself a sufficient measure <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> progress; more important is <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> need<br />
for societal instituti<strong>on</strong>s to be able to resp<strong>on</strong>d positively to whānau and<br />
for whānau to be able to freely negotiate with agencies to achieve <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
best results, c<strong>on</strong>sistent with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir aspirati<strong>on</strong>s. There are numerous<br />
instituti<strong>on</strong>s within society that have high relevance for whānau, including<br />
educati<strong>on</strong>al, sporting, recreati<strong>on</strong>al, cultural and health agencies. In<br />
additi<strong>on</strong> interacti<strong>on</strong> with societal instituti<strong>on</strong>s also includes relati<strong>on</strong>ships<br />
within te ao Māori – marae, hapū, iwi and wānanga. Although <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was<br />
no expectati<strong>on</strong> that iwi would fund core services such as health and<br />
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