Whanau Ora : Report of the Taskforce on Whanau-Centred Initiatives

6.1.6 Whānau goals, instead <strong>of</strong> being arbitrarily imposed on whānau, will generate
more effective results when <strong>the</strong>y are articulated by whānau. When goals
resonate with Māori families and households as well as larger whānau
collectives, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>re is an engagement with what is attainable, if only in
<strong>the</strong> long term, and with outcomes that are consistent with wider whānau
ambitions. But while whānau aspirations are critical to those goals, <strong>the</strong>
goals should not be inconsistent with <strong>the</strong> broad aims <strong>of</strong> Māori development
or commonly accepted societal standards. If, for example, a whānau had
become disillusioned with <strong>the</strong> education system and sought to withdraw
children from school, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> broad aim <strong>of</strong> Māori educational achievement
could be fur<strong>the</strong>r compromised. The whānau goal could only be endorsed
if it included ano<strong>the</strong>r option that would increase educational attainment.
At <strong>the</strong> same time <strong>the</strong> significance <strong>of</strong> a whānau-centred approach is that
policies and services must be relevant to <strong>the</strong> realities, hopes and potential
<strong>of</strong> whānau. The <strong>Taskforce</strong> supports <strong>the</strong> adoption <strong>of</strong> goals that will enable
whānau to realise <strong>the</strong>ir full potential and give effect to <strong>the</strong>ir collective
aspirations.
…services that heed <strong>the</strong>
voices <strong>of</strong> whānau and that
are based on responding
to <strong>the</strong> needs <strong>of</strong> whānau,
as defined by whānau for
<strong>the</strong>mselves are essential.
6.1.7 As well as defining <strong>the</strong> overall purposes <strong>of</strong> Whānau <strong>Ora</strong>, well-specified
goals also provide a rationale for <strong>the</strong> identification <strong>of</strong> outcomes and <strong>the</strong>
measurement <strong>of</strong> results. For each goal, measures <strong>of</strong> progress that are
consistent with <strong>the</strong> Whānau <strong>Ora</strong> philosophy will be necessary. A major task
for funders, providers and whānau will be to agree on indicators that are
relevant to <strong>the</strong> goals, related to an intervention and subject to quantification.
Measuring a whānau objective <strong>of</strong> adequate housing, for example, could
require indicators that include <strong>the</strong> standard <strong>of</strong> housing, affordability and
neighbourhood safety. A governance goal <strong>of</strong> contractual compliance
could be measured by indicators that show timeliness, positive impacts
on whānau and budgetary prudence.
6.2 Whānau Goals
6.2.1 The <strong>Taskforce</strong> has identified six major whānau goals:
• whānau self-management
• healthy whānau lifestyles
• full whānau participation in society
• confident whānau participation in te ao Māori
• economic security and successful involvement in wealth creation
• whānau cohesion.
6.2.2 The goals are whānau-centred, have obvious implications for Whānau <strong>Ora</strong>
providers and funders, are capable <strong>of</strong> quantification, and will form <strong>the</strong> basis
for determining <strong>the</strong> overall effectiveness <strong>of</strong> whānau-centred initiatives using
<strong>the</strong> Whānau <strong>Ora</strong> approach.
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