Waka Hourua

Te Rau Matatini Interim Chief Executive – Maria Baker

14 March 2017 Midday release

Ngā tangata Māori e tohe mo te heke mai pai, me te Oranga

Māori men striving for a positive future and wellbeing

Waka Hourua: National Māori and Pasifika suicide prevention programme has released a document it hopes will support and invoke whānau and rohe in their efforts to prevent suicide amongst Tāne Māori.

Te Pātūtū Oranga: Successful initiatives to suicide prevention amongst Tāne Māori was officially released today by Te Rau Matatini at Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki in Thames hosted by Tāne Ora ki Waikato.

It provides a glimpse of varying initiatives across Aotearoa New Zealand that specifically focus on building the capacity and capability of communities and their whānau regarding Tāne Ora. A suicide prevention resource to be shared for its findings, tools and learnings, whilst provoking groups to reflect on what more they can do to help Māori men and boys.

Waka Hourua Programme Lead Tio Sewell believes the solutions are to be found within Māori communities.

“This resource shows us that the solutions architect, led by boys and men, are amongst us in our rohe, within our whānau and they should be at the heart of any strategies that are created and implemented.”

Waka Hourua is addressing the needs of Māori and Pasifika people by supporting solutions to the problem in the hands of the communities who are impacted by suicide. It is still in its infancy by international standards, which say that national suicide prevention strategies need to be measured over one to two decades to show the long-term impact for a population.

But the programme is showing some measurable results amongst our whanau, aiga, children, parents, siblings and communities. Families are telling us their initiatives are having an impact and are saving lives.

Launched in 2014, Waka Hourua is New Zealand’s national Māori and Pasifika suicide prevention programme led by partners Te Rau Matatini and Le Va.

For more information go to www.wakahourua.co.nz, www.leva.co.nz and www.teraumatatini.com

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