Ana Apatu: Whanau Ora makes a difference

Ana Apatu

Whanau Ora has so much potential. And despite the recent criticism with administration costs and bureaucracy, there are success stories where funding and resources eventually trickle down to service providers reaching families. I sit with Bruce Hiko and Renee Whitiora. These two have been employed as navigators by Hine Manu Solutions - led by Shona Jones.

Bruce, of Ngati Kahungunu descent, schooled at Taradale High School, spent 23 years in the army. He met his darling, Melanie, originally from Paharkeke, Flaxmere. Bruce's partner has a masters degree specialising in psychotherapy.

Renee has worked for two years with Shona, and was involved with the set-up phase of Whanau Ora.

Renee and Bruce are clearly dedicated to their roles and the families they work with. I have specifically asked to meet them to try to raise the awareness of some of the positive outcomes for families they have seen as navigators with Whanau Ora.

I want to understand more about what a navigator role does and their reflections of the last couple of years in their roles.

Not surprisingly, Bruce and Renee first discuss needing to build trust with families when many of those they work with have been let down by the system. Building trust can take up to six weeks but the families quickly recognise they can trust them. They also quickly understand Whanau Ora - a framework which supports whanau aspirations.

Bruce and Renee say families often find it difficult to look past their financial struggles. They tend to look at all the barriers to their success or reaching their aspirations.

Renee says many people say they have never been asked what their dreams are - education, I'm too dumb, I haven't got any NCEA credits, gang connections.

I listen to Renee and Bruce discuss how they open conversations with families with simple questions such as: "What matters to you?" vs "What is the matter?"

They regard parenting courses as a great place to start. We discuss how many families would not have the ability to articulate what they need. We don't know what we don't know. Our learned behaviour is how we were brought up. Even when we recognise that we do not like the way we were brought up, we are most likely going to follow these same behaviours that our parents or caregivers demonstrated to us. Parenting courses can provide a safe and skilled setting to think about how we were raised and what could be different.

Bruce and Renee cite Birthright's Triple P parenting programme as a great example. This course is based on a kaupapa Maori model with Maori facilitators. These skilled facilitators open up the opportunities for whanau to attend counselling. Simple reflections that begin with exploring where our parenting skills come from. Attachment issues, developmental skills and feeling secure are all critical issues discussed. Renee says rather than calling these programmes parenting programmes we should be calling them family learning programmes.

Kaye Adams, a recipient of Whanau Ora navigator services, says: "Renee has been my inspiration. She has supported me on where to go next for my situation. Bruce has been a great male role model for our Maori males.

"It was their [Renee and Bruce's] knowledge and help that provided the ability to provide a kaupapa under Whanau Ora which has helped me individually, and then more widely to my 18 whanau. We are now looking to develop and grow our hapu."

Kaye tells me Renee is always so punctual and focused.

"Renee has helped us be positive about our tamariki.

"We have had a positive experience with my son attending a parenting programme. He is a better dad and a better person for it."

Whanau Ora has been a way of integrating ourselves with providers and services - we tend to be shy - particularly if we have had a bad past. We have learned that there is a way of preventing problems and belief that it is possible to have a better future.

We discuss the fact that the eight navigator roles across the Ikaroa Rawhiti region finish at the end of June. While there may be some transitioned under the new commissioning agencies, I can't help but be concerned that, once again, the system is letting down whanau who have built trusting relationships that will now cease.

-Ana Apatu is chief executive of the U-Turn Trust, based at Te Aranga Marae in Flaxmere