Merepeka Raukawa-Tait leads Whānau Ora campaign towards self-sufficiency

A short film has been released to raise awareness about tough situations families face on a daily basis.

Health initiative Whānau Ora released the new approach with a campaign called "We Dream" highlighting the challenges faced by whānau to make substantial changes in their lives.

Whānau Ora North Island agency commissioning chairperson and Rotorua councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait said the film encouraged families to grow their strengths.

The end goal for the initiative is for whānau to become self-sufficient.

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"Many whānau face a daily struggle for the basic necessities. This kind of struggle leaves little room to plan for improvement and take action toward eventual self-reliance.

"Whānau Ora values families and supports them to grow their strengths, it does not view them as problems that need fixing. This is fundamental to the approach we take."

The Whānau Ora policy was adopted in 2010 because the standard delivery of social and health services was not working and outcomes, particularly for Māori and Pasifika families, were not improving.

The Whānau Ora policy looks to increase the well-being of individuals in the context of their whānau differing from traditional social and health models that focus solely on the needs of the individual.

The storyline of the film is narrated by Whānau Ora's own navigators, the frontline people who work directly with whānau to wrap necessary services for poverty, education and employment problems.

Raukawa-Tait said navigators were not encouraged to be directive around solutions.

"They work together with whānau to create a road map for their future and help whānau to realise their strengths and determine their own pathways to success."

The new campaign comes after the Whānau Ora Review Report was released on February 20.

Whānau Ora Minister Peeni Henare welcomed the findings of the review and believed it proved the policy was working well for families.

"The review found many examples of Whānau Ora working, and people's lives being turned around as a result of the approach.

"The report reveals that there is potential for whānau-centred approaches to be implemented right across the Government."

Henare said working across a range of sectors would extend the reach of what has been achieved to more whānau across the country.