Creating system change while staying true to ourselves
At Te Taura Ora, we are committed to ensuring that the lived experience of our whānau and their voices shape the health system, strengthening Māori leadership and placing tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake at the heart of every decision we make. How to achieve hauora sovereignty is based on how to “practise it, grow it, and normalise it.”
Recently, our team engaged with international Indigenous thought leaders at the Toitū Hauora Māori Health Leaders Symposium, hosted by Ngāti Tūwharetoa in Taupō with the support of Te Rau Ora. The Symposium kōrero was around a central question “How do we create system change and be true to ourselves?”
This collaboration brought together Māori leaders, indigenous innovators, alongside Chief Kirk Francis and Kitcki Carroll from self-governing unired South and Eastern tribal nations in the USA to explore how Indigenous-led governance, investment, and policy can strengthen health and wellbeing outcomes for communities. By connecting across borders, we were able to share thirty years of insights, learn from proven models off-shore, and consider how these approaches can strengthen whānau health outcomes here in Aotearoa.
The symposium reinforced that system change must be guided by tikanga, history, and identity. We reflected on our Te Arawa whakapapa, mana motuhake and tino rangatiratanga pre-1840 before Tāngata Tiriti arrived, and the ongoing need to honour whānau perspectives in all aspects of healthcare.
Engaging with Indigenous leaders from overseas demonstrated how self-determination in health can be successfully exercised, providing insights into governance models, policy advocacy, and sustainable investment that can be adapted to the Aotearoa context.
Being part of the Symposium aligns directly with our strategic priorities at Te Taura Ora. By connecting with iwi, hapū, providers, and international partners, we are building networks, sharing knowledge, and advocating for Māori-led solutions that strengthen whānau wellbeing. We are embedding Whānau Voice in decision-making, growing our capacity to influence health policy, and demonstrating the value of Māori leadership in driving system change.
At the heart of this approach, our Chair, Hingatu Thompson, shared at the Symposium how our mahi at te Taura Ora is guided by three key pou:
- Whānau Mana Motuhake – empowering whānau to actively lead and participate in their wellbeing.
- Hapū and Iwi Tino Rangatiratanga – strengthening self-determination across hapū and iwi structures.
- Māori Kotahitanga – fostering unity across iwi to collectively shape a health system that works for all whānau.
Te Toitū Hauora is now a platform to connect, learn, and translate Indigenous-led innovation into action. By actively engaging with international thought leaders and working in partnership with iwi and whānau, Te Taura Ora is ensuring that Māori leadership, values, and aspirations are at the centre of the health system now and for generations to come.
Twelve Projects Chosen in First Round of Whānau Voice Grants
Twelve whānau-led projects have been chosen in the first round of Whānau Voice Grants, giving hapori across our rohe the chance to shape hauora and wellbeing in ways that matter to them. Originally planned for ten grants from a $50,000 pool, the fund was boosted to support twelve projects, recognising the exceptional quality and creativity of the submissions received.
The grants were created to put whānau at the centre of decision-making, recognising that those living the experience know best what works locally. Proposals poured in demonstrating the strength, creativity, and commitment of whānau to transform hauora in their communities.
The winning Whānau Voice Grants highlight the strength and creativity of whānau-led solutions across the rohe, from digital storytelling and a ‘Virtual Whare Kōrero’ to filmed kōrero, podcasts, and photography. Plus kaupapa to improve health pathways, support rangatahi wellbeing, and uplift identity- and tikanga-led initiatives like Takatāpui hauora, moko kanohi revitalisation, and hapū-led burial planning. Together, they show that hauora thrives when whānau lead solutions grounded in culture, connection, and lived experience.
When the fund closed in November, twenty-five entries had been received that met the criteria based on kaupapa Māori design and/or whānau-led delivery. One of our Board members, Rawiri Bhana, says our approach challenges the usual way funding works.
“Communities that don’t fit the usual parameters, like remote or rural whānau, tāngata whaikaha, gang whānau, takatāpui, and young parents who often go unheard. Instead of asking whānau to conform, we are adapting the system to capture their expertise, creativity, and insight,” he says.
Entries were reviewed by a selection panel in December, with all submissions anonymised to ensure fairness. The high quality of proposals and strong alignment with Te Taura Ora o Waiariki values showed the depth of thought and creativity whānau bring to improving hauora.
The process revealed many grassroots initiatives need support alongside funding, with strong interest in projects grounded in tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori. Whānau-led initiatives approached hauora priorities such as immunisations, oral health, and mental health in innovative, locally led ways.
As a result whānau were inspired to collect, interpret, and share their own stories, honouring that they are experts in their own health journeys. Social media helped spread the word, encouraged participation, and applicants described the process as mana-enhancing and empowering.
This approach is helping to build leadership and strengthen whanaungatanga at the grassroots. Participating whānau are developing skills in engagement, analysis, and storytelling, which can be applied to future planning and service design within the health system.
The twelve Whānau Voice Grant recipients will come together in February and, by May 2026, roll out their health and wellbeing initiatives, directly benefiting whānau across the Te Taura Ora o Waiariki region.
The twelve successful Whānau Voice Grant initiatives are:
| # | Organisation / Lead | Project |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korokai Holdings Limited | Tūhono - Strengthening health planning and commissioning. |
| 2 | Te Arawa Whānau Ora | Oro Tuawhenua Whānau Voice Shaping Cancer Prehabilitation for Māori |
| 3 | Donald Hollingsworth | Takatāpui Talk |
| 4 | Lynette Walmsley | Whakamana i te whenua, tūpāpaku, i te whānau. Reimagining burial practices. |
| 5 | Digital Narratives Academy | eSports sessions creating digital narratives. |
| 6 | Natalie Richards | Awhi Mai ki Rotorua - Stories of stroke survival. |
| 7 | Te Rūnanga Ngāti Kea Ngāti Tuara | Mokopapa – moko kanohi a pathway to cultural identity, hauora, and reconnection. |
| 8 | Kirini Limited | Immunisation whakaaro. |
| 9 | Christopher Ranui-Molloy | Ko Wai Mātou? Taonga Based Whānau Hauora Storytelling Pilot. |
| 10 | Waitangi Clarke | Ka Hao Te Rangatahi - marae-based wellbeing and cultural development. |
| 11 | Tipene James | Mental Health Waikite Senior A’s whānau voices. |
| 12 | Bianca Taute | Silencing the shitty committee – Podcast series on rangatahi mental health awareness. |
Opinion: Whānau Voice Grant doubles engagement as Te Arawa leads health change
Rawiri Bhana, from the Te Taura Ora o Waiariki Iwi Māori Partnership Board, reflects on an extraordinary response to a health initiative.
Over the past two weeks, something remarkable has happened across Te Arawa.
Our new Whānau Voice Grant, a $50,000 fund that empowers local whānau to shape health and wellbeing, has sparked a level of engagement that has been overwhelming and inspiring.
And it proves one thing: when you listen to whānau, they respond with energy, insight and solutions.
I’ll be honest: we weren’t sure how the community would engage.
But after our first radio interview on The Heat, my phone lit up with calls from all corners of the rohe. Whānau were saying, “We saw you on the morning show, how can we apply?”
From hapū māmā and natural birthing advocates, to rangatahi, Takatāpui, and even local gang communities, all sorts wanted to step forward.
Whānau from the Block reached out, excited to activate their own initiatives. The response has been extraordinary.
Registrations have doubled.
Traffic to our registration page has increased by 87%, and visits to the application page are up 62%.
The highest-viewed page on our website is the Whānau Voice Grant Guidelines & Criteria.
On social media, our top posts to date include Applications Now Open (5132 views) and Pitch Your Best Idea (5849 views).
This grant is designed to be inclusive and accessible.
Rangatahi, for example, can submit a simple video, tell a story, or express their ideas in a medium that suits them, not a 20-page application form.
We want whānau to engage in their own language, style, and way. It’s not about fitting into the system; it’s about reshaping the system to reflect whānau realities.
For too long, our national health system has operated like a one-size-fits-all model.
Communities that don’t fit the usual parameters like remote or rural whānau, tāngata whaikaha, gang whānau, takatāpui, young parents, often go unheard. This grant flips that dynamic on its head.
Instead of asking whānau to conform, we are adapting the system to capture their expertise, creativity, and insight.
Already, stories are emerging that wouldn’t appear in standard reporting cycles.
Rangatahi sharing what wellbeing truly feels like, hapū māmā highlighting gaps in birthing and postpartum support, takatāpui whānau surfacing health challenges and solutions that are invisible in traditional data.
These are insights that decision-makers in our Te Manawa Taki region and in Wellington need to hear and they come directly from our people living the experiences.
Our Te Taura Board sees success not just as awarding the 10 $5000 grants available in this first round, but as receiving an abundance of applications.
Every story, every idea is valuable, and the more whānau contribute, the more we can support and scale solutions, not just this year, but in future tranches of funding.
This kaupapa is about making mokopuna decisions, those long-view choices whose benefits may only be seen by future generations.
It’s about ensuring the health system we build today is culturally grounded, relational, and responsive to the real needs of our people.
If the past two weeks are any indication, our whānau are rising. They are speaking. They are shaping their own future. Our job is simple: listen, honour their kōrero, and act.
Applications close at Thursday, November 27. Whānau can apply via our website tearawaimpb.co.nz/whanau-voice-grant-guidelines or through our social media channels.
It’s quick, simple, and your voice can make a real difference.
This is only the beginning. Whānau are leading the way and we are listening.
Original Article Source: https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2025/11/25/opinion-whanau-voice-grant-doubles-engagement-as-te-arawa-leads-health-change/
Listening to Whānau Is Changing the Future of Our Health System
Over the past two weeks, something remarkable has happened across Te Arawa. Our new Whānau Voice Grant, a $50,000 fund empowering local whānau to shape health and wellbeing, has sparked a level of engagement that has been overwhelming and inspiring. And it proves one thing: when you listen to whānau, they respond with energy, insight, and solutions.
I’ll be honest: we weren’t sure how the community would engage. But after our first radio interview on The Heat, my phone lit up with calls from all corners of the rohe. Whānau were saying, “We saw you on the morning show, how can we apply?”
From hapū māmā and natural birthing advocates, to rangatahi, Takatāpui, and even local gang communities, all sorts wanted to step forward. Whānau from the Block reached out, excited to activate their own initiatives. The response has been extraordinary.
Registrations have doubled. Traffic to our registration page has increased by 87%, and visits to the application page are up 62%. The highest-viewed page on our website is the Whānau Voice Grant Guidelines & Criteria. On social media, our top posts to date include ‘Applications Now Open’ (5,132 views) and ‘Pitch Your Best Idea’ (5,849 views).
This grant is designed to be inclusive and accessible. Rangatahi, for example, can submit a simple video, tell a story, or express their ideas in a medium that suits them, not a 20-page application form. We want whānau to engage in their own language, style, and way. It’s not about fitting into the system; it’s about reshaping the system to reflect whānau realities.
For too long, our national health system has operated like a one-size-fits-all model. Communities that don’t fit the usual parameters like remote or rural whānau, tāngata whaikaha, gang whānau, Takatāpui, young parents, often go unheard. This grant flips that dynamic. On its head. Instead of asking whānau to conform, we are adapting the system to capture their expertise, creativity, and insight.
Already, stories are emerging that wouldn’t appear in standard reporting cycles. Rangatahi sharing what wellbeing truly feels like, hapū māmā highlighting gaps in birthing and postpartum support, Takatāpui whānau surfacing health challenges and solutions that are invisible in traditional data.
These are insights that decision-makers in our Te Manawa Taki region and in Wellington need to hear and they come directly from our people living the experiences.
Our Te Taura Board sees success not just as awarding the ten $5,000 grants available in this first round, but as receiving an abundance of applications. Every story, every idea is valuable, and the more whānau contribute, the more we can support and scale solutions, not just this year, but in future tranches of funding.
This kaupapa is about making mokopuna decisions, those long-view choices whose benefits may only be seen by future generations. It’s about ensuring the health system we build today is culturally grounded, relational, and responsive to the real needs of our people.
If the past two weeks are any indication, our whānau are rising. They are speaking. They are shaping their own future. Our job is simple: listen, honour their kōrero, and act.
Applications close at COB Thursday, 27 November. Whānau can apply via our website tearawaimpb.co.nz/whanau-voice-grant-guidelines or through our social media channels.
It’s quick, simple, and your voice can make a real difference.
This is only the beginning. Whānau are leading the way and we are listening.
Kōrero with Sheena Waerea part of Te Taura Ora o Waiariki - Te Arawa IMPB
Kōrero with Sheena Waerea part of Te Taura Ora o Waiariki - Te Arawa IMPB in to talk about Whānau Voice grants that close off this week.
Sheena covers Purpose of the grants, Reminder of Closing Date, How easy it is to apply, Encouraging Last-Minute Entries.Applications are now open — click here to learn more. Applications close November 27.
REMINDER: Whānau Voice Grants Close This Thursday!
He wā tēnei kia rangona te reo o te whānau.
Now is the time for your voice to be heard.
If you’ve been thinking about applying for a Whānau Voice Grant, this is your gentle reminder - applications close this Thursday 27 November.
Watch the short video below to see how you and your whānau can share your stories, ideas, and experiences to help shape the future of health and wellbeing in our rohe.
Let your voice guide the way forward.
Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui.
Now is the time for your voice to be heard.
Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui.
Kōrero with Rawiri Bhana of Te Taura Ora o Waiariki - Te Arawa IMPB
Kōrero with Rawiri Bhana part of Te Taura Ora o Waiariki - Te Arawa IMPB in to talk about Whānau Voice Grants, 10 grants of $5,000 total pool $50,000.
Applications are now open — click here to learn more. Applications close November 27.
Rangatahi, It’s Your Time to Lead – Whānau Voice Grants Open
Hear from one of our own rangatahi about why your voice matters in shaping the future of hauora in our rohe. If you’ve got ideas, stories, or dreams for how we can strengthen whānau wellbeing, this is your time to lead.
Your whakaaro today can change the future for our tamariki and mokopuna.
Applications are open until 27 November, you can apply here – https://tearawaimpb.co.nz/whanau-voice-grant-guidelines/
Kōrero with Aroha Dorset the General Manager of Te Taura Ora o Waiariki - Te Arawa IMPB
Aroha Dorset, General Manager of Te Taura Ora o Waiariki – Te Arawa IMPB, recently joined the kōrero to discuss the newly launched Whānau Voice Grant. She shared valuable insights into how this kaupapa will empower whānau-led projects, uplift local voices, and enhance hauora throughout our Te Arawa communities.
Applications are now open — click here to learn more. Applications close November 27.
