Around 40 Pacific Community Providers and leaders from across Ōtautahi were welcomed onto Ngā Hau e Whā National marae for an inaugural Pacific Fono.
Leaders from across the Ōtautahi Pacific community came to support working together as a whole and to ensure Pasifika tamariki and rangatahi are seen and heard.
Executive Manager of Te Rūnanga o Ngā Maata Waka Linda Ngata says ‘whatever comes out of this is the action to progress the strengthening of relationships.
How do we do this, what needs to happen, where the resources need to go to for us to engage with the Pacific whānau around helping our babies and our mokopuna not to go into statutory care.’
Oranga Tamariki Regional Manager, Māori Partnerships and Communities, Keitiria McCaughey said ‘we quickly found that there had been no investment in Pacific communities, which is one of the drivers behind collaborating with Oranga Tamariki pacific leaders and pacific providers to get this Fono underway’.
Tuafuti Ka says ‘it’s important to capture the insights of all of our rangatahi that live in these marginalised communities.
These are the insights that government have no idea what’s going on and it’s important for these voices to be heard. Because rangatahi are a greater ally sitting next to us than they are enemies sitting opposite us.’
Leina Fofoa says ‘Definitely just go right back into the community. Remove the leaders. Their voices are already there. If we just go to the root of the community I think there will be a lot of movement happening from there.’
