Māmā and their pēpi at the forefront of health reforms and intergenerational wellness in Te Hiku ō Te Ika

A kaupapa-Māori based initiative that focuses on the holistic health and wellbeing of Māmā and their pēpi launches at the high tide mark of the national health reforms in Te Hiku ō Te Ika this month.

Kia Taurima is a pilot programme being led out this year by A.N.T. (Aupōuri, Ngāti Kahu, Te Rarawa) Trust in the heart of Kaitāia.

Over 32 sessions, Te Hiku-based Māmā and their pēpi will be embarking on a journey to explore and address hauora issues that have been raised by whānau in the area extending from north Hokianga to Doubtless Bay to Cape Reinga.

The Kia Taurima initiative is a part of the wider Taikorihi Locality initiative – one of several population health prototypes nationwide set up under the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 to influence and inform the future investment of public health in New Zealand.

Taikorihi Programme Manager JJ Ripikoi says “we have heard some strong voice from Māmā within Te Hiku around their needs for additional support. This focus priority puts the spotlight on Māmā within Te Hiku to ensure that they have the tools and resources available to give their tamariki the best start in life.”

Kia Taurima co-ordinator Lyla-Blue Paparoa says this year’s programme follows on from a three-day self-care event held in Kaitāia in late 2023 that saw over 50 Māmā and their tamariki participate and contribute their ideas around how the health system can best support young whānau in Te Hiku.

"That was the first engagement phase of our kaupapa to get a good understanding of where Mums were at, what was missing in our town, what’s something that would help you to feel better, be a better Mum, be a better wahine and find your way. From that we were able to analyse that data and built a kaupapa that responded to what Mums told us they wanted, which was improved self-care, breastfeeding support, stronger support networks with other Māmā and pre- and post-partum knowledge and awareness,” she says.

The Kia Taurima initiative will involve an approach over four wāhanga, or parts. These include regular Māmā-to-Māmā group get-togethers on Fridays during school term, kaupapa-based wānanga on the four most common issues in Māmā and pēpi health and wellbeing in Te Hiku, advocacy and support services and the establishment of a sector network to share information and collaborate on ongoing solutions.

She adds that the Taikorihi initiative and health reforms have provided the opportunity to test different approaches and engage whānau in initiatives that are relevant to their needs in Te Hiku.
In the spirit of community collaboration with other providers, Māmā-to-Māmā get togethers will be held at Te Puna Midwives in Kaitāia in a space specifically set aside and designed to support wāhine.

“We tend to get lost when we become new Mums, and we don’t know what to do. We’re here to give you a hand. We’re going to open our whare for Māmā to come, have a cup of tea, have a kōrero. What’s going on? Do you just want a cuppa? Here, I’ll hold baby for five minutes. That simple stuff,” says Lyla-Blue.

In addition to the direct whānau engagement, she says an advocacy support kaimahi will be available three days a week to help Māmā navigate local systems, according to their specific needs.

“Our advocacy support function will see us accompany Māmā seeking help from agencies and services, such as WINZ, budgeting services, breastfeeding supports and so forth. We’re going to make sure they get the help that they need to be on-to-it. This advocacy and support function will be delivered with Open the Curtains, which is our social service arm here,” she says.

Four in-depth kaupapa wānanga on Māmā-pēpi health and wellbeing issues are scheduled for the year and will be open to all Māmā in Te Hiku.

Plus, the Kia Taurima initiative will also see sector co-ordination hui aimed at bringing agencies and organisations working in the space together to collaborate on systemic solutions to common issues facing Te Hiku whānau.

Taikorihi Programme Manager JJ Ripikoi says data and insights gathered from the Kia Taurima initiative and other initiatives rolling out across Te Hiku will go towards recommendations for future public health investment in the Taikorihi Locality.

“Taikorihi will continue its work to push Te Whatu Ora and other agencies to continue the efforts in supporting our whānau as they take on parenthood. We will continue our engagement with parents to ensure that the right supports and services are being provided here in Te Hiku,” he says.