Since joining Auckland Council’s Community Impact Unit in 2023, Healthy Families South Auckland has continued to champion healthier communities. In Turou Hawaiki, Head of the Community Impact Unit, Dickie Humphries, shares why Healthy Families New Zealand and local government are critical partners in creating lasting health outcomes.
Click here to download the Turou Hawaiki report.
In recent decades we have begun to realise something apparent.
Health is not determined solely by visits to the doctor or by hospital beds.
Instead it is shaped by the streets our tamariki play in, the availability of kai we put in our pantries, the strength of relationships in the whare and across neighbourhoods, our access to warm and dry homes, and whether we feel seen and supported by the institutions around us.
That is the logic behind the Healthy Families New Zealand network. It does not focus only on delivering programmes but looks at the whole system.
When local government plays its part in this ecosystem it can create the strongest foundation for preventing illness before it begins and for enabling communities to thrive.
As part of Auckland Council’s Community Impact Unit, Healthy Families South Auckland sits in a unique and highly influential position.
The Community Impact Unit can bring together energy and leadership from across council including recreation, libraries, community development, strategic planning, as well as external partners including iwi, Pacific organisations, health services, local businesses and most importantly whānau themselves.
This synergy matters because the drivers of ill health are complex and cannot be addressed through siloed approaches.
This mahi is not about ticking boxes. It is an investment in the health of our communities so that fewer people fall through the gaps.
When a child regularly has healthy kai they are more able to thrive at school. When whānau live in warm and safe homes it helps prevent illness. When communities reclaim public places it strengthens social connection and community pride. When people see that their voices matter in local planning it builds empowerment.
Changing systems is a long game. Chronic disease, social inequity and structural disadvantage did not appear overnight and cannot be solved overnight. But when local government commits to prevention and to walking alongside communities rather than above them it creates the best chance of meaningful change.
I believe that South Auckland has all the ingredients for a future where wellbeing is the baseline rather than the exception.
I also believe that local government, when grounded in community guidance and committed to long term change, can make the decisive difference.
As Turou Hawaiki reflects on the mahi of Healthy Families South Auckland it serves as a reminder of what becomes possible when everyone commits to prevention and to working together.