Energising unused public spaces for community members of all ages and abilities, are what Manu Tahi is all about.

The collective includes a passionate mixture of stakeholders and members of the community with an aim to make physical activity part of everyday living.

Activating plans to engage the local public with attractions, like the recent pop-up library in the Manukau Civic Square, is part of a strategy to help people ‘move and learn through play’.

Healthy Families Manukau, Manurewa – Papakura Coach Tracey Walker says her involvement gives her instant access to systems change in action, participating in the “space activation”, and inviting people to engage.

“We’re making small, temporary changes to the environment and linking different parts of life so that permanent healthy behaviors can start to embed itself into the community,” says Tracey.

Through the pop-up library, members of Manu Tahi were able to ask the public for their input to further activate the Manukau Civic Square and engage their interests and energies.

The insights will go towards future activity planning for this space.

Manu Tahi meet fortnightly to identify ways they can fuse spaces where people live, learn, work and play to achieve active community engagements.