Healthy Families South Auckland is excited to announce our upcoming Stakeholders Open Home, scheduled for the 8th of November. This event will bring together key stakeholders, each playing a vital role in the systems that shape the health and wellbeing of our communities. Through this gathering, we aim to engage in meaningful korero, share insights, and spark collaboration that accelerates our shared mission: reducing the risk of preventable chronic diseases in South Auckland.

At Healthy Families South Auckland, we know that reducing chronic disease requires a whole systems approach. The complex layers of social, economic, and environmental factors impacting health outcomes mean that no single intervention can bring about the necessary large-scale change. Instead, change is most powerful when it involves multiple levers, working together across sectors and communities, to address the root causes of poor health. This is where systems change comes in.

Our Stakeholders Open Home is a chance to showcase seven of our key initiatives, each designed to address different dimensions of the systems that contribute to chronic disease risk:

– Movement & Sport: Creating environments that promote movement and active lifestyles and reduce sedentary behavior, especially in our homes, schools, and public spaces.

– Food Systems: Tackling the barriers to healthy, affordable food and building local solutions that empower communities to change mindsets, grow, access, and consume nourishing kai.

– Oranga Whakapapa: Centering Māori knowledge, practices, and values to strengthen cultural identity and improve health outcomes for whānau Māori.

– Alcohol Harm: Addressing the harmful effects of alcohol, not only through policy change but also by shifting community norms around alcohol consumption and mindsets.

– Youth Mental Health & Wellbeing: Supporting the mental health of our rangatahi by co-designing initiatives that recognise the unique challenges they face in today’s world.

– Work360: Creating workplaces that promote health and wellbeing, ensuring that business leaders understand the connection between wellbeing and productivity and giving business leaders the tools to connect and engage with their workers resulting in high productivity, retention and engagement and enhanced wellbeing in the workplace.

– Early Years: Supporting parents, caregivers, and early childhood settings to give our tamariki the best start in life, knowing that the foundations of lifelong health are laid in the early years.

Each initiative will share not only the current challenges we are facing but also the innovative approaches we are taking to address them. From leveraging community knowledge to co-designing solutions, the impact of these initiatives is rooted in collective action and impact. We will explore how our work is contributing to broader systems change and the steps needed to scale that impact across South Auckland.

The event is not just about showcasing the work, but about finding ways to align our efforts, share resources, and build momentum for the long term health and wellbeing of our communities.

Together, we can create a ripple effect of positive change, reducing the burden of chronic disease for future generations and fostering a healthier, more equitable South Auckland.

If you’re interested in attending our Open Home, please email [email protected]