Bridging cultural gaps for rangatahi in South Auckland
Numerous studies show that colonisation has deeply impacted the identity and worldview of Māori which created a legacy of displacement and widened a cultural gap that continues to have severe impacts on formative development for rangatahi Māori. However, Indigenous Systems Lead of The Cause Collective, Tracey Walker says despite these challenges, Māori exhibit strong resilience […]
Reconnecting to kai and whenua
When did food become a privilege for our people? The question strikes at the heart of a growing disconnection between good, nourishing kai and the people who need it most. This kaupapa is deeply personal for Ngāti Tamaoho Charitable Trust’s CEO Matekino Marshall who sees the lack of good food in South Auckland as a […]
A look at the first three months of 2025 with Healthy Families South Auckland
The first quarter of 2025 is nearly complete, and the Healthy Families South Auckland team at Auckland Council has been busy. Here’s what has been happening: Welcoming new team members Ray joins us as Lead Systems Innovator, bringing extensive experience in strategic leadership and stakeholder engagement, particularly in Pacific health. His recent work with the […]
Does Waipiro have a place in our whakapapa? A korero with rangatahi.
He wāhi tō te waipiro i roto i tō tātou whakapapa / Does waipiro have a place in our whakapapa When we first asked rangatahi of Manurewa Marae about Waipiro, their reaction was almost instant—laughter, surprise, maybe even a bit of shock. Talking about alcohol, especially in this space, isn’t the norm. But that’s exactly why […]
South Auckland parents open up about their kids’ mental health
‘Māori and Pasifika parents are freeing themselves from intergenerational trauma toprotect their children’s mental health.’, a community talanoa held by Healthy FamiliesSouth Auckland (HFSA) uncovered during a community wananga centred on whatnecessary family support structures are needed to nurture young peoples’ mentalhealth. HFSA Lead Systems Innovator, Siliva Togatuki said co-designing an approach to tacklemental health […]
AUT and Healthy Families South Auckland collaboration driving systemic change
The collaboration between Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and Healthy Families South Auckland (HFSA) has seen a new wave of students understand the power of systems thinking. Using a systems change approach and design thinking strategies, AUT students from the Design for Sustainability programme have developed ideas and suggested initiatives to strengthen local food resilience, […]
A year in review – Healthy Families South Auckland (Auckland Council)
In 2024, Healthy Families South Auckland continued its journey of fostering community-led health and wellbeing initiatives, but now as part of Auckland Council’s Community Impact Unit. A new chapter In late 2023, as part of a restructure within Auckland Council, HFSA relocated from The Southern Initiative to the Community Impact Unit. The Community Impact Unit […]
Collective Impact for Healthy Families South Auckland
Healthy Families South Auckland recently opened their doors at The Cause Collective to stakeholders for an Open Home showcase. The event brought together key stakeholders, each playing a vital role in the systems that shape the health and wellbeing of our communities, to talanoa shared approaches to address Systems Change. “At Healthy Families South Auckland, […]
“Grow Your Own Garden” Project
Over the course of three months, HFSA Food Systems team delivered a hands-on learning experience to connect Pasifika residents with whenua (land) and integrate Māori and Pasifika indigenous knowledge systems into their gardening practices through the Kainga Ora, “Grow Your Own Garden” program. HFSA met with four community gardeners to share their experiences of being […]
Community and Council connect in Māngere
Healthy Families South Auckland has hosted Auckland Council’s Community Impact Unit at the Cook Island Development Agency New Zealand (CIDANZ) in Māngere this month. The Community Impact Unit is made up of eight teams, including Healthy Families South Auckland, that work with communities across Tāmaki Makaurau to support systems change, innovation, investments, Pasifika, library access, […]
