Working together to uplift whānau: Eastern Bay of Plenty Alliance

Iwi providers across the Eastern Bay of Plenty are collaborating to shift communities from surviving to thriving, building resilience, hope and pathways for the future.

Difficult for whānau to move beyond survival  

Iwi providers Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau Hauora,Tūhoe Hauora, Te Tohu Ora o Ngāti Awa, and Te Pou Oranga o Whakatōhea work together to collectively deliver Whānau Resilience which includes monthly hui to continually strengthen collaboration. 

They state, "A recurring trend within our service is the need for more intensive and sustained support for whānau. Whānau Resilience has identified the significant and ongoing impacts of historic trauma, which continue to affect wellbeing, relationships, and daily functioning."

Across the Alliance, providers consistently report that many whānau require more intensive and sustained support to address complex and interconnected challenges. A common theme is the enduring impact of historical and intergenerational trauma, which continues to affect wellbeing, relationships, parenting, and everyday functioning.

The complexity of these needs is also evident in the experiences of the Alliance providers. Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngāti Awa reports that "48% of our clients are facing substance use," highlighting the prevalence of addiction-related challenges among the whānau they support. Similarly, Tūhoe notes that "52% of the whānau we work with require more intensive support. These challenges often compound one another, making it difficult for whānau to move beyond day-to-day survival."

Despite the significant challenges many whānau face, providers also describe remarkable resilience and a desire for healing. As Tūhoe observes, "This quarter, unresolved hurt from childhood experiences continues to flow through toward adulthood. Our whānau [are] still in survival mode, trying their best to navigate parenting. Yet even within this disruption, there are signs of hope, and eagerness to learn, or remember what was passed down by their kuia and koroua."

Change happens when whānau feel heard

Together these providers are delivering a whānau-centred approach that recognises healing takes time and that sustainable change happens when support is culturally grounded, relationship-based, and combines practical support with long-term resilience.

They discuss, "Whānau respond positively when support is consistent, relationship-based, and culturally open. Strong engagement is often seen when services work collaboratively and when whānau feel heard, respected, and involved in decision making."

They also highlight the importance of cultural connection. "Whānau are reconnecting with whakapapa, participating in rongoā Māori and healing wānanga, strengthening identity and belonging, and drawing on the wisdom of their tūpuna to guide positive change."

An example of this is Tūwharetoa's programme, Mahi Turuki, that combines cultural reconnection, wellbeing, practical home maintenance skills, māra kai development and goal setting. The programme has become increasingly popular, with many participants self-referring after hearing about it through social media or recommendations from previous graduates.

Building resilience, hope and pathways for the future

Through this approach, the Alliance reports the strengths we’ve seen include building resilience, stronger whānau connections, increasing engagement with services, developing safety plans and meaningful goals, strengthening communication skills and reconnecting with positive support networks. Many are showing improved emotional regulation, greater confidence, and a stronger sense of hope or direction for the future.

One wahine supported by Te Tohu Ora o Ngāti Awa entered the service feeling overwhelmed following the breakdown of a controlling relationship. She was managing significant trauma, financial stress and the challenges of supporting her daughter through an Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment. Through Whānau Resilience support, she engaged in Kaupapa Māori counselling, strengthened family boundaries, secured stable housing, improved her financial literacy and increased her confidence advocating for herself and her daughter. By the time she exited the service, she was well connected to ongoing supports and equipped to continue her journey independently.

At Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau Hauora, 14 tauira graduated from Mahi Turuki this quarter, which represented more than 'programme completion' - it celebrated commitment to positive change for themselves and their whānau. Graduates received practical toolkits to support independence at home and gained skills to strengthen their future wellbeing. Beyond graduation, two participants secured full-time employment, one moved into full-time study, one progressed into employment-focused training and two achieved stable accommodation.

Tūwharetoa shared, "29% of participations were tāne and encouragingly, two of the tāne engaged this quarter were graduates of our Tū Tāne Toa programme (contracted through Te Huringa ō Te Ao), demonstrating the value of providing clear pathways for men to continue their journey of personal growth and positive behaviour change."

Together, these stories demonstrate how Whānau Resilience goes beyond overcoming immediate challenges and keeps going to create lasting change. The Eastern Bay Alliance is helping shift communities from surviving to thriving, one whānau at a time. 

A range of photos showing whānau participating in Mahi Turuki, an innovative programme combining cultural connection, practical skills, māra kai, family violence education and wellbeing.