Whānau Resilience Symposium

Whānau Resilience providers regularly come together locally and nationally to network, share experiences, build capability, and strengthen how they support whānau.

Since 2023, providers have been leading their own annual symposium. Having providers stand up, coordinate themselves, choose to come together and share what is working for their whānau, tells us that Whānau Resilience is now a community owned and led kaupapa.

2025 Symposium in Auckland — a violence-free future

The 2025 Whānau Resilience Symposium, themed “Hapori Whirikoka: He anamata taikaha-kore – Communities of Strength: Towards a Violence-Free Future,” was held on 16–17 October 2025 at Te Mahurehure Cultural Marae in Point Chevalier, Tāmaki Makaurau.

Hosted by the Te Aho Tāhuhu provider collective, the symposium brought together community leaders, Whānau Resilience providers, and whānau to share knowledge, resources, and lived experience.The programme included keynote speakers, panels, and interactive workshops showcasing culturally grounded, whānau-centred approaches to prevention, intervention, and healing from family violence. Stories of resilience and innovation highlighted best practice, fostered collaboration, and inspired continued improvement in building safe, supportive communities.

Attendees described the symposium as powerful, uplifting, and thought-provoking. A key takeaway was a strengthened understanding of trauma-informed practice, emphasising transformation, self-care, reflection, and meeting whānau where they are. Wellbeing and reflective practice were reinforced as essential for sustainable, effective mahi, alongside empathy, belief in whānau potential, and holding hope—recognising that healing and wisdom exist within individuals and their whānau.

Hearing directly from whānau was consistently identified as the most meaningful aspect, reinforcing why this mahi matters. The inclusion of Māori, Pacific, and Pākehā perspectives deepened understanding of whānau resilience and reflected the value of a braided rivers approach. Networking and shared learning further strengthened connection, unity, and collective growth across providers.

At the close of the symposium, providers committed to continuing annual gatherings. James Kauri accepted the whakahuia to host the 2026 symposium on behalf of Maataa Waka in Blenheim.

Survey showed 83% rated the symposium as excellent

To keep testing and learning, we conducted a survey after of the 2025 Whānau Resilience Symposium. 94 practitioners completed the survey and the results showed:   

• 83% rated the symposium as excellent 
• 96% agreed the content was relevant 
• 77% rated the presenters and facilitators as excellent 

Some quotes from attendees shared were: 

• “It’s heart work, not just head work”  
• “Look after yourself to upgrade your practice” 

See the full results here:

2024 Symposium in New Plymouth: Resiliency, Healing, and Resistance

The second Whānau Resilience Symposium was held in New Plymouth between May 9-10. The theme of the symposium was “resiliency, healing, and resistance”. The symposium was hosted in Waitara by Tū Tama Wahine ō Taranaki on behalf of the Marutau Collective.

The symposium provided an opportunity for providers across the motu to come together to continue the momentum from the 2023 Whānau Resilience National Symposium. This included sharing experiences and service concepts, learning about trends within service delivery and discussing the future vision and ongoing aspirations for Whānau Resilience services.

Presentations at the symposium focused on empowering and supporting whānau in ways which acknowledged their unique journeys and experiences. Some notable presentations included:

• Professor Leonie Pihama speaking to some of the key findings in the He Waka Eke Noa (Māori Cultural Frameworks for Violence Prevention and Intervention) report
• Meretini Bennett-Huxtable and Cheyenne Potaka-Osborne discussing their research using Mātauranga Māori, specifically the Maramataka, to inform preventation supports
• Kelly Jarvis from Te Wakahuia Manawatu Trust sharing with us about her nature based well-being programme for kōhine aged 10-16 years
• Marjorie Lipsham sharing the launch of the Āta Practice Guide for Kaimahi and Whānau by Marjorie Lipsham
• Jamie Downes and his whānau talking about leadership in their community and support provided to at risk whānau through an outdoor nature-based wellbeing programme called The Manu Movement.
• For dinner, conference participants were graciously hosted at Owae Marae where they listened to Dr Luke Rowe speak.

Image: Rev. ‘Ifalame Teisi from Taulanga U alongside the Auckland providers, offering a taonga to the Marutau Collective to thank them for hosting this year’s symposium.

Whānau Resilience providers shared their commitment to continuing with annual symposiums. At the end of the symposium, providers from the Auckland region offered to represent the hosting of the Whānau Resilience Symposium next year.

It was inspiring to see providers connecting, sharing, and coordinating with each other in a space where they can come together and talk about their experiences working with whānau.

Image: Left to right: Edwina James (Manager Family and Community Services, MSD), Laura Olsen (Team Leader Family Violence Services, MSD), Awhina Cameron (Chief Executive, Tū Tama Wāhine o Taranaki), Gloria Campbell (Regional Public Service Commissioner Taranaki, MSD)

2023 Inaugural Whānau Resilience Symposium in Northland

On 24 and 25 May 2023, the inaugural Whānau Resilience Symposium was held at the Copthorne Hotel in Waitangi. The theme of the Symposium was “Resilience through unity, unity through knowledge”. The event was attended by representatives from around 40 organisations, and MSD had representatives invited to attend over the two days.

This Symposium was initiated by the Brown Table, a collective of Whānau Resilience providers in Northland. They wanted the opportunity to hear from other providers across the motu about their Whānau Resilience journey and to hear about the different service concepts that had been codesigned. The Symposium celebrated the journey they have been on together, but also provided an opportunity to inspire and be inspired by each other.

The Symposium was a celebration of the Whānau Resilience journey. The service concepts that providers have designed are incredibly unique, relevant and inspirational and could not have been developed if MSD were leading this design process.

Conference delegates were graciously welcomed by our hosts and Ngāpuhi representatives with a pōwhiri.  Whānau Resilience providers presented about their organisations and their service concepts.  We heard presentations from:  The Brown Table Collective, Ministry of Social Development, The Fono, Te Whānau o te Maungarongo, Whitianga Community Services, Taulanga Ū Youth & Family Social Services, Te Whakaruruhau o Tauranga Moana and an inspiring keynote from Far North Mayor, Moko Tepania. A highlight was the immersive tour of the Treaty of Waitangi grounds.

The Whānau Resilience providers have shared their commitment to continuing with communities of practice through annual symposiums. The Whānau Resilience collective Marutau, made up of kaupapa Māori providers from central region have taken on that challenge and offered a koha to the inaugural hosts, to represent the hosting of the Whānau Resilience Symposium next year.

Image: Whānau Resilience Symposium in action.