From L-R Lisa Woolley (CE, Visionwest); Hon. Marama Davidson (Associate Minister of Housing – Homelessness), Haehaetu Barrett (CE, Lifewise), and Tepora Apirana (HF Lifewise Regional Manager - Bay of Plenty)

Photo by .

Housing First Auckland Collective’s Māori-led strategy, Maiea, Tāiki E!

Lifewise — September 13th, 2023

Housing First Collective, celebrates the launch of their very own Māori-led strategy on the 1st of September at Visionwest.

Housing First Auckland Collective (HFAC) which is made up of organisations from Tamaki Makaurau that work together to end homelessness: Auckland City Mission, Lifewise, LinkPeople, Visionwest, and the Wise Group proudly launched Maiea, Tāike E!, on Friday, 1st of September. The event was hosted by Visionwest and attended by the different team leaders, funders, Kāupapa Māori leaders, peer support workers, kaimahi and whānau from across the collective. Hon. Marama Davidson, Associate Minister of Housing (Homelessness) was there too to speak at the launch.

A Te Ao Māori approach was adopted to put together Maiea, Tāiki E! HFAC acted as one in co-creating the said framework, led by the HFAC Backbone, facilitated wānanga, hui, kanohi ki te kanohi interviews with lived experience whānau and wide korero to ensure that the strategy encapsulated the diversity of ideas across the collective.

Maiea, Tāiki E! is a name gifted to our Māori-led strategy by Matua Fred Astle (in photo). We are honoured to embrace this gift and draw on the inspiration and energy of a ‘second breath’ for our work ahead. — Image by: .

In the data from HFAC (since its launch in March 2017 to May 2023), 54% of whānau accessing the Housing First service are whānau Māori. This led them to realise that the over-representation of whānau Māori require a whānau Māori-led approach in ensuring that wrap around support services offered to whānau Māori supports their journey towards whānau whakapuāwai: to flourish.

Maiea, Tāike E! is a name gifted by Matua Fred Astle, and which captures the function and responsibility of our HF team to take that ‘second breath’ and embrace the mahi that is to come to achieve the collective's shared determination, all from this very strategy that was nurtured from the very core of our service. This indeed marks the opening of a new chapter for the HFAC as the whole team embrace the challenge of ensuring that the essence of the strategy is fulfilled as soon as they left the venue.

One of our flourishing whānau Māori, Richard Turipa has inspired many of the design elements of the book. — Image by: .

Haehaetu Barrett, Lifewise CE summarised the significance of having a unified Māori strategy across the collective: “Whakawhanaunga - coming together which is essential for survival; Kotahitanga - is the only way that the platform will happen - one voice, one movement; Kaitiakitanga - keeping each other safe” as she promises Māori whānau that “we will stand with you, beside, you, behind you, in front of you if we need to.. but we are here.”

View the e-book from this link: https://www.housingfirst.co.nz/our-mahi/maiea-taiki-e/ Artwork was designed by Richard Turipa, one of our flourishing whānau Māori.