Tuia Waitākere

12/06/2026

Are you working with tamariki and rangatahi in West Auckland and have a kaupapa (or a dream/idea of one) that would help get the community moving and connected?

✨The Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa Funding applications will be opening soon - stay tuned to our socials so you don’t miss out, or head to our website to read more!

➡️ https://www.tuiawaitakere.org.nz/tu-manawa

10/06/2026

This week, Tuia Waitākere’s HAL (Healthy Active Learning) team held their second wānanga of the year for Kaiako (teachers) in West Auckland. ❤️

The session focus was centred on adapting games and activities so they can be accessible for all tamariki. Kaiako also had a go at using a resource that helps to integrate physical activity into their numeracy teaching. 🎲🧩 There was a lot of fun, laughter, and a hands on approach to learning the games and the different ways these could be enjoyed and where teachers can look for further support including the awesome Coachmate App created by Halberg Foundation ✨

We were lucky enough to be joined by Hannah from Bowls Auckland who introduced us to Rookie Rollers, a fun and inclusive way to introduce Tamariki to the game of bowls. 🤹🏻

It was an awesome afternoon of kōrero, learning and connection, and we can’t wait for the next wānanga in Term 3!! 🤩🤩

08/06/2026

💬 Although we didn’t take home the Jim Maniapoto Memorial Taonga Award, even being named finalists at the 2026 Sport New Zealand Sport and Recreation Awards for our Active Whakapapa project is something that means so much to us. ❤️

This kaupapa has been eight years in the making with Te Kawerau ā Maki, built on trust, partnership, and our shared belief in better outcomes for iwi and their community.

A huge congratulations to the winners, and a massive mihi to our fellow finalists, you’ve done some amazing work and its a privilege to stand alongside you. 🏆

💬 If you want to learn more about Active Whakapapa:
➡️ https://activewhakapapa.co.nz

Today is about taking a moment to celebrate the space we’re in, appreciate the journey so far, and looking forward to seeing where Te Kawerau ā Maki take this special kaupapa next.

Healthy Families Waitākere Healthy Families NZ

08/06/2026

As part of our celebrations for Gagana Samoa during Samoan Language Week, we spoke with faiaoga (teachers) Toipua and Ete from Te Kura o Pātiki- Rosebank School, Avondale about this year's theme, "E afua mai i mauga tetele, manuia o le nu'u - From the high mountains are the blessings of the village."

➡️ They shared what this powerful theme means to them, their students, and their wider school community, which you can read/watch more about here: https://www.tuiawaitakere.org.nz/news/Samoan-Language-Week

📸💬 Huge shoutout to the massively talented Aferetipoiphotography for helping out with the translation and editing of this video!

04/06/2026

A huge fa’afetai to our very own Pelenatino for leading an inspiring internal Professional Development session for Tuia Waitakere during Samoan Language Week. 🇼🇸

Pelenatino shared his knowledge, culture, and lived experience with our kaimahi, helping us deepen our understanding and appreciation of Gagana Samoa and Fa’a Samoa.

This year’s theme, “‘E afua mai i mauga tetele manuia o le ‘nu’u – From the high mountains are the blessings of the village,” reminds us that strong foundations, wisdom, and leadership nurture the success and wellbeing of our communities. Through his guidance and generosity, Pelenatino embodied this message, enriching our collective learning and strengthening our village. 💙

04/06/2026

E afua mai I mauga tetele manuia o le ‘nu’u – From the high mountains are the blessings of the village.

For this year’s Samoan Language Week we visited tamaiti at Te Kura o Pātiki Rosebank Primary School, who for over two decades now, have had a Samoan bilingual high emersion stream for students to learn in.

Starting with just one classroom, the bilingual learners now fill four classrooms, and are excelling in every way. We chatted with a few of the students and asked them about what they loved about Samoa and Samoan Language Week!

02/06/2026

For Tuia Waitakere, we’re always seeking ways to upskill ourselves and learn from those with lived experience so that our kaimahi can better serve the community of West Auckland. Last week, we were lucky enough to be joined by our friends from Tapasā - Navigating the Future for a Professional Development session, where we discussed how to strengthen our engagement with pacific communities as individual kaimahi. 🤎

For the next couple of months, we'll be doing more sessions with Tapasā - who do incredible mahi in strengthening cultural identity, driving meaningful systems change and empowering Tagata Moana communities. 🌸🏝️

Not only was our first session filled with laughter, connection and talanoa (open dialogue), it came at the perfect time to welcome in Samoan Language Week. Manuia le vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa!

We can’t wait to share more of Tuia’s celebrations throughout the week!

29/05/2026

At Tuia Waitākere, we love supporting rangatahi while they navigate the transition from study to mahi - and try to provide opportunities for them to build a deeper understanding of community work.

For the past few months, we have been fortunate to have University of Auckland Population Health student Jana join us for her placement while completing her BSc.

During her time with us, Jana has supported the development of a case study on one of our Geographical Priority Communities - Rānui. Her contribution has helped capture the story, insights, and impact of this important mahi. 📊📈

Jana left us with this lovely message:
💬 “Thank you so much Tuia Waitākere whānau for being such an amazing group of leaders, making everyone feel special, and I’ll carry all of my learnings with me moving forward. I definitely felt the aroha during my time in the office, and I feel lucky to have had my placement here with you guys.
Ngā mihi nui, Jana Aulona” 💬

Thank you, Jana. We have loved having you as part of the Tuia whānau and wish you all the very best for the future. 💚

25/05/2026

A big Tuia Waitakere welcome to Choiwee Moon, who joins our Healthy Active Learning team as maternity leave cover through to early 2027.

It was special morning for us, bringing in Choiwee to our whare and our whanau through a mihi whakatau, wrapping her in the mana and support of our team from the the first moment.

Choiwee joins us from Tauranga, bringing education expertise and a passion for young people. We’re looking forward to the energy and expertise she will bring not only to our mahi, but also to our West Auckland schools.

Nau mai, haere mai Choiwee, great to have you with us 🙌

24/05/2026

Tuia Waitākere in the news!

Humbled to see our Wayfinding Leadership kaupapa being featured in this month’s Matavai newsletter from the Ministry of Education NZ, sharing stories and insights with Pacific families and caregivers across Aotearoa 🙌

This mahi sits at the heart of why we do what we do. Built around the concept of the vaka, these sessions give tamaiti space to reflect on who they are, where they come from, and the people who guide them through their journey. It is about identity, connection, and leadership in its truest sense.

Driven through our Healthy Families Waitākere team, we're really proud to be delivering this Wayfinding Leadership series at Te Kura o Pātiki- Rosebank School, in Avondale, grounded in Pacific Indigenous knowledge and shaped by the incredible knowledge of Dr Chellie Spiller and Hoturoa Barclay Kerr.... and we love that the kids are taking their excitement home!

Read more below 👇
https://mailchi.mp/education/matavai-22-may-2026-17449690

Healthy Families NZ

Talofa lava  Welcome to the thirteenth issue of Matavai. As term two progresses and the winter chill sets in, we hope you and your families are staying warm, safe and healthy. In this issue, we share important information on how you can protect your families against serious flu infections. We als...