Whānau Whānui is a rōpū of rural Māori health kaimahi who are passionate about providing a support framework for their peers in striving to improve health outcomes for rural Māori whānau across Aotearoa.
As part of the Hauora Taiwhenua Council, we will identify issues that are strategically important as Māori working in rural health, and work with Council and Board to find solutions for those issues. Our kaupapa is firmly grounded in hauora Māori and acknowledges the unique place of Māori as Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa.
We also stand ready to work alongside all Chapters of Hauora Taiwhenua to help strengthen their relationships with iwi, hapū and whānau and support their understanding of issues that are impacting on Māori health outcomes.
We will support all members be culturally safe in their work with tangata whenua, and support the Tikanga Guide that was recently developed in partnership with Te Rōpū Ārahi.
Tania Kemp (Gregory-Hunt) – Nga Mahanga o Ngati Tairi, Taranaki
Whainga: Grow the Māori rural nursing workforce, influence change to benefit our whanau wellbeing
I have been a member of the RGPN organization since 2009. In 2012 my colleague Sharon Hansen encouraged me to stand for a position on the board as the Sth Island representative. After which I was a board member for 6 years. I left the board in 2018, only because I had been appointed to the Nursing Council of New Zealand and was struggling with the time commitments. When I resigned from Nursing Council in February this year – I was asked to re-join Te Rōpu Arahi through the transition phase from NZRGPN to the new entity of Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network. I willingly agreed!
In some ways it felt like coming back into the fold of ode friends, however despite there being many familiar faces, the organization structure and size had changed significantly. Once I understood the structure and intentions of the organization, I found my feet again.
I am excited to see the union of so many of our rural colleagues in this new entity. Rural Midwives and Allied health colleagues that we have worked along side for many years, and watched the same struggles for them, all coming together to strengthen the voice for rural health, can only benefit both provider and community.
I am though MOST delighted to see Māori have a voice and a space in Hauora Taiwhenua. This allows room for Māori and whanau to engage with each other and share their experiences of rural health from whatever perspective they come. We are finally seeing a change from the Ministry, that has Māori in positions and places (MHA) that influences, from the very top, the delivery of health services for Māori- and that WILL change health outcomes through mana motuhake and tino rangatirotanga
I look forward to being a part of an organisation that actively engages a Te Tiriti Partnership approach to all the mahi it does at all levels, Ministry through to individual Rural Practitioners and Hapori Whanui.
Whanau Whanui will be a whanau within this organization, and we will grow to support the Kaupapa of Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network.
