Paiheretia Te Muka Tāngata - a whānau ora approach
In a report by the Office of the Auditor-General on the whānau ora centred approach, Te Puni Kōkiri (TPK) highlighted that Corrections’ Paiheretia Te Muka Tangata should be adopted by other agencies, for its use of a whānau ora approach in its design and delivery. The programme is delivered in Te Tai Tokerau and Hawke’s Bay in both prisons and in the community as part of Māori Pathways.
Paiheretia Te Muka Tāngata is a cross-agency initiative between Te Puni Kōkiri, Corrections, and the Ministry of Social Development, in partnership with Māori organisations. Its purpose is to establish a Kaiarataki Navigator workforce to work directly with people we manage, as well as their whānau, at all stages of their journey through the Justice system. The initiative was co-designed with people we manage in prison and in the community, their whānau, local iwi and Māori service providers, and assists Māori men with goal setting and accessing rehabilitation and reintegration services.
“The engagement of Te Puni Kōkiri has allowed us to not only support the providers but to further develop relationships with iwi, hapū and whānau,” says Principal Case Manager Te Tai Tokerau Pathway Aroha Carroll. “These are the relationships that we as Māori naturally gravitate toward - whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, wairuatanga and rangatiratanga.”
Ngāti Hine Health Trust, Waitomo Papakāinga, Te Hauora o Ngāpuhi and Te Hā Oranga o Ngāti Whātua deliver Paiheretia Te Muka Tāngata in Te Tai Tokerau.
We share a Te Tai Tokerau case study.
Case study one – Waitomo Papakāinga
A young man was referred to the provider through the Paiheretia te Muka Tāngata programme. Waitomo Papakāinga supported him in Court and helped provide him with accommodation. “The best moment was when his father-in-law picked him up with his children. The tears in their eyes was so touching,” said a staff member who witnessed the whānau reunion. Through Waitomo Papakāinga, the young man attended the Tāne Te Waiora programme and was referred to Hope House to support him with his rehabilitation.
Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi supported a Whangārei whānau to connect with their loved one at NRCF by setting up a special whānau visit. Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi staff also visited the whānau to ensure they had some financial support.
When talking about the provider’s support, one of the whānau said, “They had an understanding of how I was feeling emotionally, understood the processes on the ‘other side of the fence’ (prison), understood the desperation and need to reconnect and were making things happen. They explained their mahi, their goal to my whānau and they proved how genuine they are by putting action to their words. Unfortunately, this is common for some families who are not familiar with the corrections system. So you can only imagine how elated I felt (and still feel).”
Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi also provided clothing and shoes for the tamariki, petrol vouchers for the visits and have undertaken to check on the welfare of the man while he is in NRCF.
In Hawke’s Bay the providers are Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, Te Ikaroa Rangatahi Social Services, Kahungunu Health Services, Roopu A Iwi Trust, Te Kupenga Hauora Ahuriri, Te Whare Maire o Tapuwae Charitable Trust and Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga.
Due to the success of the programme, contracts to deliver Paiheretia Te Muka Tāngata in Te Tai Tokerau have been extended until June 2025.