Image: Cabinet Minister Hon. Tama Potaka, Tumu Whakarae of Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board Brandi Hudson and Jaye Wainui, Tumu Whakarae of Tamariki Tū Tamariki Ora
Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board and Tamariki Tū Tamariki Ora have joined forces to strengthen the voices of whānau, achieve greater efficiencies while ensuring their lived experiences help shape future health and social services across the Waikato.
The collaboration will see Whānau Voice surveying by Te Tiratū integrated into the existing engagement Tamariki Tū Tamariki Ora and Rangitāmiro Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency has with whānau.
It will enable their feedback to be gathered naturally through everyday interactions with navigators and frontline kaimahi rather than through separate surveys to avoid fatigue.
Te Tiratū Tumu Whakarae Brandi Hudson said this move reflects a shared commitment to putting whānau at the centre of the service and remove silos.
“Our collaboration makes better sense. It’s about listening to whānau in ways that are respectful and meaningful. By working together, we can hear directly from whānau through the trusted relationships already in place and use those insights to advocate for better outcomes.”
Te Tiratū is working alongside Tamariki Tū Tamariki Ora to develop a streamlined approach that fits naturally within existing services and avoids placing additional demands on whānau. Hudson said she was impressed by the organisation’s integrated model of care after attending the recent launch of its new identity.
“You could see the pride and passion of the kaimahi in the room and their commitment to the whānau they serve. It’s a kaupapa with a thirty year whakapapa and deep roots with a clear vision for prevention and long-term wellbeing We’re looking forward to working together to ensure whānau voices are heard and acted on.”
Tamariki Tū Tamariki Ora supports more than 4,000 tamariki and whānau each year across Hamilton and the wider Waikato through an integrated network of housing, child protection, justice, disability, family violence and Whānau Ora services.
The partnership reflects a shared belief that better outcomes are achieved when services are informed by the voices and experiences of whānau themselves.
Chief Executive Jaye Wainui said the partnership reinforces the organisation’s commitment to designing services around whānau rather than organisational boundaries.
Together, the two organisations believe that by uniting, they demonstrate how Māori-led organisations can combine their strengths to create more connected, evidence-informed services that place whānau aspirations at the heart of decision-making.