Whānau Ora
Te Tauraki is the Whānau Ora commissioning agency for Te Waipounamu (South Island) and Wharekauri/Rēkohu (Chatham Islands), operating under a 12-year Outcome Agreement with Te Puni Kōkiri.
We contract and support Whānau Ora service providers to deliver outcomes that matter to whānau and communities.
Every investment decision connects to whānau outcomes. We measure social return, support provider capability, and advance equitable results that create intergenerational impact for whānau and communities.
Our commitment
After a Te Puni Kōkiri tender process in 2024, Te Tauraki was selected as one of four commissioning agencies nationwide. We acknowledge the need for reassurance following that transition. We adopted four core principles:
Continuity – The kaupapa of Whānau Ora remains unchanged despite the agency transition
Legacy – We acknowledge and will build upon the successful work of Te Pūtahitanga and their commitment to Whānau Ora kaupapa, values, and aspirations
Commitment – We are dedicated to enhancing health and wellbeing outcomes for whānau
Capability – Te Tauraki brings established connections, community understanding, data insights, and robust infrastructure to this work
Whiria Te Tuamaka
Our commissioning approach for Whānau Ora is guided by Whiria te Tuamaka, a narrative that draws on the wisdom of our Kāi Tahu tīpuna.
Tuamaka is the name for a type of rope of multiple strands that is woven together. The term whiri is to weave or plait together. While the term whirituamaka literally translates to plait the tuamaka, it was also used to describe the technique used by tīpuna to cross rivers in Te Waipounamu, especially when in flood.
We use this concept to help frame our approach to the whānau navigation process, naming it Whiria te Tuamaka; a call to unite and collectively weave together the tuamaka to support whānau across our region.
Ngā Wai Pupuke
When tīpuna faced rivers in flood, they didn't turn back. Our tīpuna worked collaboratively to strategise and plan their approach to ensure they would all be able to cross safely. This involved creating tūwhana – specific poles made for the crossing – and helping each other reach safe ground. This is the foundation of our approach to the Whānau Ora kaupapa.
This approach is based on the understanding and belief that whānau have their own skills and strengths.
With support, whānau will navigate external challenges; the economic pressures, system failures, and societal obstacles that constitute the flood conditions that can make crossing difficult.
The whirituamaka strategy involved all members of the tira (travelling party), working collaboratively to cross. Based on their strengths and skills, each member had a role. Some would make the tūwhana, some would assess the best place to cross, and some would navigate the current. Others would position themselves at either end of the tūwhana, interlock their arms, use their pōkeka (rain cape) to divert the current and create calmer waters for the whole whānau to cross safely.
The role of Te Tauraki is to work with our providers to support whānau to navigate the crossing using collective action and intertwined strength. We are guided by he pou tāpapa – to provide assistance and reinforcement in challenging situations.
We honour the legacy of those who came before, building on the strong foundation of Whānau Ora while being clear about what we can achieve together in this current context. We focus on the immediate crossing while never losing sight of the longer journey ahead.
Through our commissioning, we work with service providers who understand that collective whānau strength is the solution. Together, we create the conditions where whānau can navigate challenges, drawing on cultural wisdom and collaborative spirit.
Whānau may be experiencing challenges and pressures, but with the right support, the right tools, and the right people standing together, we can work collectively to ensure all members of the whānau are able to navigate their way across this part of their journey.
This is our commitment. This is Whiria te Tuamaka.
Kaitūwhana services
Whiria te Tuamaka is embedded in Whānau Ora service provision with the use of the term kaitūwhana replacing the previous term navigator.
Currently, 26 Whānau Ora service providers deliver 97 Kaitūwhana roles strategically placed across Te Waipounamu to support whānau.
The allocation model, which is guided by Te Puni Kōkiri, accounts for Māori population distribution and multiple indices of social deprivation. It enables Te Tauraki and Whānau Ora service providers to focus their mahi where it will make a significant difference.
Kaitūwhana work alongside whānau to help them identify their goals and navigate pathways in health, housing, education, employment, and wellbeing.
They connect whānau with the services, support, and resources that strengthen their wellbeing and help achieve outcomes that matter to them. They reinforce links to hapū and whenua.
Map: Whānau Ora service providers
Click on the service provider in the left-hand column list to see their details and coverage area. Whānau Ora service providers cover specified areas, which means not all addresses are able to access the services. Please contact the service provider nearest you to find out if you have access.
Funding opportunities
Privacy
When you use Whānau Ora services that Te Tauraki has commissioned, your personal information is collected from that provider. This information includes:
- Your name, date of birth, and contact details
- The goals you are working on (such as health, education, housing) • When you started using our services
- What type of support we are providing
- Whether you are still being supported or have finished
We need this information to provide you with the services we commission. You are of course within your rights to decline to provide information, but this would also mean services would not be available to you.