Rangatahi Mental Wellbeing
Healthy Families Rotorua is exploring ways to better understand how to support the mental health and wellbeing of rangatahi Māori. Practice & Development Lead Pirihira Whata is in the early stages of a new kaupapa focused on mental wellness, working alongside an ecosystem of local organisations and experts committed to rangatahi wellbeing. “We know that […]
Referrals to quit services on de
The latest regional Smokefree Coalition hui, hosted by Ngā Uru Kahika (Waiariki rohe), brought together representatives from Eastern and Western Bays, Tairāwhiti, and Rotorua to discuss progress and challenges in tobacco control. A key concern emerging from the hui was the significant decline in referrals to quit smoking services, with coalition members identifying several contributing […]
Sound of smokefree future
Healthy Families Rotorua is leading a smoking and vaping cessation kaupapa, using the koauau (traditional Māori wind instrument) as a central tool. The koauau-based smoking and vaping cessation prototype combines mātauranga Māori, pūrakau, maramataka, and tikanga-based practices to create a holistic approach to improving respiratory health. Integrating hands-on learning with taonga pūoro, this innovative model […]
BMX Tracks for Horohoro
Providing tamariki with a safe and inclusive space for BMX riding is one of the driving forces behind the Horohoro School BMX Track initiative. The initiative involves the installation of an asphalt pump track and perimeter track on the school grounds. These tracks will provide safe and accessible spaces for students and community members to […]
Saving Seeds, Growing Futures
Iti noa, he pito mataA small seed can sustain many. This whakataukī refers to replanting a small amount of uncooked kumara to produce many more. It speaks to the relationship between people and whenua (land). The final Nau Mai e Ngā Hua workshop focused on seed saving, a key practice in building self-sustaining gardens and […]
Trip along State Highway 35
Healthy Families Rotorua with the Te Raukumara Pae Maunga Team based in Te Kaha.
Year of Growth & Development
A year of growth and development has been the driving force for Healthy Families Rotorua. Manager Jenny Kaka-Scott says that by taking a broad, aerial view of the local prevention system, the team has improved its systems thinking approach and deepened its understanding of social issues. “We’ve explored multiple solutions and are now better at […]
Vaping perspectives revealed
Findings from a photovoice exercise reveal how vaping is perceived within Rotorua and highlight the transformative potential of involving communities in health and systems change. Ngā Uru Kahika, a coalition of organisations dedicated to reducing smoking harm, employed this action research method to capture community perspectives through visual storytelling. Healthy Families Rotorua systems innovator, Teteira […]
Our Kai Māori Legacy
Healthy Families Rotorua was thrilled to co-facilitate the Rongoā Waitawhara: E Kai! wānanga this month, bringing together whānau and community members for a hands-on experience in integrating rongoā Māori and traditional Māori cooking. Led by chef Joe McLeod and his dedicated team from E Kai Māori, the three-day wānanga at Kearoa Marae focused on revitalising […]
Growing with Byron
Popular social media influencer Byron Austin visited Rotorua recently to explore exciting opportunities for a new food forest in collaboration with Healthy Families Rotorua. This kaupapa aims to enhance community health and well-being through sustainable food practices. Byron, who creates content under the pseudonym Byron Grows, previously assisted Kaharoa School in creating a mini food […]
