Working to promote Pacific health and wellbeing
Bula Vinaka, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Fakatalofa atu, Kia orana, Mālō e lelei, Mālō nī, Talofa lava and warm Pacific greetings.
There are about 14,000 Pacific people living in the Community and Public Health region (Canterbury, South Canterbury and the West Coast). This includes Pacific nations such as Samoa, the Cook Islands, Tonga, Niue, Fiji, Tokelau and Tuvalu.
Pacific communities are built around the churches and ethnic groups that play an important part in community life. Many Pacific people have barriers around accessing health information and health services. This is due to many issues such as language, health literacy, transport and finances.
Our Pacific Health Promoter strives to work across the areas of health and its social determinants that affect Pacific communities, especially financial concerns, smoking and housing issues. This includes acting as a link between the health system and Pacific ethnic communities.
- Download an infographic on factors affecting the health of Pacific people in Canterbury (Canterbury DHB Planning and Funding 2017).
Some examples of how Community and Public Health works with the Pacific community include:
- Building awareness in Pacific communities to identify and respond to issues that affect their health.
- Co-ordinating community health education seminars and programmes on identified issues.
- Providing advice and culturally-appropriate information on issues that affect the health of local Pacific ethnic communities – in partnership with Pasifika health providers and Pegasus Health.
- Acting as a point of reference for health agencies wishing to communicate with different Pacific communities.
- Raising awareness for health professionals on Pacific cultural needs and perspectives.
- Ongoing networking and consultation with the Pacific ethnic communities.
- Working with local Pacific agencies and interagency groups such as Canterbury Pasifika Churches Network and the Christchurch City Council Multicultural Advisory Group.
- Working collaboratively on relevant health issues with Pacific health organisations, the Pacific Caucus and the Integrated Respiratory Service Development Group (part of the Canterbury Clinical Network).
Community and Public Health also has a working group called Senibua that supports staff to implement effective action to improve Pacific health outcomes and reduce Pacific health inequities. This includes promoting Pacific Language Weeks during the year.
2021 Toloa Tertiary Scholarships aim to increase Pacific participation in STEM
Beehive media release: 14th September 2020
The Toloa Programme encourages Pacific young people to explore STEM studies in response to the beckoning call from the science and technology focused sector of the New Zealand economy. The programme is a key component in building their awareness and confidence to be leaders in the high-tech sectors of Aotearoa and the world,” says the Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio.
“These tertiary scholarships are administrated by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP), and are part of MPP’s overall Toloa programme where we are supporting Pacific communities and providers to deliver targeted Pacific programmes and workshops to increase interest and encourage greater participation in STEM subjects right across Pacific communities, including at the ECE, primary, intermediate and secondary school levels.
“Pacific people making up only 2 percent of the Pacific workforce involved in STEM careers. The Government recognises the need to have more Pacific people in these fields so that they too can have security and confidence in the future of work.
“Anyone that’s doing forecasting on the future of work will tell you that technology and automation will have a huge impact on existing jobs, and we’ve got to work fast to ensure that we increase the number of graduates exiting with STEM related qualifications to respond to the growing demand from the Tech Industry.
The Toloa Tertiary Scholarships cover tuition and compulsory fees up to $10,000 to eligible Pacific applicants majoring in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subject.
- Find out more about the Toloa Tertiary Scholarships from the Ministry for Pacific Peoples. Applications close on Friday 23rd October 2020.
Documents
- Tau Amanaki Onoono Ki Mua – Pacific peoples’ youth substance use (Health Promotion Agency 2020).
- Taeao Malama – Alcohol use among Pacific peoples (Health Promotion Agency 2020).
- Action plan for Pacific Education 2020-2030: Supporting research and community voice (Ministry of Education 2020).
- Ola Manuia: Pacific Health and Wellbeing Action Plan 2020–2025 (Ministry of Health 2020).
- ʹAla Moʹui Progress Report – Pacific Health Care Utilisation (Ministry of Health 2018).
- ʹAla Moʹui Progress Report – Pacific Child Health (Ministry of Health 2018).
- Pacific Aotearoa Lalanga Fou (Ministry for Pacific Peoples 2018).
- Te Kaveinga – Mental health and wellbeing of Pacific peoples (Health Promotion Agency 2018).
- Faiva Ora 2016–2021 National Pasifika Disability Plan (Ministry of Health 2017).
- Contemporary Pacific Status Report: A Snapshot of Pacific peoples in New Zealand (Ministry for Pacific Peoples 2016).
- Youth’12 The Health and Wellbeing of Secondary School Students in New Zealand: Results for Pacific young people (University of Auckland 2016).
- Family connectedness and substance use among Pacific youth (Health Promotion Agency 2014).
- Ala Mo’ui: Pathways to Pacific Health and Wellbeing 2014-2018 (Ministry of Health 2014).
- The Health of Pacific Adults and Children (Ministry of Health 2013).
- Tupu Ola Moui: Pacific Health Chart Book 2012 (Ministry of Health 2012).
- A Focus on Pacific Nutrition: Findings from the 2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey (Ministry of Health 2012).
- Health and Pacific Peoples in New Zealand (Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and Statistics NZ 2011).
- Sport and Recreation in New Zealand Pasifika Communities (Victoria University of Wellington 2010).
- Tuatua Tika: Straight talk about Pacific Peoples and Smoking (Tala Pasifika 2010).
- Pearls Unlimited: Pacific Peoples and Alcohol (ALAC 2009).
- Pacific Youth Health (Ministry of Health 2008).
- Pacific Peoples and Mental Health (Ministry of Health 2008).
Downloads
Download or order resources from the Community Health Information Centre. Some resources are available in several Pacific languages.
- B4 School Check: Turning 4? – Samoan
- Breastfeeding Your Baby – Samoan
- Cervical Screening: What Pacific Women Need to Know
- Meningococcal Disease: Know the Symptoms – Samoan
The Ministry of Health is no longer providing printed copies of some resources in Pacific languages.
Download and print Ministry of Health resources by Pacific language (HealthEd).
Links
- All Right?
- Ministry of Health
- Pacific Futures
- Le Va
- Tapuaki – for Pacific parents
- Ministry for Pacific Peoples
For further information, contact:
Losana Korovulavula
Ph: +64 3 364 1777 or +64 21 794 701
Fax: +64 3 379 6125
Pacific health providers and services
Pacific Alcohol and Drug Helpline
0800 787 799
CANTERBURY
Pegasus Health
Ph: +64 3 379 1739
Etu Pasifika Health Clinic
Ph: +64 3 365 1002
Tangata Atumotu Trust
Ph: +64 3 940 5692
Vaka Tautua – Disability Information Advisory Services
Ph: +64 3 376 4677 or 0800 825 282
SOUTH CANTERBURY
Fale Pasifika O Aoraki
Ph: +64 3 687 7585
Pacifically Speaking from All Right?
This resource was specifically designed for Pacific fanau with primary school children. It is made up of two sets of cards:
- the Pacifically Fun Stuff set describes a variety of activities for families to do together; and
- the Pacifically Speaking set is made up conversation starters.
- Order Pacifically Speaking or other resources from the Community Health Information Centre.
- Find out about other Pacific wellbeing projects from the All Right? campaign.
O Luga o le Motu App launched
The Tino e Tasi Preschool in Christchurch, has broken barriers with the launch of a Samoan Language App produced in-house and with the direct participation of its own pre-schoolers!
Zohar Marshall of Tino e Tasi says the O Luga o le Motu App was produced by asking the three to four year-olds at the pre-school to draw a picture of a game they like to play on a tablet or phone at home.
The idea behind the App was to make learning a game and something the tamaiti would relate to. “The kids were at the centre of the project from the very start and it’s their ideas that drove it. It is interactive and has a real Sesame Street vibe. They just love it,” Zohar says.