Welcome to new Waiariki Mana Ake staff

18/01/2024

The Waiariki Mana Ake team is delighted to welcome 11 new team members to the Lakes’ rohe

The Mana Ake service supports low to moderate level mental health and wellbeing needs of children in kura, schools and their associated communities.

All kaupapa Māori kura and schools with year 1-8 students in Waiariki - Bay of Plenty and Lakes (Rotorua, Taupō, Tūrangi) health districts will be included under the Waiariki Mana Ake service model.

The service is made up of registered and non-registered workforce, based in the kura and school communities.

The service is positioned within schools/kura as this is where initial discovery of a wellbeing need is often identified.

From this position, it will then reach out into the community to wrap support around both children and their whānau based on the wellbeing need identified.

The team will undergo a comprehensive orientation programme and will officially commence service implementation in February 2024.

The Waiariki Mana Ake service is led by the Ministry of Health and delivered in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

The key driver in the design of the Waiariki model was the voice of children, whānau, kaupapa Māori kura, schools, and their communities.

The service is based on the success of Canterbury Mana Ake and is now being rolled out in five further health districts across Aotearoa. 

Front row – from the left: Michelle Woodfield – Clinical Manager, Rebekah Taylor – Clinician, Joseph Curtis – Wayfinder, Jasmine Field – Clinician, Jasmine Weaver – Wayfinder.

Back row from the left: Josephine Ratu – Wayfinder, Anita King – Clinician, Anna Barker – Clinician, Helen Sherrock – Wayfinder, Sarah Mangin – Wayfinder, Chris Te Whare – Wayfinder, Esthe Davis – Mental Health and Addiction Service Manager.

Not present - Joshua Diamond (Wayfinder).