Whānau Āwhina Plunket is on a journey to ensure equitable health outcomes for tangata Māori.
This is a goal we are passionate and committed to achieving – and we know we can’t do it alone.
Our Kaiārahi Māori (Māori Capability Advisors) support Whānau Āwhina Plunket to strengthen our internal capacity and capability to truly 'walk the talk'.
Their role is to assist, support and work alongside our Executive Leadership Team to ensure we're delivering equitable and meaningful outcomes for whānau Māori.
We believe if we get it right for our most vulnerable whānau, we will get it right for everyone.
Kaiārataki Māori:
Jackie Foss
Tēna koutou
Ki te taha o tōku māmā
Ko Taupiri tōku maunga
Ko Waikato tōku awa
Ko Tainui tōku waka
Ko Tainui tōku iwi
Ko Waahi Pa tōku marae
Ko Jackie Foss ahau. E noho ana au ki Papaioea.
Kei roto au i te rōpu Ringa Raupa.
Tokotoru ōku tamariki. Tekau mā tahi ōku mokopuna.
I am a Registered Nurse with 20+ years’ experience.
I have worked in various roles within MidCentral DHB (Te Whatu Ora Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua MidCentral) prior to moving into primary health in 2000. My journey in Well Child/Tamariki Ora Services began in 2000, where I practiced as the sole Tamariki Ora Nurse for a Māori Provider in Papaioea.
I joined Whānau Āwhina Plunket in 2005 as a Plunket Nurse in the Manawatu-Whanganui region. My role was primarily based in Papaioea. Since this time I have been fortunate to work in various roles across the organisation as; Plunket Nurse, PlunketLine TeleNurse and Clinical Leader. I commenced in my current role as Kaiārataki Māori Lead in 2020.
I serve on a Governance Board for a local Māori Provider where I hold the Pukenga Hauora portfolio .
I am currently a student at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
I am passionate about improving health outcomes for whānau Māori and ensuring they have the best possible experience when accessing health services.
Meet our Kaiārahi Māori:
John Hamlin
Ngā mihi mahana, Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou
Ko Maungapohatu tōku maunga
Ko Tauranga tōku awa
Ko Mataatua tōku waka
Ko Ngāi Tuhoe tōku iwi
Nō Waimana ahau
Nō Wainuiomata e noho ana
He Pou Taki tōku tūnga mahi
Ko John Hamlin tōku ingoa
No reira tēna koutou, tēna koutou, tēna koutou katoa
I have worked in roles throughout my working life, from private enterprise, to government to corporate roles. Most of my working life has been in IT.
I joined Whānau Āwhina Plunket in Oct 2020 during the COVID-19 era to a completely different role. So far, I have been involved in Policies and other governance boards which has given me an insight into Whānau Āwhina Plunket.
In my role as Pou Taki - Cultural Advisor, it has been something that is taking time to adjust to after life in the Corporate world. I have been working on guidelines for running whakatau (Welcome) internally and demystify the whole process.
At the moment the focus is on Pro-Equity and our commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi principles. We have a set of principles and values which are being embraced within our organisation to help in how we work with each other as well as how we work with our whānau and pēpi. Keeping these in mind, Māhaki, Mānaaki, Tūhono and Māia, we can navigate the journey of Pro-Equity with a lot of support for each other.
Maraea Makiha
Tēna tatou e te whānau
He Uri tenei no Tamatekapua
Ko Tuturu me Matawhaura nga Maunga
Ko Puarenga me Ohau nga Awa
Ko Tuhourangi me Ngati Pikiao nga Hapu
Ko Te Pakira me Te Takinga nga Marae
Ko Te Arawa te Tangata
Ko Te Arawa te Iwi
Ko Maraea Makiha ahau. E noho ana au ki Kirikiriroa. Kei roto au it te Rōpu Ringa Raupa
Tokorima oku Tamariki, Tokorua oku mokopuna.
My Journey with Plunket started on March 2012, where I was employed as a Kaiāwhina for the Waikato area.
During my time as Kaiāwhina I facilitated groups such as Basic Child and Infant CPR, Tikanga Ririki – Māori Parenting practises incorporating Kupenga, Whilst studying towards my Bachelors of Social Work - Biculturalism in practice.
Te Tohu Paetahi o nga Whakarara Oranga with Te Wananga O Aotearoa, which I graduated from in 2014. I am also a qualified Smoking Cessation Quit coach.
Over the years I have been fortunate enough to sit in many teams such as Whānau Awhina Whānau Ora team, Whirihia team and more recently Ringa Raupa Team.
I am passionate about advocating for my people, ensuring that they are being heard, valued and seen.
Patrick Salmon
Ko Putauaki te Maunga
Ko Rangitaiki te Awa
Ko Mataatua te Waka
Ko Ngai Tamaoki te Hapu
Ko Ngati Awa tōku Iwi
Patrick is an established Innovator who holds a master’s degree in, Applied Indigenous Knowledge, specialising in a newly developed cultural responsive approach called Tech-Anga.
Tech-Anga is a fusion of Technology and Tikanga to support the delivery, approach and experience for Māori who access health, education and entertainment services.
Patrick displays positive leadership through the popular social media movement, KAIRUA, he has been supporting the 400,000+ online supporters since 2018.
Patrick brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in Māori governance as a former Hapu delegate and Iwi governance board member at Te Runanga o Ngati Awa, he has supported many local and national steering committees in health and education, currently he sits as an active member on the Power to Protect steering group for Starship Hospital.
He draws motivation and inspiration from parenting his own five tamariki and the positive life experiences a whānau can have when connected, supported and informed in whats available to help achieve their own goals and aspirations of wellbeing within their community or whānau network.
Patrick is committed to supporting Whānau Āwhina Plunket to achieve their pro-equity goal by being an active and supportive treaty partner in all aspects of his work, by embracing difference, enhancing others through education and information and empowering everyone to do the same.
Sheryl Matenga
Tuu ana au ki te tihi o tooku maunga o Taupiri.
Wheetee atu taku aro ki ooku wai maatao ki tooku awa ko Waikato.
Kauria ooku wai, ka puea ake ki tooku whenua uukaipoo ki Ngaati Maahuta.
Takahia atu ngaa araara wae ki tooku whare koorero ki Waahi Paa.
Ka tau ko ahau, e ko kooia, e ara e!
Ko Sheryl Matenga ahau.
I tupu ake au I ngaa rekereke o aku Kaumaatua I raro ano I te marumaru o te Kiingitanga.
Ko taaku e aro atu ana I roto I tooku tuuranga, ko te tuuhono I te Ao Maaori, ki te Ao Whaanau Aawhina.
Kua rua tau au e mahi ana I konei. Kua tapa mai te ingoa Kaiaarahi Maaori – moo te haapori tooku tuuranga – e kii a nei - external relationships.
Leslie Hiwarau
Tēna koutou
He pepeha mai i te taha o toku pāpa
Ko Hoturoa te Rangatira
Ko Tainui te Waka
Ko Rangiahua te Maunga, kei uta ko Kapuarangi
Ko te wai tapu a Wainui e rere ana ki te Moana nui o Toi
Ko Torere-nui-a-rua toku Tipuna
Ko Manaakiao, te uri a Toi te tangata whenua
Ko Ngai Tai te Iwi
Ko Torere Te Marae
I whakatipu ake ahau no te rohe o Mataatua, na te whānau o tōku mama.
Ko Mataatua te waka
Ko Putauaki te maunga
Ko Rangataiki te awa
Ko Ngāti Awa te Iwi
Ko Ngāti Hāmua te hapū
Ko Rongotangiawa te Tipuna whare
Ko Te Kiriwera Hana te Wharekai
Ko Te Mapou te marae
Ko Leslie Hiwarau ahau.
Ko Desmond Hiwarau i tōku hoa Rangatira, no Te Teko ia.
E toru a māua tamāriki, e rima aku mokopuna.
No Ngāti Pukeko ki te Poroporo e noho ana.
I have worked extensively across the Social and Health sectors for over 15 years. My Whānau Āwhina Plunket journey began nine years ago as a Kaiāwhina. I had the privilege of serving and supporting whānau within the boundaries of Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Ngai Tai, Te Whakatohea, Ngai Tūhoe, Ngati Awa me Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau. Establishing an extensive network and rapport with kaimahi, whānau, local community services, Iwi providers, tohunga and kaumātua.
I have facilitated wānanga for māmā in Whakatāne; provide support for kaimahi - helping to connect with kaumatua, whānau and kaupapa Māori events in the community. I am a part of a collaborative external rōpu ‘Ukaipō’ who support and advocate for breastfeeding māmā.
I am currently the Māori capabilities advisor (March 2022) for the Ringa Raupa, and currently completing my Bachelor of Humanities with Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.