NEWSROOM: 25 November - 01 December 2007

Celebration of Pacific migrant stories in Aotearoa
01 December 2007 - Source: eventpolynesia.com
 
The inaugural Pacific Narratives for Pioneers took place this Wednesday at the Whitireia Polytechnic in Porirua. The event is designed to allow Pacific peoples to share the stories of their life’s journeys from the islands between the 1940's and today.

Pacific migrant elders from eight Pacific Islands spoke in their native language, sharing experiences and stories about life in the islands and in Aoteroa.

The day started off with the Karanga conducted by Whitireia Maori department which was followed by opening remarks from Chief Executive of Whitireia Community Polytechnic, Don Campbell.

Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban opened the event and acknowledged the Pacific peoples journey and the qualities they contribute to New Zealand.

Event coordinator Esther Laban says the initiative is a great chance for New Zealand born Pacific to hear about stories of those coming from the islands in search of a better life for their children and their families.

The Pacific profiles based on the results of census 2006 show that there are 10,083 Pacific people aged over 65 years old (3.8 per cent) in New Zealand. It also indicates the largest single ethnic group in the 65+ age bracket is the Samoan community, with 4,536 people.

Narratives Day ran from 9am to 4pm with entertainment provided by different ethnic groups. This event is part of the Strong Pasifika Families Week and one of Whitireia's initiatives to build stronger ties to Pacific Island communities.
 

Pacific leaders call for end to family violence
30 November 2007 - Source: Families Commission Press Release
 
Pacific leaders are calling on their communities to work together to help put an end to violence within their families.

Yesterday at the Pacific launch of the It’s Not OK campaign, the Families Commission said community leadership and involvement is needed to raise public awareness and understanding of family violence.

The Families Commission, with the Ministry of Social Development is leading the Campaign for Action on Family Violence (It’s Not OK).

At the Pacific launch Commissioner Sandra Alofivae said “we all want a society that is very clear that no family violence is ok.”

“Family violence involves any type of behaviour that makes someone in your family afraid of you. It is not ok to yell at your kids, it’s not ok to intimidate your elderly parents, it’s not ok to hit anyone. But it is ok to seek help - from friends families and local services,” said Commissioner Sandra Alofivae.

She said violence can happen within any family however risk factors include the use of alcohol and drugs, financial hardship and other stress.

Research studies show that Pacific people accept violence as part of family life and appear to tolerate quite harsh physical discipline of children.

In 2004 a study of a thousand new Pacific mothers showed over the previous year nine out of 10 had experienced verbal aggression from their partner, over a third reported “minor” physical violence and one in five suffered “severe” violence.

“It is vital that as Pacific people, we support and encourage each other to change our attitudes, behaviour and tolerance to family violence and that we know how to offer, and to seek help,” she said.
 

Pacific Islands Heartbeat Certificate in Pacific Nutrition Graduation Ceremony
29 November 2007 - Source: eventpolynesia.com
 
The National Heart Foundation’s Pacific Island Heartbeat team recently celebrated the achievement of 22 graduates of the Pacific Island Heartbeat Certificate in Pacific Nutrition.

The new graduates will add to growth in the number of Pacific Health Professionals able to offer advice and support in making healthy food choices vital to positive health outcomes for Pacific people and communities.

The Certificate in Pacific Nutrition is a great example of a successful programme that recognises the importance of local community involvement and enhances the health and well-being of Pacific population.

Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban applauded the National Heart Foundation and the Auckland University of Technology for delivering a practical nutrition course by Pacific peoples.

Minister Laban also encouraged the graduates to use their skills to work with their people.

The Pacific families are already switching on to the benefits of healthier lifestyles through various programmes like ‘HEHA’ which is vital for addressing issues such as obesity, food, nutrition and levels of physical activity.

The benefits of improved nutrition, in particular vegetable and fruit intake, supplied important vitamins and minerals that have some protection against chronic disease such as cardiovascular disease.

So far, approximately 425 students in eight centres around New Zealand have participated in the Certificate in Pacific Nutrition training. These graduates are now working in fields like nurses, health promoters, dental workers, community health workers, and from churches and education settings.

The recognition of this graduation is well regarded by the Pacific community and the health sector for future improvements.
 

Opening of Vakaola Pacific Community Health Premises
28 November 2007 - Source: New Zealand Government Press Release
 
Our Pacific people are the foundation on which our families and communities are built, and we all have a role to in supporting and promoting the health and wellbeing of our Pacific families.

Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, Kia orana, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Ni sa bula vinaka, Namaste, Ia Orana, Gud de tru olgeta, Talofa ni, Talofa, Kia ora tatou and warm Pacific greetings to you all.

Thank you Tevita Finau for your warm introduction and a heart felt thank for asking me to join you today in celebrating the opening of the new Vakaola premises.

A warm welcome to the guests here today:
- Her Excellency Sisilia Talagi, High Commissioner of Niue
- Te Aukura David Isaia, Chairman of the Board and all the Vakaola team;
- Judith Aitken, Chairperson of CCDHB; and Peter Glensor, Chairperson of HVDHB;
- and Jenny Brash, Mayor of Porirua

I am here today as a representative of the New Zealand Government, and also as the proud representative in Parliament of the people of this community, Porirua and Mana - which is one of the most active, hard working, committed and vibrant communities in our country.

Our Pacific people are the foundation on which our families and communities are built, and we all have a role to in supporting and promoting the health and wellbeing of our Pacific families.

The relocation to a bigger centre illustrates how Vakaola has grown to fulfil the needs of its clients and our local community. Vakaola have a good reputation nationally and your expansion illustrates that you are fulfilling a service need and have support from the Pacific community.

You celebrated your 10th anniversary last year and can be proud of your longevity and achievements over this time. Vakaola is highly regarded as a unique model of care providing Pacific specific services for Pacific peoples in this community.

I would like to thank Vakaola for the leadership and work shown in reducing the stigma and discrimination that is often associated with mental health, especially in their work for Like Minds, Like Mine.

Last week Associate Health Minister Steve Chadwick launched the 'Like Minds, Like Mine National Plan 2007 - 2013: Programme to counter stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness.' Our government knows that this programme is making a valuable contribution to creating a more inclusive New Zealand, thanks to the work of community-based projects like Vakaola who have raised awareness and taken the message of social inclusion into their communities.

We know that Pacific perceptions and approaches to mental illness differ markedly from the Western medical approach. We also know that Pacific people are less likely to use mental health services even though they experience mental disorders at higher levels than the general population.

That is why, it is essential that all mental health providers take Pacific perspectives on mental health into consideration when planning services responding to the needs of the Pacific population. Consideration needs to be given to the issues that impact specifically on Pacific mental health, such as the Pacific view that mental health and wellbeing also includes all other aspects of health, social, cultural and spiritual wellbeing. That is precisely what Vakaola embodies and contributes to its success.

Having more experienced and qualified Pacific mental health workers is another key factor in ensuring that the mental health sector delivers the best quality service to all those affected by mental illness. The evidence is clear that there is a need for a strong Pacific mental health workforce who are aware of Pacific people's cultural needs as well as their clinical needs.

It is very heartening to hear that Vakaola management paid for their staff to do the social work diploma at Whitireia - they realise the value of supporting their workforce to expand on their knowledge and experience. It is also heartening to know that momentum is building for the further development of the Pacific mental health and addiction workforce.

For example, Te Pou - the National Centre for Mental Health Research and Workforce Development, has begun to increase its capacity to provide leadership for developing the Pacific capacity of the mental health and addiction workforce.

I hope that you all continue to enhance your skills and act as leaders in Pacific mental health. Together we can help Pacific peoples with mental health problems move to greater independence and raise awareness of mental health issues within the Pacific community.

Under this Labour-led government, Pacific people have made huge economic and social gains, and we have a great opportunity build on these.

Pacific people do experience inequalities in comparison to other New Zealanders, and a higher prevalence of mental disorders and lower levels of utilization of mental health services amongst Pacific peoples contributes to these unequal outcomes. Responsive services to address the social and economic determinants of health, ensure service effectiveness, and improving health outcomes for different Pacific communities are vital.
We need to work together with all our Pacific communities to ensure our people reach their true potential, and that we continue to build on the huge gains of the past nine years under Labour. New Zealand succeeds when our families and communities are strong and thriving - so keep up the good work!

I would like to acknowledge and congratulate you all for the important contribution that you have made to Pacific people's health and well-being.

Some of you will recall that it was during a visit that Prime Minister Helen Clark launched the name Vakaola. Vaka translates to canoe, and ola means life. This service has supported many of our people through rough tides, and assisted them in reaching smoother shores.

You should be very proud of your achievements and the need for a new centre demonstrates your success.

I would particularly like to acknowledge the work of Tevita Finau and his team in organising today's event. I wish you all the very best in your future work and I look forward to hearing of the great work the Vakaola team is doing shaping healthy Pacific communities of the future.

Ia manuia lava.
 

Call for New Zealand to become multilingual
27 November 2007 - Source: Human Rights Commission Press Release
 
A concerted effort is needed to increase knowledge and use of a diverse range of languages in New Zealand says Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres.

Mr de Bres presented a two-page draft national languages policy to an international conference on Language, Education and Diversity at Waikato University on Saturday.

The policy establishes a framework for developing or renewing specific strategies in a range of key areas: English for speakers of other languages, Te Reo Maori, New Zealand Sign Language, Pacific languages, community and heritage languages and foreign languages.

It also calls for a focus on languages in the home, the community, education, public services, broadcasting and business.

The policy notes that English is the most widely used language in New Zealand, and the ability to communicate in English is important for all New Zealanders.

It points out that a majority of New Zealanders currently speak only one language. There are however significant communities who have a heritage language other than English. Maori, Pacific and Asian communities alone make up nearly a third of the population. The most common community languages other than English are Te Reo Maori, Chinese languages, Samoan, and Hindi.

Mr de Bres said that New Zealand has a particular responsibility under the Treaty of Waitangi and international law to protect and promote Te Reo Maori as the indigenous language of New Zealand. It also has a special responsibility to protect and promote other languages that are indigenous to the New Zealand realm: Vagahau Niue, Gagana Tokelau, Cook Island Maori, and New Zealand Sign Language. It has a regional responsibility, as a Pacific nation, to promote and protect other Pacific languages, particularly where significant proportions of their communities live in New Zealand.

He said that a significant and growing proportion of New Zealand’s trade is with Asia, and learning the languages of our key trading partners is an economic imperative.

Priorities in the implementation of a national languages policy are to:
Establish an appropriate coordinating and monitoring mechanism for language policy, and identify lead organisations for specific language and sector strategies Develop and maintain strategies for the identified languages and sectors Promote cooperation and sharing between agencies and communities in the development of strategies, resources and services Promote positive public attitudes to language diversity and increase the number of people learning languages Train and support more teachers of languages Develop resources to support language learning and use.
 

Enhancing educational outcomes for Pacific children and youth
26 November 2007 - Source: Pacific Forum Secretariat Press Release
 
Pacific Forum Education Ministers will discuss the theme of 'Enhancing educational outcomes for Pacific children and youth' when they gather in Auckland, New Zealand, 26 - 28 November.

"The Ministers will review the implementation of the Forum Basic Education Action Plan including an overview of the progress of the Pacific Regional Initiative for the Delivery of Basic Education (PRIDE) which is the implementation mechanism for the Plan," Feleti Teo, Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat said.

Another important initiative is the development of a Pacific Regional Qualifications Register that is being developed by the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment. This will assist with the portability of qualifications within the region and ultimately with labour mobility.

Next year, it will be seven years since the Forum Basic Education Action Plan was conceived. It has been added to at each subsequent Education Ministers Meeting and is now a rather weighty document.

"While I'm sure that the areas in the Plan are still relevant, it is timely to sit back and review its contents and the relevance to the educational priorities expressed by our member countries. We need to look critically at the impact of the Plan and the various aspects of its implementation," Mr Teo said.

"We would also like Ministers to start considering at this meeting what is the most appropriate form of support for education systems in our region. This is a sensitive area, given that education systems tend to be highly national in nature."

Mr Teo said the balance between regional and national programmes and how regional programmes can best add value to national initiatives is an interesting issue that warrants careful consideration.

"It is an area that regional organisations must also handle with care because of the sensitivity in the interface between regional and national programmes. The question in this regard, is how regional programmes can add value to national initiatives."

The Forum Education Ministers will also discuss the issue of Sector Wide Approaches highlighting the advantages and the challenges of this approach to education sector development and overall aid effectiveness.

This approach has been adopted by several Forum Island Countries with assistance from various development partners.

The Ministers will also be briefed on a case study in Solomon Islands on how the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can enhance learning opportunities in remote communities.

UNESCO will also report to the Education Ministers on several initiatives including the 'Education for All Mid-Decade Assessment' and 'UNESCO's National Education Support Strategies'.

The meeting, hosted by the New Zealand Government, will be opened with a traditional Maori welcome on 26 November.
 

Pacific prisoners learning rehabilitation through legend
25 November 2007 - Source: Department of Corrections Press Release
 
Staff and prisoners at Mt Eden Prison in Auckland celebrated last week as the first participants in its Pasifika Legends Story Telling Programme graduated.

Eight offenders graduated this month from the 40 hour programme which was held over ten weeks. Friends and family attended to congratulate offenders and celebrate with them.
The programme, previously run in other Auckland facilities, has proved to be a success with staff and prisoners.

“Research suggests that culturally-based programmes for prisoners are more successful,” says Regional Adviser for Pacific Asenati Lole-Taylor.

“Often New Zealand-born Pacific prisoners have never been exposed to their cultural identities. They are sometimes third generation New Zealanders who haven’t been brought up the traditional Pacific way - such as fa’a-samoa - and can feel displaced in situations where they are expected to act in a culturally appropriate way, yet don’t know how”.

Mrs Lole-Taylor says “The Pasifika Legends programme helps prisoners to understand and embrace their cultural identities. Cultural practices are explained through legend, which allows the prisoner to become more receptive to other rules around them. This, along with building self-esteem and motivating positive attitudes helps prepare prisoners for release, and to re-enter the community and workforce.”

The Department plans to continue running the programme in the Auckland region, and, if it proves successful, look at extending it into other facilities.

Other initiatives to support Pacific Island prisoners and their families in the Auckland region are also gaining momentum.

A fono for Fautua Pasefika (specified visitors) is being held at the end of November. The volunteers from across the region will meet together to discuss their work with prisoners and their aiga (families). Fautua Pasefika assist Pacific Island prisoners in a range of ways, including spiritually, and with their families, who Mrs Lole-Taylor says are “often ashamed of the prisoners’ actions and shun them”.

“Reconnecting prisoners with family is often a strong factor for successful reintegration to the community.”

“Having cultural initiatives that are supported by the community helps the majority of prisoners with the journey back to the other side of the wire. It can be difficult, but with family and community support prisoners can turn their lives around, shift their focus to their aiga (family) and work toward a new life for themselves with their partners and children”. 
 

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