Applications to the Fund are now open!

Ki te Ara Whakamua: Māori AOD Community Action Fund

Whare Tukutuku is the National Māori Addiction Centre that sits within the korowai of Te Rau Ora. Our vision is to eliminate alcohol and other drug (AOD) harm for Māori. The approach is to elevate and AOD workforce that is whānau-centred and community-focused, and awhi whānau to improve equity of care. The kaupapa aims to create opportunities that supports an AOD workforce that is culturally capable, willing to innovate, and improve Māori health outcomes.

Ki te Ara Whakamua: Māori Community Action Fund will help to support Māori solutions to reducing AOD harm within Aotearoa. The fund will be administered by national Māori Workforce Development organisation Te Rau Ora.

It is a one-off contestable fund established to support Māori-led solutions to reduce alcohol and other drug harm.

The overall vision for the fund is:

 “Kia tika te wā; kia tika te wāhi, kia tika te tangata; kia ora te whānau

 Whānau will thrive and flourish, with the right people, in the right place, at the right time.”

Over 50% of people in Aotearoa will experience mental distress or AOD challenges at some point in their life. These challenges can not only affect an individual’s ability to care for themselves but can also cause considerable concern for their whānau and loved ones. 

Hapori and whānau Māori have demonstrated that when given the opportunity and resources to develop their own solutions, they can mobilise quickly and achieve results that matter. Their solutions help to achieve better and more equitable health and wellbeing outcomes for Aotearoa.

Strategic Context

There have been many reviews of the AOD space over the years, reporting care gaps and key recommendations, including:

·       Kia Manawanui Aotearoa (2021), the long-term pathway to mental wellbeing, recognises that Māori experience unfair and avoidable inequities in terms of mental wellbeing and intends that this long-term pathway will address equity through ‘by Māori, for Māori’ approaches. It also identified the need to transform the mental health, addiction, and mental wellbeing workforce to enable it to respond to people’s mental wellbeing needs and to intervene early, as a priority action area.

·       Pae Tū: Hauora Māori Health Strategy (2023) outlined five key priorities to build on the health reforms, including to grow “the Māori health workforce and sector to match community needs”.

·       The Workforce Development and Leadership for the Addiction Treatment Sector Report (2023) identified “addressing how the Māori workforce…can express their tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake” as crucial.

Ki te Ara Whakamua will help to address some of the care gaps and recommendations to allow whānau and hapori Māori to continue providing meaningful care to people experiencing alcohol and other drug challenges. 

The key objectives of Ki te Ara Whakamua: Māori AOD Community Action Fund are to: 

  1. Support Māori-led solutions to reduce alcohol and other drug harm 
  2. Contribute to whānau outcomes.

Reducing Alcohol and Other Drug Harm

  Contributing to whānau outcomes.

  1. Rangatiratanga: growing local champions and leaders.
  2. Mātauranga:  building awareness, knowledge, and skills.
  3. Wānanga: co-creating and sharing solutions.
  4. Rangahau: Māori experience, insights, and evidence.
  1. Whānau are self-managing and empowered leaders.
  2. Whānau are leading healthy lifestyles.
  3. Whānau are participating fully in society.
  4. Whānau and families are confidently participating in Te Ao Māori (the Māori World).
  5. Whānau and families are economically secure and successfully involved in wealth creation.
  6. Whānau are cohesive, resilient, and nurturing.
  7. Whānau and families are responsible stewards of their living and natural environments.

The Fund aligns to the three aspects of Pae Ora (Healthy Futures): 

  • Wai Ora (healthy environments)
  • Mauri Ora (healthy individuals)
  • Whānau Ora (healthy families)

These are all interconnected to enable healthy futures and positive wellbeing outcomes for hapori, whānau, and mokopuna Māori.

Wai ora is about healthy environments, the ability to engage within their hapori and the quality of interactions we can have with our surrounding environment. This includes access to safe drinking water, clean air, quality housing, active transport options and being prepared for any emergencies. It also means that we must be good guardians of the land and natural resources.

Mauri ora is about healthy individuals and ways of living. To enjoy good health and wellbeing, people need to understand their culture, identity and autonomy, and have the ability to make healthy choices, including kai, physical activity, and alcohol and other drugs.

Whānau ora is about healthy families and ensuring whānau are empowered to thrive, live healthy lifestyles, and experience intergenerational wellbeing. This includes a sense of belonging and secure identity, access to good healthcare, housing, and education, and being able to confidently participate in society.

To be eligible to apply for funding, a group needs to be either:

  • A whānau or hapū roopu with a bank account linked to the lead applicant or group.
  • A local Māori-led community group or Māori-led provider that is a legal entity or registered charity.
Please note groups may only apply to one of the funding streams.

Funding Type

Criteria

Eligibility

Funding Limit

Whānau-led Initiatives.              

A whānau or hapū roopu with a bank account linked to the lead applicant or group.

Bank Account verification of account name. 

Up to $10,000 per application

Community-led Initiatives

A Māori community organisation that is either (1) a legal entity or (2) registered with the NZ Charities Commission.

A registered New Zealand Business or a registered charity with the NZ Charities Commission.

Up to $25,000 per application

 

An external panel will assess all completed applications submitted no later than 5pm, 30 August 2024. 

Contracting of successful initiatives will begin in September/October 2024.

Te Rau Ora reserve the right to withdraw an offer of funding if contracting is not completed within one month from the start date.

Here is the timeline for Ki te Ara Whakamua: Māori AOD Community Action Fund

Application to Fund Opens14 August 2024
Application to Fund Close6 September 2024
External AssessmentCompleted by 20 September 2024
Notifications of outcomeCompleted September/October 2024