Kia Ora Ake is a tamariki hinengaro wellbeing initiative specifically designed for Counties Manukau, created in collaboration with the local community. It is a part of the nationwide Mana Ake program, which focuses on providing holistic support for primary and intermediate school students, their whanau, and schools. 

A central aspect of Kia Ora Ake involves building strong relationships with primary and intermediate schools and their communities, acting as a main point of contact and working together to identify and address the mental wellbeing needs of students and their whanau. This may include implementing school-wide initiatives, group activities, classroom programs, or individual support for students and their whanau.

Turuki Healthcare 

Turuki Healthcare is a Kaupapa Maori organization that provides whanau-based health, wellness, and social services to whanau in Auckland. As part of Kia Ora Ake within your school, the services of Turuki Healthcare are accessible to both tamariki and their whanau.

What we offer: 

Support for Schools

Our aim is to help build connections between schools and the local community – whether that be connections with local marae or providing insight into pathways that support with Tamariki hinengaro, Kia Ora Ake helps establish systems and processes conducive to supporting the wellbeing of our Tamariki.

Small group programmes

The foundation of our programmes is based on the Te Whare Tapa Wha model, with each programme aligning with at least one of four pou; Taha Tinana (physical health), Taha Wairua (spiritual health), Taha Hinengaro (mental/emotional health), and Taha Whanau (whanau health). Each programme is intended to run alongside the school term – typically seen as 1-hour sessions across an 8–10-week period. Please see overview of programmes below:

Sportsmanship Programme: This programme provides structured athletic activities aimed at improving physical fitness, skill development, and promoting teamwork. Along with improving physical fitness and sports skills, it also fosters important social and emotional skills that supports the healthy development of young athletes. 

Tupu Ora Programme: This unique 10-week Tupu Ora programme incorporates principles of rongoā, taonga pūoro (traditional Maori instruments) cultural knowledge and the whare tapa whā model. Children will develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their relationships, and will develop a sense of belonging to the world around them. The programme is designed to provide the fundamental tools for the wellbeing of children, through mindfulness practices and fun interactive activities that explore our natural world and resources, maramataka (lunar calendar), ocean life and taonga pūoro.

Martial Arts Programme: This program seeks to utilize Martial Arts, specifically Boxing and Kickboxing, as a vehicle for developing the following traits: self-discipline, personal development and mindfulness. The crux of the training will focus on techniques that are practical for young children to use while also encouraging movement to increase physical activity. The mindset training will be embedded in the korero and activities we do to promote a mindset that is focused on developing good character.

1:1 intervention

We recognize that there may be the need to provide a more individualised service to Tamariki who require targeted supports, particularly where risk is involved. This includes, wrapping around whanau in the home, providing risk assessments and safety planning, utilising external services (when necessary), and working collaboratively with all the relevant parties involved having the tamariki at forefront of our decision-making process. The belief is that Tamariki are central to the whanau, therefore, our services aim to encapsulate the whanau as a whole in order to uplift the wellbeing of Tamariki.