As 2024 draws to a close, we can reflect on the support Healthy Families Invercargill (HFI) has provided the community in changing systems to assist improved health outcomes in our hapori. This has been one guided by collaboration, strong relationships, innovation and shared vision for a healthier Invercargill.

A highlight of 2024 was the impact made in the Invercargill community across key focus areas of the Healthy Families contract, Healthy Families Invercargill manager Wendy Findlay said.

“From kai, play, matauranga Māori, alcohol and drug related harm, mental wellbeing, and active transport - we are engaged with each one, and in partnership with community-minded people, developed innovative ways of creating change to improve people’s health and wellbeing.”

Kai

The release of Feeding Murihiku: Our Good Food Road Map was a significant step towards strengthening food security and food resilience in Southland. The Murihiku Kai Collective (MKC), the group behind the report, are hoping to start a movement which will ensure good food is available, affordable, and accessible to all Southlanders. Read more here: https://shorturl.at/i3dWB

Since its release, the MKC has utilised the momentum of the Good Food Road Map launch to work on four immediate outcomes: 

1. Engaging key agencies to share the principles of, and barriers identified in the road map

2. Help those agencies identify and own their part in helping to remove barriers in the food system

3. Establishing a local food hub 

4. Increasing capability in the kai education sector to increase reach 

Play

Exciting opportunities arose this year to amplify play in the Healthy Families Invercargill kaupapa, and make play more accessible for Southland communities.

The play concept Chalk It Up 2 was an opportunity to showcase a cheap and easy play option that spans generations, providing a good reminder of how simple play can be, while removing the barriers of accessibility and cost. Read more here: https://shorturl.at/RdP0h

Matauranga Māori

In the pursuit of improved equity and increased holistic health outcomes for Māori, Healthy Families Invercargill and its Rautaki Māori role continue to elevate kaupapa Māori, through initiatives centred on reconnection with te ao Māori. Hine Atua Karapu is a full immersion extra curricula programme for supporting young Māori kōhine (girls) to enhance their ancestral knowledge, with the aim of establishing living relationships with Atua Māori, to establish keys for healthy living from an early age. Read more here: https://shorturl.at/IQcOk

Hine Atua Karapu was conceived by Healthy Families Invercargill Rautaki Māori Amelia Clark. It is a joint venture with Arahi, Māori Women’s Welfare League, and Te Wharekura O Arowhenua. Feedback from those in the group convey Hine Atua Karapu’s positive impact on relationships and teaching about natural resources, noting it’s been encouraging and rewarding to see more interaction between māmā and tamāhine (mothers and daughters), and a greater sense of connection to taiao and atua.

Alcohol Harm Prevention

What About You? Murihiku (WAYM) has been Healthy Families Invercargill’s lead initiative in the alcohol and drug related harm prevention space in 2024, using strategic partnerships to change mindsets and address alcohol and drug related harm and promote mental wellbeing in Murihiku. These strategic partnerships include;

• Kei te pēhea to Kapa ‘Look after your group’; an initiative with Ngā Hau e Whā kapa haka
• Watch out for your mates, reach out and connect; collaborations with NZ Police, Southern Institute of Technology (SIT), Central Southland College, and Pacific Islanders Advisory and Cultural Trust (PIACT)
• Lomana na kainomu ‘Love your own people’; an initiative with the Southland Fijian Community, incorporating WAYM into the group’s wellbeing plan
• ‘Try July’ collaboration with Invercargill Licensing Trust; all 22 ILT premises promoted Try July, highlighting the advantages of reducing alcohol intake by trying zero-alcohol options. Read more here: https://shorturl.at/yFMRS
• ‘Be a sport, just support’ with Southland Rugby League

Active Transport

The Active Transport impact strategy has been about building user confidence for active transport, enhancing safety awareness, and changing perceptions within the community; leading people to choose active travel as a physically and environmentally healthier and cheaper travel option. This has been achieved through several key initiatives; Tunatuna, the Murihiku Pop Up Pump Track, school safety travel plans, and SBS Bank Tour of Southland – School Support.

A new initiative this year, Healthy Families Invercargill collaborated with the Healthy Active Learning team at Active Southland and Cycling Southland to boost support and engagement for the SBS Bank Tour of Southland cycling race from local primary schools. It’s hoped this will be repeated and expanded on next year.

10 Years of Healthy Families

This year, the Healthy Families NZ movement celebrated its 10-year anniversary. We looked back on the impact the initiative has achieved in Invercargill over the past decade, and contemplated how Healthy Families Invercargill can best serve Murihiku into the future and improve health equity through a community-led, systems change approach.

“This year has been about community driven solutions, building capability and capacity in our team and our stakeholders, growing our cultural awareness, and finding ways to make collaboration sustainable. I believe we’ve taken some big steps towards establishing a shared vision for better health in Murihiku; now we want to carry that momentum into the new year and empower our community to achieve its own aspirations,” Wendy said.

ENDS

Article added: Monday 16 December 2024