As we journey into our next 100 years, the Mission is focused on becoming a true Te Tiriti o Waitangi partner, proudly wearing our Māori name, Te Tāpui Atawhai, we are committed to an equitable Aotearoa.

Te Tāpui Atawhai represents the connection that we have across our whānau whānui (wider family), our compassionate approach to care and support. The kupu (word) Tāpui comes from nature – representing a network, similar to how the roots of trees connect in a ngāhere (forest) – and Atawhai relates to compassion and kindness.

In receipt of the name we are formally a place where two peoples belong and we recognise our place in the restoration needed to move forward as one country of two founding peoples.

There are many layers to the Mission’s commitment.

We are improving our services to recognise and practice tikanga (customary practices), so Māori who come to us for support are well respected in a welcoming and familiar environment. Our services, Te Whare Hīnātore and He Ara Whakamana Tāngata are entirely kaupapa Māori (Māori approach) and many other services now incorporate te ao Māori in their operations. In our new building HomeGround, we have sought the expertise of Ngāti Whātua o Orakei for guidance on many aspects of the building.

The Mission’s Board purposefully seeks a Māori voice. Previous members of the Board include The Ven Dr Lyndon Drake and Dr Elena Curtis. The knowledge and direction of Drs Drake and Curtis have guided the Board on key decisions, one of which was in 2021, to create a position of General Manager Māori to oversee the development of the Mission’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

As a result of this appointment, a rōpū (group) of Senior Māori leaders called Manurau, meet weekly to ensure tikanga is upheld and support the organisation to celebrate and incorporated te ao Māori throughout the organisation.

This includes monthly pōwhiri to welcome new staff and celebrate advancements, encouraging all staff to attend regular workshops on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to increase their knowledge of te ao Māori and te reo Māori. We offer monthly romiromi for all staff, hold weekly Waiata and Kapa haka sessions for all staff and those who use our services, to be able to immerse themselves in te reo and te ao Māori.

In acknowledgement of this work, we were awarded the Supreme Award and the Ngā Āhuatanga o te Tiriti award at the 2023 Diversity Awards.

As we continue on our journey to becoming a great Te Tiriti o Waitangi partner, we will learn and grow. Our commitment will never waiver.

He waka eke noa.