A Ngā Waihua o Paerangi fund investing in the future of whānau is creating widespread positive change across Ruapehu and has been nominated for an award.

The fund, Whiria Ngā hua, has been nominated as a finalist in the GEN NZ Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Awards 2024 in two categories; Māori Initiative of the Year and Regional Trailblazer of the Year, with winners set to be announced tomorrow (Thursday 21 November).

An evaluation by Ihi Research of 29 projects funded through Whiria Ngā Hua II, found the initiatives uplifted hundreds of uri, and has driven lasting impacts through cultural empowerment, tino rangatiratanga, economic stability and community cohesion.

Funding for Whiria Ngā Hua III has also just been announced, with 28 further successful candidates and initiatives.

Pou Ārahi for Ngā Waihua o Paerangi, Helen Leahy, said investing directly into solutions determined by whānau, is increasing self-determination and agency, improving hauora, financial security, strengthening cultural identity and connections to te ao Māori, community participation, and whānau are describing themselves as stronger.

“Whiria Ngā Hua is an important step towards activating our commitment in Rukutia te Mana towards hauoratanga, Ngāti Rangitanga and mana motuhake. It is about being future focused and upholding the teachings of the tupuna,” she said.

The projects sharpened skills in areas such as butchery, carpentry, hunting, outdoor survival, kaitiakitanga, and the intergenerational transfer of mātauranga. It also facilitated the creation and support for businesses across food, firewood, landscaping, and beauty, all contributing to financial security and economic stability for the rohe.

The fund for round two supported the establishment and growth of basketball leagues, boxing academies, a Taekwondo club, and a kapahaka rōpū qualifying for the prestigious Te Matatini kapa haka festival. Initiatives included supporting tamariki pūmanawa, rebuilding hapū and wharenui, restoring and cleaning headstones to reconnect te ao Māori, tikanga and whakapapa.

Leahy said it proves that supporting whānau in the Ngāti Rangi rohe to enhance and achieve their own wellbeing goals and outcomes through the Whānau Ora commissioning model works.

"The strategic aspiration of the iwi is ‘kia mura ai te ora o Ngāti Rangi ki tua o te 1000 tau: that Ngāti Rangi continues to vibrantly exist in 1000 years’, and we know, the way to achieve that is by inspiring and supporting uri to drive their own solutions.”

360 Rangatahi Life Skills, a programme for 14 to 17 years’ old saw successful and tangible results in the second tranche of funding and has just been approved for the third year.

Programme lead, Dean Cootes said they focus on teaching teenagers essential skills like hunting and gathering, bush and field craft, chainsaw operation, first aid, drivers licencing, water safety, cooking, vehicle maintenance and more as part of the 23 week programme.

Giving rangatahi a diverse range of meaningful experiences and activities, Cootes said, builds character, increases confidence in themselves and enhances their capabilities from the outdoors to social settings.

“We watch our rangatahi discover skills they don’t know they have and strengthen their self-determination and trust to follow their own paths,” he said.

“With Te ao Māori at the core of the kaupapa, some rangatahi who have never stepped foot on a marae before are introduced to tikanga Māori and Te Ao Māori.”

The evaluation found that rangatahi who completed initiatives through Whiria Nga Hua II participated more in society by engaging and stepping up at other community events.

“They cooked a hangi for the community with meat they butchered themselves, they’re often on the on the barbecue cooking at events, or marshalling at the Weetbix TRYathlon. Several rangatahi from previous programmes even returned as mentors.”

“They’re not just learning leadership skills, they’re putting them to use, learning to be part of a team, a community and excelling individually as well.”

Passionate about providing opportunities, Cootes said he was incredibly grateful their funding had been approved for the third year in a row, to continue to develop and help a new generation of leaders.

"The funding has enabled us to use our skills and passions to undertake bigger projects we couldn’t access previously. It means we don’t have to dip into their own pockets, and the rangatahi don’t need to contribute to the materials they need to build the projects and we are so thankful for the support of Ngāti Rangi and Whiria Ngā Hua.”

Leahy said funding for the third round of Whiria Ngā Hua applications has been supported through Te Whatu Ora and the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency with a strong emphasis on rangatahi kaupapa.

“We have some exciting kaupapa to look forward to again this round. Various rangatahi sports; tennis, rugby league, basketball and mountain biking to name a few, tutoring, entrepreneurial opportunities, creative arts, design, beauty, raranga, life skills, marae wananga and many more.”

“E kōkiri tahi ana a Ngāti Rangi i ngā kaupapa hei oranga mō te katoa. Kākā te whare toka o Paerangi, kākā hoki ko au. Together Ngāti Rangi will grow itself and its communities. We are Igniting our people to live vibrantly in our majestic landscape.”

Some kaupapa have already launched, with all the initiatives set to be completed by June 2025.