The Housing First Auckland Collective (HFAC) was formed in 2017, bringing together five non-government housing providers, Auckland City Mission, Lifewise, LinkPeople, and Visionwest with support provided by the Wise Group. Working together strengthens our ability to walk alongside our whānau and support them to sustain their tenancies and achieve their housing and life goals.
Throughout 2023, the Collective worked on and launched Maiea, Tāiki E!, a Māori-led strategy for housing in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. This article explains the formation of, and reasoning behind, Maiea, Tāiki E!
The information below is taken from the Maiea, Tāiki E! page of the HFAC website.
Why a Māori-led housing strategy?
Since the launch of Housing First in March 2017, and through to May 2023, 54% of whānau accessing the services of the Auckland Collective have been whānau Māori. This over-representation of whānau Māori experiencing homelessness needs to be addressed.
It is important that whānau Māori who are experiencing homelessness are provided with access to wraparound support services that enable them to achieve their dreams and aspirations. For this to be effective, it is important that housing solutions are offered to whānau Māori with Te Ao Māori approaches and practices.
Co-creating Maiea, Tāiki E!
HFAC’s Te Ao Māori approach has been gifted the name, Maiea, Tāiki E! Determined to get create a strategy that is appropriate and effective, we consulted widely. All parties involved in HFAC led and facilitated wānanga, hui, kanohi ki te kanohi interviews with housing whanau and in-depth kōrero to harvest the wisdom and creativity of the diverse minds across the Collective.
During 2022 and 2023 we:
- Held the inaugural workshop to set the foundation for our ongoing co-creation work on our Māori-led strategy with our kaupapa Māori leaders from across the Collective.
- Facilitated a workshop with the Chief Executives from HFAC to gather their guidance, insights, and aspirations for the strategy.
- Brought both the Kaupapa Māori leaders and Chief Executives together to discuss the data, early-stage thinking, feedback and aspirations for the strategy.
- Reviewed and analysed emerging themes from these workshops to develop a clear and inspiring vision. This overarching theme and vision led the way to conduct more in-depth work with kaimahi, whānau we support and all staff to understand their hopes and dreams for the strategy, beliefs, and priorities.
- Took our co-creation journey on the road, offering a series of roadshows for kaimahi, peer support workers, and staff from each of the Collective organisations to join and participate in.
- Conducted a series of kanohi ki te kanohi interviews with lived experience whānau to better understand their hopes, dreams, and aspirations.
- In April 2023, CEs, Kaupapa Māori leaders, peer support workers, kaimahi and staff from across the Collective joined together at Ōrākei Marae in Tāmaki Makaurau. Over 100 staff actively participated in workshops that focused on refining the strategy priorities.
- All workshops, interviews and roadshows were followed by in-depth analysis to identify common themes and inform the priorities that are central to Maiea, Tāiki E! and the future work of HFAC.
Tātou kitenga – Our Housing Vision
A just and caring Aotearoa where all people have a place to call ‘home’ to achieve their life aspirations and live their full potential: whānau whakapuāwai.
Our vision is the guiding star and foundation upon which Maiea, Tāiki E! was built. We believe that everyone should have a place to call ‘home’. This overarching aspiration gives purpose and direction for everything we do.
Our vision helped set a kete of priorities that we will work together on over the longer term. As a Collective, we are unified in the simplicity yet power of this vision. It serves as a constant motivation, inspiration, and daily reminder of where we are headed and why.
We encourage our partners, funders, and all people across Aotearoa to join us and embrace this vision.
Breathing life into Maiea, Tāiki E!
On 1 September 2023, Maiea, Tāiki E! was officially launched and blessed at an event attended by Hon. Marama Davidson (Associate Minister of Housing, Homelessness), funders, partners, and CEs, kaupapa Māori leaders, peer support workers and kaimahi from across the Collective.
We are wasting no time in getting started! Work has begun to develop a cultural competency framework and training programme to support the priority that seeks to deepen our relationships with Te Ao Māori, Hapori Māori, Iwi and Hapū.
We’ve kicked off ‘Good Reporting’ – a data and reporting project to strengthen our ability to track and report progress, inform ongoing strategic planning and support continuous improvement across the Collective. This will play a critical role in the priority that seeks to demonstrate the value of our mahi and drive equity.
Research is underway to identify what’s needed to minimise risk and enhance the health and safety of whānau we support. We’ll be identifying external partners who can help us to keep whānau well and safe, working towards the priority: Partner with communities, organisations, and government to achieve better social, health, employment, and stable housing outcomes for whānau. There is much to be done in this new era for Housing First Auckland Collective and, in the words of peer support worker, Richard Turipa, “One person homeless is one person too many.”
Read more about Housing First Auckland.