Te Arawa Whānau Ora (TAWO) is thrilled to announce the appointment of former Whānau Ora Minister, Te Ururoa Flavell, to its Board of Trustees.

Mr Flavell (Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāpuhi) was appointed to the Board at today’s Te Arawa Whānau Ora AGM. He held the government portfolio from 2014 to 2017, taking over the mantle from Dame Tariana Turia, who introduced Whānau Ora as government policy in 2010.

Mr Flavell says “I am hugely privileged to join the Board that has clearly done significant work in our communities, not just through the recent Covid crisis, but over a number of years. It marks for me coming full circle from a Ministerial portfolio to working with those who do the actual work on the ground.

I look forward to working with the current partners, building the profile of the Collective even more, drawing together others that have similar values and motivations to continue to empower whānau to wellbeing in the widest sense.”

TAWO is a collective of Whānau Ora providers in the Te Arawa rohe. Each collective member has trained paeārahi (navigators) who work alongside whānau to achieve their dreams, aspirations and goals through a kaupapa Māori worldview.

CEO, Lorraine Hetaraka, says she is delighted with the depth, knowledge and iwi connections Mr Flavell brings to the table.

“Te Ururoa comes to us as one of the original architects of the Whānau Ora kaupapa, so it obviously holds a dear place in his heart. Not only does he bring a wealth of skills and wisdom to our Board, but a renewed energy and influence that we’re excited to leverage off.

He’s a proven leader, with experience and passion for te ao Māori, and will be integral in driving our kaupapa to deliver more prosperous outcomes for whānau,” she says.

TAWO collective members are Aroha Mai Cancer Support Services, Korowai Aroha Health Centre, Maketu Health & Social Services, Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa Sports Trust, Te Roopū a Iwi o Te Arawa Charitable Trust, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Pikiao, Te Waiariki Purea Trust and Poutiri Trust.

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