Pacific Whānau Ora co-hosts conference in Wellington

The 2nd Annual National Conference on Pacific Whānau Ora is brought to you in partnership with the Aniva Pacific Health Workforce organised by Pasifika Futures Ltd in collaboration with Pacific Perspectives Ltd.

The conference “Pacific Wellbeing: Co-creating our future” will be held on 25 and 26 November 2015 at the James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor in Wellington.

Day One of the Conference will be held on Wednesday, 25 November, and will be hosted by Pacific Perspectives. The programme offers an opportunity for critical reflection on Pacific health workforce development and health service improvement in New Zealand to ensure we meet the current and future needs of Pacific communities in contemporary contexts. This day will focus on the themes: culture as a foundation for healthcare; overcoming myths and stereotypes; navigating social determinants and building partnerships with Pacific families.

Day Two of the Conference follows on Thursday 26 November and will be hosted by Pasifika Futures, a commissioning agency for Pacific Whānau Ora work. This day has a particular focus on Whānau Ora; highlighting the experiences so far with the new commissioning model and to share lessons learned from the first year of Whānau Ora commissioning.

Pasifika Futures Chief Executive Debbie Sorensen and Pacific Perspectives Director Dr Debbie Ryan commented, “We have been working to bring together a wide variety of stakeholders involved in Whānau Ora and Pacific health workforce development and provide a programme that offers real, practical value over two different days.”

“We have a great calibre of speakers and panel guests to compliment these themes including Judge Ida Malosi of Manukau District Court, together with Dr Palatasa Havea, a senior research scientist at Fonterra Research Centre in Palmerston North, Professor Damon Salesa from the University of Auckland, and Sister Vitolia Moa from the Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary in Samoa,” says Dr Ryan.

Mrs Sorensen says the Whānau Ora conference on Day Two signals their ongoing commitment to work alongside key stakeholders to fully understand their work, and is a great opportunity to ask questions about what Whānau Ora has achieved to date, what has worked well, what could be improved, and what needs to be revised to continue to support their work and Whānau Ora families moving forward.

“We have the Deputy Prime Minister of NZ, Hon Bill English for Day Two of the Whānau Ora conference who will be joined by Minister of Whānau Ora, Hon Te Ururoa Flavell, along with 15 other great speakers from a wide variety of stakeholders involved in making Whānau Ora a reality.”

“We only have two weeks before the conference and I encourage anyone who has an interest to register now,” says Mrs Sorensen.

Both organisations urge government agencies, officials and Pacific providers, health workers and organisations throughout the country, including community representatives, to register and use this opportunity to engage in robust discussions and come up with resolutions that carry forward the work of Whānau Ora and the Pacific health workforce.

For more information about the Conference visit our website www.pasifikafutures.co.nz or click here to register.

ENDS

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