Māori and Pacific support services

There are a range of Māori and Pacific support, advice and advocacy services available for the disabled community. Find out more about their role in the community and how they can assist you.

Māori disability support services

If we are missing a useful service or resource, please contact us.

Te Ao Mārama Group

The Te Ao Mārama Group (TAMA) is a group of community-based experts who provide advice on health and related areas that influence Tāngata Whaikaha Māori wellbeing. (Tāngata Whaikaha Māori are Māori with experience of disability.)

The TAMA Board has wide Tāngata Whaikaha Māori community representation. Working within Iwi Leadership, Crown Agencies and the disability sector, TAMA provide expert advice on cultural, clinical and all other matters of interest linked to what Tāngata Whaikaha Māori value most.

In partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Tāngata Whaikaha Māori community, TAMA members contributed to the development and continue to monitor and advise on programme outcomes for Whāia Te Ao Mārama 2018 to 2022: The Māori Disability Action Plan.

You can access the full Whāia Te Ao Mārama 2018 to 2022: The Māori Disability Action Plan external URL  on the Ministry of Health website

Other services, resources and support

  • Te Piringa: Whānau-Centred Primary Health Care external URL : Te Piringa is the name of an independent research project that provides key recommendations and findings about using a whānau centred approach to primary health care services, including disability health services.
  • Kanohi ki te Kanohi external URL : With extensive networks and experience across the disability, not for profit, Māori and government sectors, Kanohi ki te Kanohi support Māori living in the community with disability. They offer a range of services including group facilitation for whānau, disability organisations and community groups.
  • Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu external URL : This South Island Whānau Ora agency works directly with whānau to support them to develop their own pathway plans. Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu is centred on the philosophy that whānau must be placed at the centre of service design and delivery, supporting them to realise their own solutions.
  • Whānau Whānake external URL : This South Island Whānau Ora agency guides whānau on their chosen pathway using a whānau-centred strengths based approach to support them achieve their dreams and aspirations. They offer a range of services, including 'Collective Impact' which brings together a range of Whānau Ora partners, and other groups, to support successful change for whānau.
  • Hei Whakapiki Mauri external URL : Providing practical, whānau based support for the disabled community, Hei Whakapiki Mauri respond to the needs of whānau. A Whānau Ora Consultancy, they can help with anything from the little things that give people their mana, to planning for the future.
  • Kōhā Kai external URL : This Invercargill-based organisation uses their community garden as a way to empower others. Their services include supporting those with disabilities to live a fulfilled life by teaching and training them how to grow food and cook.
  • Kaitiaki Tua Whakarere: A consultancy service, Kaitiaki Tua Whakarere provides Whānau ora Navigation for Mental Health Addiction and Disability. Kaitiaki Tua Whakarere uses Kawakawa Mea Katoa Rongoā to support Māori living with disability. They have a website coming soon, in the meantime you can email or find more information on their Facebook page.

Pacific disability support services

If we are missing a useful service or resource, please contact us.

Faiva Ora leadership group

Faiva Ora are a Pacific community mandated group. Their role enables Pacific peoples with disabilities to advance and champion issues affecting them in New Zealand. The Faiva Ora leadership group external URL meet every quarter to discuss the impact of these issues on disabled communities, their family members and āiga, and provides advice on how to resolve them.

They are the Chief Pacific Advisor to the work of Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People.

Other services, resources and support

  • In-Home Disability Care Services at Pacific Homecare external URL : Pacific Homecare take a sensitive cultural approach to their work. They can provide disability care for people of all ages with physical, sensory and/or intellectual impairments who are, or want to live independently in their community.
  • Vaka Tautua external URL : A national "by Pacific, for Pacific" health, disability and social services provider in Aotearoa with a strong presence in the Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago regions.
  • Tofa Mamao Collective external URL : A grassroots collective of tagata sa’ilimalo (Pacific disabled people, their families/nofo-a-kainga, and carers/supporters/tautua soifua in Aotearoa). They work to promote the independent voice of tagata sa’ilimalo on regional, national, and international issues.
  • Tongan/Tamaki Langafonua Community Centre on Healthpoint external URL : This service is committed to identifying and meeting the needs of the Tamaki community, especially those of Pacific descent. Auckland-based, they provide a residential service to disabled people to live in a supported community environment. To apply for the residential service you need to be referred by a needs assessment service.