To wrap up 2025, our Te Hono crew decided to do what any sensible bunch of exhausted-but-determined community warriors would do… go paintballing. It was chaotic, hilarious, and absolutely brutal. The bruises will be with us well into 2026, but so will the memories.

After surviving that mission, we refilled our wairua with the most delicious kai from our favourite local talent, Trish Barlow. As always, perfection.

And then came the part none of us were ready for: saying goodbye to our beloved kaimahi, our sister, our pou Hayley.

What. A. Year.

2025… holly molly. Usually, I write these blogs and talk about the highlights, the wins, the moments that made us proud. But if I’m honest, this year has felt like one giant, messy rollercoaster. Twists we didn’t see coming, drops that took our breath away, and somehow, we still found ourselves holding on tight, together.

I am unbelievably proud of us. Every single one of you at Te Hono gives your whole heart to our people. You show up, even when the world feels heavy, even when the system feels stacked against us. Normally I’d write little blurbs about each kaimahi, but this year I just want to say this:

Thank you. Truly. Deeply. Thank you.

The political climate is unsettling. The direction of the current government is concerning. But through all of that uncertainty, you have each continued to do the mahi with courage, compassion, and absolute determination. So again, thank you.

Let’s strap in and see where the 2026 ride takes us. We will face it the way we always do, together.

A Big Change Ahead: Farewelling Our Hayley

But the real reason for this blog is to acknowledge a significant transition in our team, one that comes with both deep sadness and even deeper gratitude. In 2026, we will be losing one of our most influential pou… our Hayley.

It has been an absolute privilege to walk alongside her through so many seasons of life. Hayley is one of those rare people whose aroha radiates in everything she does. She is kind, caring, grounded, and generous beyond words, the kind of person who truly would give you the shirt off her back.

Her contribution to our people, to our rangatahi, and to Te Tai o Poutini has been immense. She has poured so much of herself into others, shaping a stronger, safer, more connected community. Her journey has not always been easy, but her growth has been beautiful: learning, healing, transforming, and lifting others as she climbs.

We are going to miss her and her whānau dearly. As friends, as colleagues, and as a community. Hokitika has truly lost one of its great pou a pillar of mana wāhine, strength, and compassion.

Hayley, thank you for choosing this place. Thank you for raising your whānau here and for giving so much of yourself to this community. Thank you for walking alongside us from the beginning, for your fierce loyalty, for your healing journey that you have shared so openly to light the path for others.

Thank you for the aroha, the laughter, the sweat, the mahi, the tears, and all those quiet moments of kindness that most people will never see but which have stitched this community closer together.

As you cross the moana into your next adventure, know this:

Your roots will always remain here. Deep. Strong. Loved.
You have left a legacy that will continue long after you’ve gone.

On behalf of all of us at Te Mahi Ako, I’m delighted to congratulate you and the team at Te Hono o Ngā Waka on winning our 2025 Small Business Award – Transforming Tomorrow’s Workforce.

Your achievement is a testament to the incredible impact you’ve made in such a short time. Despite being a new business, your strong commitment to developing your team and building capability truly stands out. The way your staff have embraced Te Mahi Ako’s tikanga programme reflects your dedication to continuous learning and cultural grounding.

What sets Te Hono o Ngā Waka apart is your proactive approach to growth, not just delivering services, but ensuring your team is skilled, confident, and future-ready. This commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a learning culture is inspiring and makes a meaningful difference for both your people and the communities you serve.

A special mention that you were nominated by your regional advisor, Cherie Baker, who will be in touch soon to present your trophy.

Ngā mihi nui for leading the way and showing what’s possible. We’re proud to celebrate your success and look forward to seeing your continued impact.

Te Hono o Ngā Waka was created in response to a need felt deeply within their community – whānau who were disconnected, isolated, or falling through the gaps of existing systems. From that need grew a kaupapa grounded firmly in tikanga, manaakitanga, and aroha: a place where whānau could reconnect to culture, identity, and opportunity. Their name, Te Hono o Ngā Waka, represents the binding together of many waka and many journeys into one collective pathway. It speaks to unity, shared strength, and the belief that no one should move forward alone.

Winning this award so early in their journey is more than just an achievement – it is an affirmation. For the team, it recognises the resilience of their people, the dedication of their kaimahi, and the power of Māori-led, culturally grounded solutions. It validates their approach and confirms that their mahi is creating meaningful, lasting impact within their community.

Embedding Te Mahi Ako’s tikanga programme into their workplace was never optional; it was essential. Tikanga shapes every interaction, every decision, and every act of service. It ensures their environment is culturally safe, affirming, and mana-enhancing for both kaimahi and whānau, while keeping the team anchored in values rather than simply tasks.

Their investment in upskilling has strengthened the entire organisation. Kaimahi have gained confidence, clarity, and the tools to support whānau with professionalism and integrity. Their practice is safer, their service delivery stronger, and continuous learning has become part of their identity as a team. One defining moment stands out for them: watching staff confidently facilitate wānanga using tikanga-based tools – opening with karakia, grounding the space with mana, and guiding whānau with compassion. Seeing their team step fully into their power remains one of the greatest rewards of this mahi.

What makes Te Hono o Ngā Waka truly unique is that kaupapa Māori sits at the heart of everything they do, never as an add-on. Their approach is whānau-centred, trauma-informed, relational, and strengths-based. They walk alongside whānau at their pace, honouring every story and celebrating every strength. Their community knows they are committed for the long haul.

As a new organisation, capacity has been one of their biggest challenges – balancing immense community need with a small team and limited resources. They have navigated this through collaboration, strong relationships, and a willingness to be flexible and innovative. Even under pressure, holding fast to their kaupapa has kept them steady, grounded, and connected.

Their proactive approach to building capability is not just about professional development; it is about shaping safer, stronger outcomes for whānau. A skilled, culturally grounded workforce leads to better advocacy, deeper trust, and truly transformational support. When their kaimahi grow, their community grows alongside them.

Their advice to other small businesses is simple yet powerful: make learning an everyday practice, build an environment where reflection, honesty, and curiosity are valued, allow people the space to grow at their own pace, and most importantly, ensure leaders walk the talk. When leadership embraces learning, the whole team follows.

Looking ahead, Te Hono o Ngā Waka is focused on expanding capability, strengthening trauma-informed and cultural services, and growing pathways that help whānau thrive. Sustainability, deeper partnerships, and the expansion of safe cultural spaces are central to their next phase. Their momentum will continue as long as they remain aligned with their kaupapa and guided by the needs of their people.

We have been working with a young wahine who had not attended mainstream schooling for over three years. Like many neurodiverse tamariki, she had quietly fallen through the gaps, struggling to re-engage in school, declined twice for assessment through the public system, and facing barriers that made accessing support incredibly difficult.

When we started working with her, she slowly began to reconnect, joining group sessions, building friendships, and gently working through social anxieties that had once held her back. Over time, she started learning about who she is, where she comes from, and what it feels like to be grounded in identity, culture and belonging. Her confidence began to grow, and so did her spark.

With our wrap-around support for her and her whānau, we were able to advocate for assessment funding, secure a diagnosis for neurodiversity, and transition her into home-based learning through Te Kura — a setting that honored her pace and unique way of learning.

The change has been incredible. Below is feedback from her teacher:

"She has responded wonderfully to learning from home. She met with me online every week, spoke freely and comfortably, and consistently submitted high-quality work at an increasingly challenging level. She also attended online classes regularly.

She was awarded a tohu at the end of the year, although travel was too far to attend the ceremony, so it will be sent to her.

End-of-year assessments show her working at a much higher level than indicated at enrolment. I often see this for ākonga with ASD when they are removed from the noise and pressure of a classroom environment and can learn in their own space and time.

She should be incredibly proud — she’s had an awesome year!”

Her journey reminds us of what happens when a young person is given time, patience and a place where they feel safe to simply be themselves. With identity, connection and the right support, potential is not just reached, it flourishes.

Another success story.
Another tamaiti thriving.
This is why we do the mahi.

This month we had the absolute privilege of taking our rōpū of 20 kaumātua to Punakaiki to walk their Pathway. The sea breeze, the sound of waves crashing on the papa, and the gentle pace we walked together carried a feeling of calm, connection and deep appreciation. Every step was shared, every story treasured, and every moment wrapped in aroha.

After our tour, we came together for a delicious shared kai. The tables were full – not just with beautiful food, but with kōrero, memories, jokes, and that unmistakable kaumātua humor that fills a room right to the edges. These are the moments we hold close. Simple, joyful, grounded in whānau.

We have done the Māwhera (Greymouth) Pounamu Pathway, and the group are already buzzing with excitement to explore it next. Kawatiri (Westport) is also calling our names – another journey ahead, another story to write together. Each pathway holds history, knowledge and the footsteps of our people who have travelled before us. What a gift to be able to walk it with our pakeke by our side.

A year full of wānanga, laughter, challenge, growth and togetherness. We love them – not just for who they are today, but for everything they have survived that allows us to stand where we are now. They remind us that resilience runs in our blood. They are proof that we can endure hardships, rise again, and continue forward.

As we head toward the end of 2025, we are looking forward to sharing our Christmas dinner with them. A special time to celebrate relationships, acknowledge the year that has been, and simply enjoy each other’s company. These are our pillars, our taonga, our living libraries. We wouldn’t be here without them.

He whakaaro, he puna aroha – this is our kaumātua rōpū, and we are endlessly grateful.

Witnessing growth is a privilege. This year, we have had the honour of walking alongside a group of homeschooled rangatahi as they moved through a journey of learning, friendship, and rising above their own self-doubt. We watched anxiety slowly become accomplishment, and watched belonging grow where uncertainty once lived.

One moment that stands out was our zip-lining adventure. High up in the trees, toes over the edge of the platform, every young person met both physical and mental challenge — a direct face-off with their inner fears. I saw nervous glances, heard quiet hesitations, and watched shoulders rise with tension. Yet within our small, supportive group something beautiful unfolded. With one-on-one reassurance, gentle encouragement, and cheers from new friends, they chose courage.

One by one, they stepped forward.
One by one, they leapt.
“I can’t” became “I did it!”

Every single one of them overcame anxiety, self-doubt, and fear — and they did it together.

This success didn’t begin at the treetops. It was built from the foundation we have been growing throughout the year. The magic wasn’t just in adrenaline, but in connection. Our small numbers and intentional one-on-one support created emotional safety — a place where vulnerability is welcomed, where showing hesitation isn’t weakness, and where confidence grows quietly with time. At Te Kete, that sense of belonging continues to deepen through shared learning.

Supporting them with schoolwork, visiting places meaningful to them, and sitting side by side practising kupenga (net weaving) and other crafts — these moments taught them a different kind of resilience. Their hands were busy, voices calm, not always many words spoken, yet something powerful was happening. Threads crossed, knots tightened, friendships strengthened. Together they wove nets — and with them, a support system just as strong.

These experiences become stepping stones toward a confident future. Whether transitioning back into a traditional school setting or growing into a wider wrap-around support network, they now carry something precious: proof of their own strength, and the knowledge that they are surrounded by people who believe in them.

Watching these young people shift from hesitation to courage, from individuals to a connected rōpū, has been a joy. They didn’t just conquer a zip line — they conquered fear. They formed friendships. They discovered inner strength.

And we couldn’t be prouder.

I truly did not expect this nomination, and if I’m honest, I don’t feel like I deserve it. I know everyone will say I do, but in my heart, I believe there are so many others who are just as deserving, if not more. None of this mahi is ever done alone. We are all in this waka together, as our whakataukī reminds us.

There are countless people who have shaped my journey, lifted me, challenged me, and walked beside me. I could never thank them all, but every single one of them is part of why I stand where I do today.

To all of the beautiful whānau who trust me to support, guide, and walk alongside you, ngā mihi nui ki a koutou. You are the heartbeat of this mahi. Your courage, your honesty, your belief in me is what keeps me going every single day. I love this work with all my heart and would not want to be anywhere else.

I am proud to be Māori, proud to serve my people on my own whenua, and proud to uplift our whānau in the ways I can. It is a privilege I never take for granted.

At the same time, I wish we didn’t have to do so much of this heavy mahi, mahi borne from colonisation, discrimination, trauma, and inequity. I dream of the day when our time is spent fully immersed in our taonga: mau rākau, te reo, kapa haka, raranga, miri miri, waka ama etc, everything that nourishes us.

But I know that if we keep supporting each other, guiding each other, and holding tight to our collective vision, we will get there. Maybe not in my lifetime, but perhaps for my mokopuna. With dreams like our kura and kōhanga on our whenua close, we are paddling in the right direction.

And finally, to my tīpuna, thank you. You hold me steady when the mahi gets hard, you guide my steps, and you cleared the pathway long before I walked it. Everything I do is because of you and for those yet to come.

Ngā mihi aroha ki a koutou katoa. He waka eke noa.

As we come to the end of another big, challenging year, I want to take a moment to acknowledge, honour, and celebrate our incredible Youth Team at Te Hono o Ngā Waka.

You are the heartbeat of so much of our mahi. You walk alongside some of the most vulnerable rangatahi of Te Tai o Poutini, the ones who are often misunderstood, pushed out, judged, or forgotten by the systems that were meant to serve them. Our youth who face discrimination, who have no mahi, who are navigating neurodiversity, unwellness, trauma, and lives with limited or no supports.

And let’s be clear, it’s not that our rangatahi don’t fit into the schooling system. It’s that the system has not adapted, shifted, or transformed to include them, uplift them, or respond to their needs. These are tamariki and rangatahi that the system didn’t serve at all, and still, you continue to show them that they matter, that they belong, and that they are absolutely worth investing in.

This mahi is not light work, but you carry it with such grace.

This year has been another tough one. We welcomed two new kaimahi into the rōpū, and even in the middle of huge learning curves, they jumped in with courage and heart. And to our Team Leader, after the most horrendous health year anyone could imagine, you still led with strength, humility, and fierce dedication. Most people can’t even comprehend what you have gone through, yet you continued to guide the team, support our rangatahi, and uphold the mana of this kaupapa. That’s leadership. That’s love. That’s purpose.

To each of you:
Your resilience is inspiring.
Your aroha is powerful.
Your mahi is changing lives, even on the days it feels invisible.

I see you.
Our community sees you.
Our rangatahi feel you walking beside them, even when they can’t always say it.

Thank you for every long day, every late-night message or tabletop gaming, every crisis attended, every ride given, every kōrero held, every laugh, every tear, and every bit of magic you bring into the lives of our young people.

Keep shining.
Keep doing what you do.
Because what you do matters more than you’ll ever know.

Ngā mihi nunui — forever grateful for you, Team Rangatahi.

Our Wāhine Pamper Day was a stunning reminder of what happens when wāhine come together to uplift, nurture, and celebrate one another. Around 18–20 wāhine joined us for a day dedicated to rest, reflection, and selfcare with free haircuts, nails, waewae mirimiri, and a chance to experience somatic therapy.

The atmosphere was full of laughter, kōrero, and aroha. As we shared kai and stories, we reflected on our journeys, some just beginning with us, others who have walked alongside Te Hono o Ngā Waka for the past five years. Each wahine brought her own story of growth, resilience, and transformation, and together we created a beautiful kupenga (net) of connection and support.

This day wasn’t just about pampering, it was about manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, and recognizing the strength of wāhine who hold so much for their whānau and communities. Kupenga is about weaving those threads together, strengthening each strand through aroha and shared experience.

We left feeling lighter, restored, and deeply connected. The kōrero, the laughter, the care, all reminders that when wāhine fill their own cups, they have even more to pour back into their whānau.

And yes, by popular demand, we’ll definitely be doing this again! These moments of celebration and healing are what keep our kaupapa strong.

He wāhine, he whenua, ka ngaro te tangata- Without women and land, humanity is lost.

Our 8-week Giving Up Vape/Smoke Support Group has wrapped up with incredible success!
Nine amazing whānau came together with courage, honesty, and aroha, learning, healing, and reclaiming their hauora.

Five have already quit completely, three have cut right back, and everyone gained new tools, confidence, and whanaungatanga.

We’re so proud of this kaupapa and all those who took part, proving that change happens through connection, culture, and compassion.

Thank you to the PHO who continue to sort us on this Journey esp Jackie who now is part of the team on a Thursday

#TeHāOra #TeHonoONgāWaka #Hauora #WhānauWellbeing #SmokeFreeAotearoa #ManaMotuhake #Whanaungatanga #ReclaimYourBreath

At Te Hono o Ngā Waka, we’re always looking for opportunities to learn, grow, and bring fresh knowledge back home to Te Tai o Poutini. This month, Julia and I were incredibly blessed to travel to Auckland to attend the very first NATINA Conference – Neuroscience and Trauma-Informed Network Aotearoa.

It was a full house with around 20 incredible speakers, each bringing their own blend of lived experience, expertise, and deep compassion. Every kōrero was powerful, you could feel the passion in the room as people spoke about changing systems, shifting mindsets, and centering aroha in all we do.

The conference brought together like minded people from all across Aotearoa, all committed to improving inclusion, equality, learning, and wellbeing for our tamariki in kura and in our wider communities. The kaupapa aligns perfectly with our mahi here on the Coast, where we walk alongside whānau with a trauma-informed, whānau-centred approach.

One kōrero that really stayed with us was this:

“Behavior is communication – listen, observe, validate, and empathise.”

We were reminded to ask pātai, look for the need driving the behavior, and most importantly, to see the person, not just the problem.
Meet the need. Reconnect. Equip tamariki with better ways to express themselves in the future. Model the behavior you want to teach in that order. That’s the heart and soul of working with our tamariki and whānau, instead of against them.

Sometimes the solution to a connection problem begins with just nine simple words:

“I’m here.” “I hear you.” “How can I help?”

This wānanga filled our kete with new insights, tools, and aroha. We came home feeling re-energised and grounded in purpose ready to keep building trauma informed, compassionate spaces for our tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau across Te Tai o Poutini.

At Te Hono o Ngā Waka, we’ll continue to walk alongside our community listening, learning, and leading with aroha so every whānau feels seen, heard, and supported to thrive.