NATINA Conference Neuroscience and Trauma Informed Network Aotearoa

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.