Pasefika Development
Recognising that a significant percentage of Visionwest’s client whānau and many of our kaimahi (staff) are Pasefika, we have taken a proactive approach to Pasefika development within the Trust. Judy Mataia, our Director of Housing and Pasefika Development, leads this work and also chairs our Pasefika Fono, alongside members Louise Fruean, Lila Taulapiu, and Tillie Lima.
In July, a gathering of Pasefika staff was held with the attendance of Lisa Woolley (Tumu Whakarae), Sandra Hewlett (Director of People and Culture), and board member Lady Maliena Jones. The focus of the meeting was to identify strategies that would create greater opportunities for leadership and strengthen cultural competency – both among Pasefika staff and across the wider organisation. We also hope, in the near future, to appoint a part-time Pasefika Strategic Coordinator to support these initiatives.
A highlight of the past year was the opening of Le Aute, a dedicated transitional housing home for young Pasefika women experiencing housing insecurity. Le Aute provides not only stable accommodation but also mentoring opportunities as the young women work towards securing permanent housing. Some of the residents are also engaged with Ōhinga Tū or other Visionwest support services – more about Le Aute can be found in the Milestones section of this report.
To celebrate and uplift Pasefika culture, we marked three Pasefika Language Weeks – Tongan, Samoan, and Cook Islands – with further celebrations planned for the year ahead. Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa (Samoan Language Week) was especially memorable, concluding with a staff fashion show featuring custom-designed garments from FOU, a Pacific New Zealand fashion collective. Nora, one of our Tenancy Managers, is both a fashion designer and member of this collective and played a key role in the event’s success.
An important part of the role of our Pasefika Development Fono is to represent Visionwest at external Pasefika organisations and forums. Through this work, Visionwest is actively involved in groups such as the Oranga Tamariki Advocacy Group, ProPa (the ProCare Pacific Advisory Committee), and the Pacific Women’s National Network.
