An event was held last night to honour World Suicide Prevention Day and launch ‘Kei te aha Tairāwhiti, how are you?’ a suicide prevention and wellbeing campaign.
The campaign follows the teachings of Te Whare Tapa Wha (taha hinengaro/mental, taha wairua/spiritual, taha tinana/physical and taha whānau/family) and Five Ways to Wellbeing (give, be active, keep learning, connect, take notice). The campaign has had input from local businesses, community-based support services, sports clubs, and whānau.
During the evening, there were a number of guest speakers including Mates of Tairāwhiti, a suicide prevention workplace training group and Moko Tu Rongo, a ‘by whānau for whānau’ group that uses taonga tuku iho to support bereaved whānau.
Hineiti Monika, Te Whatu Ora Tairāwhiti Suicide Prevention Postvention Coordinator, gave a memorable speech that acknowledged the hard work and collaboration involved in the campaign.
She acknowledged whānau from throughout te Tairāwhiti who are passionate about this kaupapa.
“Due to this hard work, the Tairāwhiti community can expect to see some powerful messages and kaupapa being shared over the next weeks,” she said.
Hineiti says there are four focus areas of suicide prevention including promotion, prevention, intervention, postvention.
“The Kei te aha Tairāwhiti campaign is shares important messages however there needs to be a range of activities and services in each area to best support our whānau.”
“Last week we hosted LeVa, an organisation that equips communities with tools to run Mana Akiaki, which is suicide prevention training through a Māori lens. It was amazing to see a room full of eager learners at this event, one aged 82 at that.”
“Our community knows the statistics. We know the huge impact that suicide can and does cause. Collectively we need to be accountable.”
“The greatest thing about our rohe is that it’s small; we all know each other, so we have an investment to care. Every life matters, he tapu te oranga o ia tangata.”
To view the “Kei te aha Tairāwhiti” collateral and for more information on where to find support, visit suicideprevention.org.nz
ENDS