Working with whānau hauā

Manawa mai te mauri nuku
Manawa mai te mauri rangi
Ko te Mauri kei au
He mauri tipua
Ka pakaru mai te pō
Tau mai te mauri
Haumi e, hui e, tāīki e!

Gather the lifeforce of the earth
Gather the lifeforce of the sky
The lifeforce within us is powerful
Magnificent that shatters all darkness
We acknowledge the Lifeforce
Gather Together, Move Together.

Manawa - guiding our approach

Our work with whānau hauā Māori is guided by Manawa.

Manawa mai te Mauri! Gather the Lifeforce!

This whakatauakī (proverb) relates to understanding what is important to understand the ‘hearts’ of whānau hauā Māori.

Each pou of Manawa is underpinned with a whakataukī that anchors and provides context to guide our staff in the mahi.

Whakapapa | Family connections

E kore au e ngaro, he kakano I ruia mai I Rangiātea.
I will never be lost, for I am a seed sown from Rangiātea.

We promote Whakapapa through:

  • Te Reo Māori The Māori language, connection to ancestors.

  • Hononga – Union, bond, identity.

  • Taiao – Environment, Tribal Landmarks, Maunga, Marae, Hapū, Iwi.

Ngā wawata | Aspirations

Aroha atu, Aroha mai.
Love Received, Love Returned.

We promote Ngā wawata through:

  • Whanaungatanga – Connection, relationship, shared experiences, working together, sense of belonging, sense of whānau, collective.

  • Aroha – Love, action, kind, caring, reciprocity.

  • Piritahitanga – Bringing whānau together to hear their voices.

Rangatiratanga | Self-determination

Mahia te mahi hei painga mo te iwi.
Work for the betterment of the people.

We promote Rangatiratanga though:

  • Tikanga – Customary values and practices.

  • Kawa – Marae protocol, customs of the marae, formal events like pōwhiri.

  • Kai o te tinana, kai o te hinengaro – Positivity, Goodness for the body and soul.

  • Kawanatanga – Authority, Governorship.

Ngā taonga tuku iho | Treasures passed down from the ancestors

He taonga tuku iho nō ngā tupuna.
Treasures (language, resources, traditions) passed down from our ancestors.

We promote Ngā taonga tuku iho through:

  • Mātauranga – Knowledge, Te Ao Māori practices.

  • Hauora – Well-being.

  • Wairua – Spirituality.

  • Mauri – Life force.

Ko tā mātou e tuku nei | Disability Support

CCS Disability Action provides support, information and advocacy for whānau hauā, tamariki and taitamariki across Aotearoa. Our team offer a range of support services to meet the needs of your whānau using kaupapa Māori principles.

A hongi between two men in front of a marae.

These services include:

  • Good information. We support you to access information to provide a pathway of choices and opportunities.

  • Community connections. We hold Karanga Maha hui on local accessible marae to hear the aspirations of whānau hauā.

  • Navigating your options. We support your Mana Motuhake (having control of your destiny) to have the life you want.

  • Advocacy. We support you to speak for yourself or your whānau or provide independent support with other organisations.

If you would like to learn more about CCS Disability Action’s disability support services please contact your local branch.

Nau mai, haere mai ki Karanga Maha

Karanga Maha (meaning ‘Many Voices’) are a series of hui driven by local steering groups with support from CCS Disability Action. We partner with whānau across Aotearoa to offer you an opportunity to share aspirations, stories, life experiences and information underpinned by kaupapa Māori.

These hui are a safe space for whānau hauā to be heard. They are also an opportunity to share your thoughts and opinions on the services we provide.

Our Karanga Maha events featured guest speakers, workshops, music, opportunities to learn about Māori practices, traditional kai and more.

Where do Karanga Maha groups run?

We currently have Karanga Maha roopu in Te Tai Tokerau, Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki and Wellington. CCS Disability Action has branches all across Aotearoa and we are working to build more connections, in new communities. If you are outside these areas we would still love to hear from you.

How do I access a Karanga Maha hui or roopu?

All people and their supporters are welcome. You do not need to be supported by CCS Disability Action to attend or receive disability support or funding from other agencies.

If you would like to connect with a Karanga Maha roopu near you please contact Recenia Kākā, our National Māori Development Coordinator: Recenia.Kaka@ccsDisabilityAction.org.nz

Pou Hono Manawa

Pou Hono Manawa is a new way of working with disabled people and whānau in the Wellington region. It is a Kaupapa Māori-led approach, drawing on Te Ao Māori to shape how your support looks.

We can help you:

  • Connect with your whakapapa and culture.

  • Build relationships with others, including our Karanga Maha, Many Voices whānau.

  • Live in the community and home of your choosing.

  • Share your voice and aspirations.

CCS Disability Action is committed to achieving whānau-led, sustainable outcomes through whanaungatanga and mātauranga Māori.

Our Pou Hono Manawa team will:

  1. Treat you with dignity and respect in a way that meets your cultural needs.

  2. Ensure our communication works well for you and your whānau so that you can fully contribute to our mahi.

  3. Outline clear timelines and actions, so we remain accountable to you.

  4. Commit to working to tackle any barriers.

  5. Work in partnership to resource you to achieve the life you want.

How do I access Pou Hono Manawa?

Pou Hono Manawa is a free service for people eligible for disability support services from Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People within the Wellington region. This covers Wellington, Porirua, and Kapiti (up to Peka Peka).

This means that you, or a whānau member, can be aged up to 65 and experience any impairment. This could be a learning, physical, sensory, or autism spectrum impairment.

The first step to accessing funded support is to meet with your local Needs Assessment and Coordination Agency. For the Wellington region, this is Capital Support and Your Way, Kia Rohe.

If you would like support to work through this process, please get in touch with our Wellington branch.

Developing accessible communities for whānau hauā

On a sunny day, a line of people is outside the marae waiting to enter.

At the heart of CCS Disability Action’s vision is a society where all people are included in the life of their community and whānau. Our goal is to is to be responsive to whānau hauā and work inclusively for the benefit of all.

As part of our commitment to tangata whenua we work with hapū and iwi to identify and remove barriers that prevent people from achieving their goals.

This could involve:

  • Drawing on our ‘Accessible Marae Toolkit’ to help you include disabled Māori while honouring tikanga.

  • Supporting kaumatua, kuia and disabled whānau to remain connected or build connections to their marae.

  • Providing guidance on the best practice in accessibility, to ensure you meet the access needs of your people.

  • Upskill your team through training and development to best meet the needs of whānau hauā.