May 2016: The programme recently received Lake DHB's Māori Nursing and Midwifery Development Award in recognition for the work done in developing and growing such a quality programme.
Tane Takitu Ake Paewhiriwhri, men's health coordinator, Tracey "Oots" Ormsby explains, "for me winning this award is a great testament to the work that is being done not only by us as a team but the wider community, it's leaders and organisations."
The awards celebrate the excellence and innovation in nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals over the year. Oots believes their achievements have been the result of a key component of their kaupapa, the importance of leadership.
Those responsible for running and overseeing the programme agree that the role General Manager, Hariata Vercoe played has had a significant impact on the programme's overall success and reflects positive leadership.
"Not many times do you see a general manager in the kitchen preparing kai and doing dishes for us and then go on to being our Kaikaranga during powhiri. It is these grassroots examples from leaders in our community that help drive the programme and help express its values. We must emulate leadership in Tane Takitu Ake, if we expect the men we work with to be leaders in their homes."
Other key support has come from the organisations in Rotorua that lend their support to Tane Takitu Ake and the men who take part. In particular, General Practice who provide referrals form doctors and practice nurses.
Registered Nurse, Tim Ryan, who is the clinical advisor of the programme agrees with his colleague and sees the award as recognising the efforts of their team and those inspirational men who have taken part in the programme.
"It was a huge privilege and I felt it acknowledged the hard work that all our tāne have done during their 10 week course. It has been those who have supported us who have made this programme possible, in particular Hariata Vercoe our general manager" adds Tim.
Active engagement and positive change is the cornerstone of the project explains Tim, "as a whānau we engage with our tāne Māori and it gives us such a great opportunity to help create positive change through role modelling and hand-on workshops around fitness, kai and whānau."
