E tipu, e rea, mō ngā rā o tōu ao.

A committed pair of whaiora saw this intake through to completion, and their achievement sits within a wider story, both raised in Ōtautahi part of a generation of troubled youth, gangs and substance abuse, its increasingly difficult to properly articulate the weight this generation has carried, yet if this shift in narrative tells us anything, the way these tāne stayed the course and trusted the process speaks to a generational turning of the tide, one that we have as an organisation have witnessed first hand as they continue to walk through our doors week in week out seeking wellness.

Much like any journey of an internal nature, the Mauri Ora Experience (MOE) is not linear. It asks whaiora to step into unfamiliar spaces, confront old patterns, unearth their “why,” and rebuild themselves from a foundation in tikanga and whakapapa. That mahi is never easy, and yet every person who entered the whare this cycle brought courage with them, whether they stayed for a day, a week, or the full eight-week journey.

The kaupapa of MOE begins with pōwhiri, where we lay down the challenge to each person providing each participant with an unique opportunity to facilitate change from the inside out, from there, each week builds upon the last: exploring identity through life stories, reconnecting with Māoritanga & whakapapa, facing the impacts of addiction or harm, strengthening whānau relationships, and stepping deeper into te ao Māori through wānanga, whakairo & noho marae. By Weeks Six to Eight, graduation becomes a moment not just of completion, but of recognition, a marker of where someone has travelled from, and the potential that lies ahead.