National Pacific Consumer and Family Recovery Conference

Le Va sponsored the inaugural national Pacific consumer and family recovery conference. This was through a successful application by the Waitemata DHB to the Fakatu’amelie Innovation Fund for a one-off grant last year. The conference was held from on 7-8 May at the Waipuna Hotel in Auckland, with over 150 in attendance.

The theme was “Journey of wellness to wellness”, and the conference began with a powerful and highly symbolic welcoming ceremony by Mana Whenua (Tainui waka) and the Popao Group. They were joined on stage by a pan-pacific delegation of sector and community leaders. The Pacific contingent was ably led by Samoan orator chief and Matua Levao from Takanga a Fohe.

The two-day programme featured a number of speakers with inspirational, informative and challenging presentations (PDF, 66kb). Dr Monique Faleafa as sponsor gave the opening address where she challenged conference participants to open their hearts and minds (PDF, 25kb). The keynote speaker, Karlo Mila-Schaaf, delivered a thought-provoking and often moving account of her experience with mental illness. Rev Imoa Setefano also gave a moving account of his own experience with mental illness and his role as a Samoan Church Minister.

Launch of the four regional and national vaka (taonga) and forums

vaka This very successful conference saw the official launch of four regional Pacific consumer and family forums or networks. It was also the official launch of a national Pacific consumer and family network.

The five carved waka taonga, made by the Popao group, were then presented to representative from each region and also to the national network. Children from each of the four regions were asked to come up with pictures which best depicts a “healthy Pacific mind”. These pictures combined also make up the official logo for the national forum.

Le Va wishes to acknowledge the Council For Mental Wellbeing Trust (CMWT) and the Auckland Regional Consumer Network (ARCN). Conference MC, Tuiloma Lina Samu (chairperson, CMWT) with Gary Sutcliff (manager RCN) and Tou Hau, (resource coordinator RCN) made a surprise announcement later during the conference. On behalf of the ARC, which is the operational arm for the CMWT, they generously pledged support for the ongoing development of the Pacific regional and national forums by gifting their policies, procedural and other key documentation, for the forums to use. Le Va would also like to acknowledge Dean Manly from the Mental Health Foundation for hosting the conference steering group and allowing for the use of the meeting room.

Launch of the Music to Metaphor II CD:
A unison of oars - Takanga a Fohe

The "Music to Metaphor" music CD titled A unison of oars: Takanga a Fohe was also officially launched at the conference. The words for each of the regional songs were written by the four regions themselves. They were then arranged and put to music CD by Papali’i Johnny Siaosi as producer and instrumentalist for all the tracks. Limited copies of the CDs are available by contacting Le Va or Johnny Siaosi. The CD artwork, skilfully put together with support from WISE communications, is based on the official logo.

Launch of Real Skills Plus Seitapu

The first day ended with a conference dinner and the official launch of Le Va’s Real skills plus Seitapu document. Vito Nonumalo presented this important document to the sector with the instigator and founder of Seitapu, Fuimaono Karl Pulotu Endemann. This document presents a framework of the essential and desirable knowledge, skills and attitude attributes for any person in the mental health and addiction workforce who is working with a Pacific person, people or their families. This framework complements and sits alongside the Let's get real framework.

Day two saw the completion of the journey story "from Wellness to Wellness" and was attended by National MP for Maungakiekie, Peseta Sam Lotu- Iiga. Peseta was invited to say a few words to the conference delegates. He wished the conference and participants well and thanked them for the opportunity to attend. Le Va is extremely proud to have been given the opportunity to support this ground-breaking consumer-initiated and consumer-led initiative.

Video highlights

View all						Part 1	Part 2	Part 3
Event highlights (short) length: 2.00						Event highlights (long) length 15.00

Part 1	Part 2	Part 3	Part 4	Part 5	Part 6
Tupu Drama length: 31.00