Delivering on Public Health workforce development

Le Va is delivering results to actions within Taeao O Tautai: the Pacific public health workforce development plan 2012-2017. This work and results also contribute to objective 3 of Te Uru Kahikatea, New Zealand’s public health workforce development plan: to strengthen the Pacific public health workforce as well as the capability of the non-Pacific public health workforce. 

The following results have been achieved by working in collaboration with others (such as the Public Health Association) and include:

• 162 public health workers successfully completed Le Va’s Engaging Pasifika cultural competency training programme, adapted and tailored for public health frontline workers. Evaluations show 100% of participants strongly or moderately agreed that the programme was excellent, and they have increased knowledge in the issues Pasifika people face and enhanced confidence and skills to engage with Pasifika people.
• The development, launch and facilitation of Moana Ola, a national Pacific public health network that Le Va supports to be an autonomous, independent body with 23 key organisations as members. Also funding the writing of policy papers by the group.
• Growing Pasifika public health leadership by: supporting Pasifika public health workers to complete Le Va’s Le Tautua emerging leaders programme; contributing to the Ministry of Health’s Public Health Leadership Programme; and working with Pasifika leaders in local government.
• Promoting relevant funding and qualifications to target groups to increase the uptake of specific public health qualifications, so that we are upskilling our Pasifika community Public Health workforce.

Le Va currently serves on the Ministry of Health’s external advisory group to contribute to the refresh of Te Uru Kahikatea and we look forward to supporting a new plan in the future.