Enhancing mental health and disability cultural competency in Canterbury

Engaging Pasifika cultural competency learners develop practical knowledge and skills to effectively engage with Pasifika clients and their families, especially at the critical first point of contact. 

Due to high demand in the Canterbury region from mental health, addiction and disability support services, we recently delivered back-to-back workshops over two days to more than 60 mainstream health professionals.  

The Day One workshop was attended by workers from different organisations across the breadth of health sector, including Canterbury DHB, Enabling Good Lives Christchurch, CanBreathe, Richmond Services, Screen South, Family Works, Laura Fergusson Trust, Sport Canterbury, The Cube, Housing Recovery Services and the Chris Ruth Centre. 

The Day Two workshop was specifically tailored to LifeLinks, a Disability and Mental Health organisation. LifeLinks provides Needs Assessment and Service Coordination for people under 65, with a physical, sensory, intellectual, neurological, psychiatric, alcohol and/or drug disability.

Tailoring a programme for LifeLinks included guest facilitator Felicia Manase who presented from her perspective as a young Pacific female with a different ability. Felicia is member of the Faiva Ora leadership group which enables Pasifika people with disabilities to have a national voice to represent their views at the highest levels in New Zealand.

Both groups responded positively to the programme, and evaluations across the two days indicate that approximately 90 per cent of people rated the programme as excellent. Feedback was extremely positive, with many commenting that Felicia’s story was inspiring and amazing!

Thank you all for being such engaging groups. It is definitely rewarding reading and hearing all your thoughts via the feedback evaluation forms. It is always a privilege for Le Va to share information, tools and resources about how to better engage with our Pacific families and communities. 

#IgnitingCommunities #PasifikaWellbeing #CultureAndCareConnect #ChillyChristchurch

Ia manuia 
Esther Faitala

Saveatama Eroni Clarke starts the workshop with an icebreaker.	EP facilitators (l-r) Saveatama Eroni Clarke, Ben Tameifuna and Abba Fidow.
Special guest presenter Felicia Manase.	Saveatama Eroni Clarke and EP workshop participants.