Two Pasifika research projects creating hope for our Pasifika communities

Last month a series of free webinar sessions organised were made available to the community via Youtube, sharing the findings of Two Pasifika research projects selected under the Te Rā o Te Waka Hourua Fund – The Waka Hourua Strategic Research Agenda for Māori and Pasifika.

The fund was established in 2014 under the Waka Hourua Māori and Pasifika Suicide Prevention Programme with an aim to provide opportunities for Māori whānau, hapū, iwi, Pasifika family, community groups and organisations to investigate a well-defined area of Māori and/or Pasifika health need or gain relevant to suicide prevention identified by the communities.

The two key objectives of the fund were to:

• Build an evidence base of what works for Māori whānau, hapū, iwi, Pasifika families, and communities to prevent suicide, through research carried out by, with and for these groups
• Build the leadership for suicide prevention

The two Pasifika research projects selected explored areas such as Suicide Postvention: Support for Pacific communities led by Dr Jemaima Tiatia-Seath and Investigating Pasifika cultural strengths and prevention of suicide led by Taimalieutu Kiwi Tamasese and Tafaoimalo Loudeen Parsons. 

Waka Hourua Webinar Series Part 1 – Suicide Postvention: Support for Pacific Communities

Dr Jemaima Tiatia-Seath

With the goal of creating Pasifika postvention guidelines, Jemaima understood the importance of engaging Pasifika communities and examining what they considered to be the most important, appropriate and effective components to include. This was key in finding the best possible support for Pasifika individuals, families, and communities bereaved by suicide.

 
Jemaima and her team conducted their research through a range of mixed methods such as data collation via a survey, focus groups and forums with Pasifika communities. 

Waka Hourua Webinar Series Part 4 – Pasifika Cultural Strengths and Prevention of Suicide

Taimalieutu Kiwi Tamamsese & Tafaoimalo Loudeen Parsons

This research investigated cultural strengths and the links with suicide prevention approaches in three Pasifika groups and develop projects to then be piloted.  In summary the research:

1. Identified Tokelauan, Cook Island and Samoan cultural concepts and knowledge on suicide and its prevention.
2. Developed practices and responses for piloting from the Tokelauan, Cook Island and Samoan cultural concepts and knowledge that can assist in the prevention of suicide.
3. Developed Tokelauan, Cook Island and Samoan suicide prevention mental health practices for piloting within mental health services.