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“Artificial intelligence will shape the future whether we participate or not. The real question is who gets to influence that future.

Aunty Dee, Le Va’s trusted online problem-solving tool, is entering an exciting new chapter with the development of an AI-enhanced version designed to strengthen support for young people and the mental health workforce who walk alongside them.  

For more than a decade, Aunty Dee has helped young people navigate challenges, build resilience and work through problems in a way that is practical, accessible and grounded in evidence-based problem-solving. Since its launch, the tool has supported thousands of users across Aotearoa and the Pacific, and has become a recognised part of the digital mental health landscape. 

This next phase brings together Pacific knowledge, clinical expertise, youth voice, workforce experience, research, evaluation and emerging technologies to explore new ways of strengthening mental health support for young people and the practitioners, families and communities who support them. 

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the way people access information, services and support, Le Va is exploring how these technologies can contribute to better mental health outcomes while remaining grounded in the values, relationships and cultural strengths that matter most to our communities. 

AI will shape the future

Le Va chief executive Mati Dr Elizabeth Mati says the project reflects Le Va’s commitment to helping shape the future of wellbeing support in ways that are both innovative and responsible: 

“Artificial intelligence will shape the future whether we participate or not. The real question is who gets to influence that future. 

Some of the most important decisions about wellbeing, support and human connection are already being made in technology. If Pacific communities, mental health leaders and those closest to the challenges we are trying to solve are not part of those conversations, it becomes harder to ensure emerging solutions are informed by lived experience, cultural knowledge and community expertise. 

We have a responsibility to understand these technologies, engage with them critically, and help shape how they are used. I want to see a future where culture, community wisdom, lived experience and clinical expertise sit alongside innovation, not outside it. 

Enhancing an already groundbreaking tool like Aunty Dee gives us a starting point to put those principles into practice. It allows us to explore how AI technology can strengthen access to support while remaining grounded in the values, strengths and aspirations of the people it is intended to serve. 

What gives me confidence is the calibre of people around this work. We have brought together leaders from mental health, Pacific health, workforce development, research, evaluation, youth wellbeing and technology to help shape what comes next.” 

The project is guided by a dedicated Expert Advisory Group established to provide cultural, clinical, ethical and technical support throughout development. The group brings together expertise across mental health, clinical psychology, Pacific health, cultural leadership, research and evaluation, youth voice, workforce development, digital innovation and artificial intelligence. 

Expert Advisory Group members 

The redevelopment is also being shaped by the collective leadership and expertise of Le Va and the Wise Group, drawing on decades of experience across mental health, suicide prevention, workforce development, clinical and cultural leadership, youth engagement, research and evaluation, communications and digital innovation. This expertise is further strengthened by external advisors and sector partners who are contributing to the project’s development. 

An opportunity to grow together

Over the coming months, the project will move through co-design, testing and development phases, ensuring the next generation of Aunty Dee reflects the needs and aspirations of the communities it is designed to support. Cultural integrity, clinical safety, workforce relevance and community voice will remain central throughout the journey. 

The project represents an important opportunity to contribute to growing conversations about the future of mental health support in Aotearoa. As we learn, we intend to share those learnings openly, recognising that innovation is strongest when knowledge is shared and communities grow together.  

By bringing together cultural wisdom, community leadership, evidence-informed practice and emerging technology, we hope this work contributes not only to the future of Aunty Dee, but to a growing body of knowledge that strengthens the capability of the wider village supporting our communities. 

Supported by the Workforce Futures Fund | Tahua Rāngamahi Anamata. 

As Pacific people, we do not study alone, so being part of Le Va was about doing things as a collective and also celebrating success.

When Dr Jack Scanlan walked across the stage at Massey University in May 2026 to graduate as Aotearoa New Zealand’s first Pacific Doctor of Social Work, he carried with him the hopes and dreams of his Samoan mother, āiga and ancestors.

A New Zealand-born Samoan, proudly hailing from Māngere, South Auckland, and the villages of Faleula and Vaiusu/Vaigaga in Samoa, Dr Scanlan made the valedictory address on behalf of the other students graduating that day.

“It’s a real honour to be named valedictorian. I want to thank our family and friends – those who have passed on and everyone in our lives who has supported our journey. Today is the day we get to carry you all across the stage with us,” he said.

Alongside completing his doctorate, Dr Scanlan also works as a social work lecturer for Massey University and is a former recipient of Le Va’s Futures that Work Pacific Mental Health and Addiction Scholarship.

When starting over as a mature student, his last assignment in the early 90s had been handwritten. Having to relearn how to study in a digital environment was a challenge:

“Le Va supported me by connecting me with like-minded Pacific students who were in the same boat. Le Va also provided me with a village. As Pacific people, we do not study alone, so being part of Le Va was about doing things as a collective and also celebrating success,” says Dr Scanlan.

His greatest challenge came in the final year of his master’s degree, when his mother tragically passed away. “My mother was my inspiration, my whole world. And thankfully, I was able to honour her – not only by earning my master’s degree with honours, but by being here today with a doctoral thesis named in her honour.”

Receiving the Futures that Work scholarship allowed Dr Scanlan to pursue doctoral research focused on transformational change, and to shift his career from social work leadership in the youth justice field to social work education, where he uses his passion and expertise to inspire others.

To his fellow graduates at Massey University, Dr Scanlan said, “The best is yet to come. Now let’s go out and make our village proud.”

And his message to students considering applying for Le Va’s Futures that Work Pacific Mental Health and Addiction Scholarship is, “Do it! You owe it to yourself, your āiga and the community.”

Learn more about Le Va’s Futures that Work Pacific Mental Health and Addiction Scholarship.

The buzz is back at ASB Polyfest 2026, and Le Va is once again at the heart of the action at the Manukau Sports Bowl.

As a Platinum Sponsor of the world’s largest Pacific secondary schools cultural festival, Le Va ensures its fale is a magnet for young people eager to connect and share their voices.

Chief Executive of Le Va, Mati Dr Elizabeth Mati, says, “Wishing all our incredible Polyfest performers the very best as you take the stage. Le Va is honoured to stand alongside the organisers, families, schools, tutors and communities whose love and dedication make this beautiful celebration of our culture possible.”

Le Va’s fan-favourite corned beef lifting challenge and temporary tatau station are drawing enthusiastic crowds and, if you’re aged 16 or over, there’s even more reason to stop by – be one of the first 1,000 to complete Le Va’s online youth wellbeing survey and receive Polyfest dollars to spend at the surrounding kai vendors.

Polyfest is a vibrant celebration of culture, identity and youth leadership where the known link between cultural identity and wellbeing is clear.

As such, the Pasifika youth survey is at the heart of Le Va’s presence at the festival. The insights gathered from young Pacific people directly shape the programmes and resources Le Va develops for communities across Aotearoa – covering mental health, coping strategies and what support young people want and need.

There’s another special reason to visit Le Va’s fale this Friday, 20 March. Aotearoa New Zealand’s Children’s Commissioner, Dr Claire Achmad, will be joining Dr Mati to speak with Pacific youth at 1pm.

Her visit is a strong signal that the voices of young Pacific people matter at the very highest levels and promises to be a meaningful and memorable moment in the festival.

It underlines the national importance of listening to young Pacific voices and ensuring those insights reach the people and systems that can act on them.

ASB Polyfest 2026 continues to be a powerful reminder that when communities come together, our young people thrive. The event runs until Saturday 21 March at the Manukau Sports Bowl, so come and find Le Va’s fale and make your voice heard!

Complete the survey

As Aotearoa’s Mental Health and Addiction Workforce Centre for Pacific, Le Va wants to hear directly from our Pacific workforce about your realities, challenges and aspirations, so we can strengthen the system together.

Pacific Mental Health and Addiction workforce survey

We are inviting all Pacific mental health and addiction workers across NGOs, PHOs, Te Whatu Ora, community services, regulated and non-regulated roles, to participate in our national survey.

The purpose of this survey is to understand:

Your insights will help build a clearer picture of how the Pacific MHA workforce is currently functioning and where further support or investment may be needed.  

The survey is anonymous, will be reported in summary form, and no identifying information will be included. Findings will inform Le Va’s workforce programmes and recommendations to funders and government. A summary of the results will also be shared with you and the MHA sector.

The survey takes from 10 to 15 minutes to complete. The survey will be open for completion until 11:59pm on Sunday 29 March.

We would sincerely appreciate your support in completing the survey and sharing this email with Pacific colleagues across your networks.

Complete the survey

Key information

Please download our Key Information document to get more detailed background information about our Pacific Mental Health and Addiction Workforce Survey, about our team and why we are asking you to participate.

Download key information

When Le Va chief executive Mati Dr Elizabeth Mati and senior manager Leilani Clarke touched down in Australia this month, they carried something the NRL’s wellbeing teams had been waiting for – a suicide prevention training that considers the needs of Pacific people.

Over two workshops in Sydney and Brisbane, Mati and Leilani delivered Le Va’s Mānava Ola: LifeKeepers for Pacific training to NRL wellbeing managers. These are the staff players turn to when the pressure gets too much, when life on or off the field is feeling hard. They are the people quietly holding some of the most complex conversations in high-performance sport, supporting players, staff and wider club environments.

“Rugby League isn’t just a sport for Pacific communities,” says Mati, “It’s identity, it’s pride, it’s family. That’s what makes it such a powerful space for this kind of work.”

Sydney and Brisbane workshops

Mānava Ola gives participants real, practical suicide prevention skills through a Pacific lens – how to spot warning signs, how to respond with confidence while connecting people to the right support. It also strengthens capability to hold safe conversations in a way that protects dignity, relationships and cultural identity.

In Sydney, participants explored how distress can show up differently across cultures, and how important it is to respond early – before someone reaches crisis point. One participant said, “Love the opportunity for more knowledge around supporting people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts and feelings for our wellbeing managers.”

In Brisbane, the talanoa turned to how wellbeing practice can be strengthened within clubs and embedded across the whole system, rather than resting on a small number of individuals. Feedback included, “This is so important and valuable. Really appreciate the space to take us on a journey that was so real.”

All participants engaged deeply with Le Va’s Mānava Ola model of C.A.R.E. and the chance to practise real-world conversations – a key part of building confidence to act when it matters most.

Overall, the sessions received a Net Promoter Score of 94 – indicating a world-class, exceptional training experience.

Strengthening a long-term partnership

The relationship between Le Va and rugby league runs deep, built over many years on shared values and a genuine commitment to the wellbeing of Pacific peoples on both sides of the Tasman.

This visit strengthened our partnership, not only through the delivery of training, but through reaffirmed relationships and shared purpose. It also highlighted the clear need for culturally grounded approaches in suicide prevention, particularly for Pacific peoples and communities, where context, identity and connection matter.

Looking ahead

Mati and Leilani returned to Aotearoa encouraged by how the NRL’s wellbeing staff showed up with openness, leadership and a willingness to grow their practice. When the people who support others feel equipped and confident, the ripple effect reaches far beyond the training room.

Le Va remains committed to strengthening suicide prevention capability across Aotearoa and the Pacific diaspora, and to continuing partnerships that help create safer, more connected environments.

If you would like suicide prevention training for your organisation, please contact us at admin@leva.co.nz.

The 2026 ASB Polyfest Leaders Conference kicked off today, bringing together student leaders from across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and beyond as they prepare for this year’s ASB Polyfest season.

As a proud sponsor of the conference, Le Va continues its commitment to investing in emerging Pacific leaders and supporting the wellbeing of our youth.

The two-day conference serves as the first major engagement for the 2026 Polyfest season, connecting student leaders including head girls, head boys, prefects, mentors and cultural leaders before the official school year begins.

For Le Va, sponsoring the Leaders Conference aligns perfectly with our organisation’s mission to support Pasifika families and communities to unleash their full potential. By investing in these young leaders early in the year, Le Va helps ensure they have the foundation to thrive both in their cultural performances and their broader lives.

This annual gathering has become an essential foundation for building relationships among schools and equipping young leaders with the tools they need to guide their cultural groups throughout the year.

The Leaders Conference represents much more than preparation for a four-day festival. The event is about fostering long-term connections, leadership development, and cultural pride that extends well beyond the Polyfest stages.

Participants engage in workshops exploring themes central to Pacific wellbeing and identity, cultural activities, and leadership development sessions. The conference creates space for students to connect with peers from different schools, learn from each other’s experiences, and build the supportive networks that strengthen their communities.

2026 will mark a new chapter in the festival’s history, with performances taking place across two venues for the first time. The main festival runs from 18-21 March at the Manukau Sports Bowl, with the Māori stage scheduled for 30 March to 2 April at Due Drop Events Centre.

We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Le Va is a national Pacific organisation committed to supporting people of the moana to unleash their full potential and have the best possible health and wellbeing outcomes.

Le Va welcomes the Government’s forthcoming Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy as an opportunity to reimagine how we can better serve all New Zealanders. We see it as a pivotal moment that could move Aotearoa beyond crisis response, towards a primary prevention approach grounded in culture, community and care.

Pacific communities in Aotearoa deserve a strategy that reflects the strengths and aspirations of our people – a strategy that addresses systemic inequities while affirming the importance of collective wellbeing, cultural identity and community leadership. To support all people to thrive, the strategy should include a deep understanding of what matters to Pacific people.

Le Va presents the following ten priorities to guide a mental health and wellbeing strategy that creates meaningful and lasting change for our people.

1. Uphold Te Tiriti with genuine partnership

Embed genuine partnership at the heart of the strategy

Tangata whenua are Indigenous to Aotearoa New Zealand. As Tagata Moana, we advise that Te Tiriti o Waitangi must underpin the strategy. Giving effect to the intent of Te Tiriti, through genuine and mana-enhancing relationships with tangata whenua, is essential to the credibility, legitimacy and effectiveness of any mental health and wellbeing strategy in Aotearoa.

2. Nothing about us without us

Include Pacific voices in every decision

The strategy should recognise and value Pacific leadership and genuine power sharing in all spaces (governance, leadership, frontline and community). It should commit to meeting the unique needs and aspirations of Pacific people, representing Pacific worldviews, knowledge frameworks and approaches within the strategy and its implementation.

3. Prioritise prevention to protect future generations

Invest early, take action upstream, and protect communities from crisis

The strategy should prioritise primary prevention by addressing the root causes and risk factors of mental health and addiction challenges. It should focus on supporting young people, families and communities early, before challenges emerge, and strengthening protective factors across the life course.

4. Value Pacific models of mental health and wellbeing

Embrace collective care and holistic wellbeing

Pacific approaches to wellbeing are relational, spiritual, cultural and collective. Aotearoa’s mental health and wellbeing strategy should embrace holistic models of health that reflect Pacific worldviews and lived realities. A strategy grounded in these dimensions will better enable Pasifika peoples to thrive, and ensure services are both culturally safe and meaningful.

5. Solutions lie within our communities

Let communities lead the solutions – they know what works

Our communities already hold the knowledge and solutions to support their own wellbeing. The strategy should ensure direct investment that enables community leaders and organisations to design, deliver and sustain effective mental health initiatives by communities, for communities. It should place decision-making power and funding directly into the hands of the people.

6. Close the cultural digital divide

Make resources accessible to everyone, everywhere, any time

The strategy should provide a clear mandate and pathway for culturally-grounded innovation, including digital tools and services that also reach Pacific communities. It should include a plan to reach those in greater need of tools and enable better access, in ways that are scalable, safe and culturally resonant.

7. Pacific is not one experience

Honour diversity within Pacific communities

Pacific communities are diverse, and Pacific people who are also Rainbow+, disabled or have lived experience of mental distress often face additional barriers to culturally safe and accessible care. The strategy should recognise the different experiences of Pacific people designed to respond to these intersecting realities, rather than assuming a single Pacific experience.

8. Youth voices matter

Include youth to help shape their future

The strategy should actively centre Pacific youth voices and leadership. Pacific young people bring critical insight into what works for their wellbeing. Co-design processes must be accessible, culturally grounded and safe, ensuring initiatives and services reflect the realities, strengths and aspirations of Pacific young people.

9. Grow a culturally safe and capable workforce

Nurture cultural safety to effectively support our community

A culturally safe and competent mental health workforce means better outcomes for Pacific people. The strategy should prioritise the growth of the Pacific mental health and addiction workforce, with early investment and recruitment through to leadership development and retention. It should also ensure the mainstream workforce is equipped to deliver culturally safe, responsive care that strengthens trust and improves access, experiences and outcomes for Pacific communities.

10. Back the strategy with action, funding and accountability

Turn promises into action with investment, implementation and accountability

A strategy without dedicated investment and action is merely a promise. To deliver meaningful and lasting change, the strategy should be reinforced by long-term funding and clear implementation timeframes. This includes defined milestones, measurable outcomes and transparent reporting to ensure Pacific priorities are included and fully realised. Anything less risks repeating cycles of hope without change.

Wise Group specialist clinical and translational lead, Denise Kingi-‘Ulu’ave, reflects on the recent Prevention in Practice Summit and the urgent need for prevention action in the mental health and addiction sector.

Both in Australia and in Aotearoa, while investment in mental health services has grown, more people are struggling with their mental health than ever before, with mounting social and economic costs.

The reality is stark – there will never be enough treatment services alone to meet demand. Unless resources shift beyond the treatment system, demand will remain unmanageable and people will continue to miss out on support until they reach crisis.

A few weeks ago I attended the Prevention in Practice Summit held in Sydney. More than 150 participants and 20 national experts across Australia’s government, lived experience and expertise, community, research, industry, and the mental health sector came together to explore practical ways to address the gap between prevention knowledge and how to achieve urgent action across settings.

The evidence and enthusiasm were energising, with the Victorian Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities, Joe Ball, remarking that “prevention is the work of the hopeful and the progressives.”

A call for urgent action on prevention

In opening the summit, Dr Jaelea Skehan OAM, Director of Everymind, called on governments, the sector and the community to take urgent action on prevention. The evidence for prevention of mental health, addiction and suicide has existed for 15 years or more, but we have not seen the implementation of prevention knowledge across policy, across communities and across systems to have a real impact.

Dr Skehan stated, “Prevention is now urgent – we have had 15 years of less than optimal action on prevention.” This means that “three generations of children have not benefitted from the knowledge we have – so we should reflect on that and think about what an inexcusable missed opportunity that represents.”

How many more generations will need to suffer before we take urgent action? Let’s prioritise investment in mental health and addiction prevention in Aotearoa.

 

Le Va, Aotearoa’s national Pacific primary prevention organisation, hosted a special meet and greet event on Monday 22 September to celebrate and showcase the recipients of its inaugural ‘Inasi disability community fund.

The ‘Inasi Fund was established through a partnership between Foundation North and Le Va, with a shared vision to strengthen Pacific disability leadership, address long-standing inequities, and invest in community-led solutions.

It supports Northland and Auckland based initiatives helping to reduce stigma and discrimination around disability, create communities of care, and empower Pasifika people with disabilities to have a voice and to lead.

Ben Tameifuna

Ben Tameifuna, Le Va’s Senior Manager for Public Health and Disability, said, “The ‘Inasi Fund is about honouring our Pasifika tradition of collective sharing. The Tongan phrase ‘Inasi means everyone eats, or everyone receives their portion. It reflects our Pasifika way of ensuring no one is left out or left behind.”

The event brought together successful fund applicants to share their initiatives and connect with each other and the Le Va team.

Recipients came from as far as Kaitaia and as near as Māngere – tears were shed and laughter heard around the room as they spoke about their lived experiences of disability and their excitement at launching their innovative ‘Inasi projects.

The gathering represented a significant milestone in Le Va’s commitment to supporting disability-focused community projects.

“The ‘Inasi Fund affirms Le Va’s dedication to empowering grassroots disability initiatives and creating positive change within communities,” said Mati Dr Elizabeth Mati, Chief Executive of Le Va.

“This inaugural funding round supported 23 projects, each designed to address specific needs and challenges faced by Pasifika people with disabilities. We wish all our fund recipients every success.”

The ‘Inasi Fund event facilitated networking opportunities between recipients, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the community, and emphasising the collective spirit that drives Le Va’s mission.

Learn more about Le Va’s ‘Inasi Fund.

‘Inasi Fund recipients for 2025

This month brought a deeply meaningful moment to Le Va as our aiga gathered to welcome Mati Dr Elizabeth Mati as our new chief executive with a traditional kava ceremony during Tongan Language Week.

Dr Mati’s appointment reflects Le Va’s commitment to growing leadership from within. As an ali’i (high chief) matai, holding the title Mati from her father’s village Sa’anapu in Samoa, she brings both cultural authority and extensive experience spanning mental health, forensic services and education.

Having led Le Va’s national Atu-Mai violence prevention programme and served as general manager, Mati’s leadership represents continuity grounded in Le Va’s values and an innovative vision for the future.

Mati said, “As I step into this role, I am reminded of the Samoan proverb: O le ala i le pule o le tautua – the path to leadership is through service. For me, leadership is not the end of service but its deepest form.

“My role will continue to be about serving our people, our communities and our purpose with humility, courage, integrity and excellence. Honouring those who came before us, those we walk alongside today, and those we serve.”

Le Va’s board chair Josiah Tualamali’i captured the spirit of the occasion: “What a moving day, gathering to acknowledge outgoing CE Denise Kingi-‘Ulu’ave and the precious transfer of leadership to afioga Mati Dr Elizabeth Mati.

“Le Va has been blessed to nurture internal leaders. Mati, we are grateful for your skills, gifts and talents and your heart to serve.”

The kava circle created a sacred space where stories were shared, wisdom was passed on and connections were strengthened. As the ipu kava bowl moved between participants, it carried with it the respect and alofa our community holds for Mati – embracing her vision for our path ahead.

Mati ended by saying, “The challenges before us are complex, but I believe that through collaboration, innovation and the wisdom of our cultures, we will not only overcome them, but we thrive.

“It is my intent to honour the legacy of those who laid the foundations before us, while boldly stepping into the future, so that Le Va may continue to support the people of the Moana to unleash their full potential.”

As we move forward with Mati at the helm, this ceremony will remain a touchstone moment, reminding us that meaningful change happens when we honour our past while embracing our future, always with culture at our centre.

Le Va is part of the Wise Group. Copyright ©2026