Manaaki Tairāwhiti is the regional leadership group for social wellbeing in Tairāwhiti.  We are an iwi-led place-based initiative endorsed by Cabinet to explore and evidence alternative social sector service delivery for improved outcomes for whānau.  Our ambition is greater than this. We aspire to true social development and empowerment of our whānau and our rohe.

Our membership is diverse and includes regional leaders and staff from iwi, community organisations and Gisborne District Council, alongside representatives from government agencies active in the social sector.  We also work with wider regional leadership under Rau Tipu Rau Ora (our Tairāwhiti leadership body focused on all-encompassing regional development) to ensure integrated action for Tairāwhiti.  What binds us all together is a deep and unwavering commitment to work together to ensure all Tairāwhiti whānau are flourishing.

We have some excellent learnings since our inception in 2016, most notably the importance of understanding whānau needs and aspirations from their perspective as a critical part of getting service delivery effective and responsive.

We have achieved changes to some parts of our social sector systems with additional benefits for individual whānau in accessing the services and resources they need to thrive.  Our efforts have highlighted how interconnected our work is and the need for collective action from all across the sector at all levels to ensure lasting change.

In line with our vision, our focus now turns to reaching out further into our community and into other parts of our social systems to effect large scale, strategic and sustainable change. Despite the enormity of our goals, we are fortified to meet challenges by the worthiness of the prize.