Māori Business Directory
This database is a collation of Māori community based organisations serving in one or across all Waitākere Local Board boundaries and is sponsored by the Henderson-Massey Local Board. It will be updated every six months to ensure it remains current and accurate.
This database serves the interests of the Māori community, providing a guide for whānau Māori in understanding services, for and/or by Māori and available to Māori in the Waitākere boundaries. This database is a tool that provides Local Boards of Waitākere one reference point for the assets that exist in the Māori community. Assets that Local Boards could potentially work with and support in their efforts to meet the needs of Māori communities in each constituency.
The database plays an important role in ensuring Māori service providers are familiar with activities beyond their own service, in order to complement and maximise support options for whānau Māori. As a community resource, the database may improve communication and collaboration between Māori community organisations among each other and with their Local Board. Most importantly the greatest value may be the improved benefits for the Māori communities being served in the Waitākere area.
Inclusion Criteria
If we are to maintain a Kaupapa Māori approach to the criteria then it is the Māori community who should determine the membership terms of reference. Some Māori organisations were very firm that eligibility for inclusion be those grounded by a Kaupapa Māori foundation and operating as such. The terms for this being Māori founded, Māori designed, Māori owned, kaupapa that is centred primarily to benefit Māori, te reo me ona tikanga is valued and embedded in their practice, and with a mandate from and accountability to their Māori community. This being the case, the database membership should be a resource for Māori, to empower Māori first and foremost by providing access to Māori centred services.
It was decided to accept self-identification from organisations who acknowledge and are recognised as Māori. Those non-Māori organisations included are highlighted as such to ensure it is clear they are NOT Māori organisations.
Selection Process
Organisations were identified in the first instance by examining existing databases and directories of community organisations. These included Te Aka Kumara, Raeburn House, MSD, COGS funding schedules, Local Board funding schedules, Council Māori Community lists and verbal recommendations from face-to-face contact with Council Strategic Brokers, community workers and individuals. Further exploring online of community organisation websites sought to qualify the degree to which these provided a service to Māori specifically.
As part of seeking consent for inclusion to the database, each group was contacted via phone and/or email to clarify and reconfirm their ongoing selection in this database.
Categories
Categories in this database include: Education and Training, Research, Kapa Haka, Arts, Sports, Social Services, Marae, Youth, Health and Disabilities, Justice, Networks, Individuals and you can click on the category on the side of this page.
Gaps
Business sector/SMEs are not included, and will be an ongoing task to update and collate.
It is a fact that more than 80% of Māori students attend mainstream education options. These schools are listed in the database; however, the challenge remains as to what degree these schooling options are attending to and applying culturally relevant pedagogy, spaces for Māori (marae, kapa haka), a te reo Māori curriculum, opportunities for whānau engagement and mentoring from Māori staff. A gap remains with how best mainstream and Kura Kaupapa Māori interface to create gains for the tamariki Māori and Māori teaching collective.
References
Ngā Pou o te Whare o Waipareira. The Whānau Centre Collective Impact Initiative -#tātou. Whānau Centre Health Needs Assessment. May 2017. Deprivation profile of Waitemata DHB Local board areas. Analysed at meshblock level (p.15)
Tuhituhi Communications. (1993). Te Aka Kumara o Aotearoa (TAKOA)2016-2017 . Auckland,DC: Author.
For the past 40 years, Waipareira have provided free services and support for whānau of all ages in West Auckland – health, legal, housing and education.
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