Thursday 6 April 2023 1:54pm
Hauora Connectors Terry Monga (left) and Viola Huch (right) are focused on helping our Maōri and Pacific tauira with their hauora, health and wellness needs.
The University of Otago has recently appointed new staff to help address the hauora, health and wellness needs of Māori and Pacific tauira undertaking study.
The Hauora connector role is an initiative adopted by the University in conjunction with Te Whatu Ora, formerly The Ministry of Health. It helps tauira who need guidance and additional support to navigate their way through their time at University.
Two Hauora connectors have now joined the University staff and will be the first to take on a role of this nature in Aotearoa.
Viola Huch - Pacific
Hauora Connector at the Pacific Islands Centre Viola Huch says a lot of the job is making her service visible to staff and students.
“Our goal as the Hauora Connectors is prevention through early intervention,” she says.
“Some of the concerns raised are around student attendance, concerns around wellbeing, or needing cultural support when supporting Pacific Island students.
“These are all things the can contribute to the mental health and wellbeing of students.”
Her role involves meeting with students, learning about their situation and guiding them towards internal and external support services, depending on their needs.
Huch says homesickness is a struggle impacting Pacific tauira while at University.
“Students come here from all over the country and world. For some, it may be their first time away from home, family and close friends so it is a priority for us to make students feel welcome when they come into the Pacific Islands Centre,” Huch says.
“When students come here for the first time, I say ‘welcome home. You have now extended your family with aunties and uncles’.
Viola Huch (centre) at Professor Patrick Vakaoti’s Pōhiri at Te Tumu – School of Māori, Pacific & Indigenous studies.
“I work alongside an amazing team that are passionate about positive outcomes for our students. We work hard, we support each other, and we like to laugh a lot.
“I want the students who come to the Pacific Islands Centre to know that this is not a scary place. There is so much support out there and the Pacific Islands Centre is just as much theirs as it is ours.”
Huch relies on her skills, knowledge and humour to carry out her mahi.
“To date, I’ve had interactions with 90-odd students since I’ve been here, and I could tell you a bit about each and every one of them. It’s all about making connections and showing you really are approachable.
“I let students know that I’ve got their back and that more than anything, staff at the Pacific Islands Centre want to see them walk across the graduation stage and wave out to us.”
Terry Monga - Maori
Lived experience helps “Papa T” steer tauira Māori towards hauora and wellbeing.
More formally known as Terry Monga, of Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Whātua Orakei, Ngāpuhi, Rarotonga ki Tahiti, he is the second of the two Hauora connectors.
Terry grew up in the lands of Ngāti Maniapoto located in the central North Island before moving north to Otara in South Auckland.
His upbringing was typical of the many Māori who migrated to the urban centres for opportunity. What was common between the two, however, was collectivism, where Papa T learnt the meaning of what it is to serve his whānau and community.
“I’ve worked in this community of Dunedin for the past 18 years within Māori, Pacifica, and ethnic peoples. I have strived to be as authentic as I can be, serving my communities with genuine aroha.”
His knowledge in the tikanga Māori space, and determinants of Māori mental health makes Papa T the perfect fit into the Hauora Connector role.
The ingoa Māori adopted for the role, Kaihonohono, describes the connection of tauira to kaimahi within the student services on campus and many different health providers across Otago and Southland.
“My role is to mirimiri (relax, settle, and smooth over) and honohono (connect or join) to ensure safe pathways are created.
“One of my superpowers is creating key relationships, and that is a huge part of this mahi. Through that we’ve been able to honohono services together to support our tauira.
“It’s about connecting tauira to kaimahi that are trusted to bring the concepts of wānanga (deliberation) and whanaungatanga (building connection) together.”
Papa T engages different approaches to help guide his mahi. One such model is based on one of his marae, Te Miringa Te Kakara (The Cross House) in Ngāti Rereahu, Ngāti Maniapoto.
Papa T is guided in his mahi by a model is based on one of his marae, Te Miringa Te Kakara (The Cross House).
“The tauira become the central pou in this whare with the four entrances representing the entry of kaimahi to support them. The four winds represent the different services on campus and in the community.
“There is also a compass to guide and support to where and when it is needed.
“This whakaaro (approach) supports delivery of the service whilst also supporting tauira Māori back to realms of Te Ao Maori (Māori world view).”
When asked what hauora looks like for tauira, Papa T picks up and begins to read a postcard he had just received from a past student.
“It’s funny you ask that, because this morning I received this card from a tauira who is now living overseas.
“Thank you for wrapping the korowai of support around me at a time when I was really struggling…. There is still a while to go before fully healing, but we are on that journey now. You are one of my most influential people of 2022,” he reads.
“That is hauora Māori for me. Supporting students is not like a short piece of string but one that is continuous.”
For those tauira interested in the support available, please visit Te Huka Matauraka (Terry) or the Pacific Islands Centre (Viola).
Alternatively, make contact via e-mail or cell phone.
Terry Monga:
Terry.Monga@otago.ac.nz
+64 212 790 191
Viola Huch:
Viola.huch@otago.ac.nz
+64 21 279 2401