The Kindness Institute

Atawhai in partnership with Ngāti Whātua Orākei

The issue

Data from the Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services’ latest annual report shows Aotearoa (New Zealand) is in the midst of an ongoing, and worsening youth mental health crisis. In recent years, demand for mental health support has risensignificant number of rangatahi (young people), particularly Māori and Pasifika youth, unable to access the services they’re searching for due to long waitlists. 

The project

The Kindness Institute and Ngāti Whātua Orākei iwi began partnering together to include Ngāti Whātua Orākei rangatahi (youth) in the 2023 Atawhai program. Now they are enabling better rangatahi hauora (wellbeing) and mental health outcomes, through an Atawhai program custom designed to the needs of for rangatahi from the iwi. This program will incorporate local iwi knowledge and run over six months with up to 15 Ngāti Whātua Orākei rangatahi aged 14-20 taking part.

Through an intensive week-long program, monthly workshops and ongoing mentoring, the program invites rangatahi to celebrate their identity, culture and hauora, and participate in activities that promote positive mental health, mindfulness, self-reflection and connection to te reo (Māori language) and te ao Māori (Māori customs and protocols).

The impact

The program will have the same outcome targets as previous iterations of Atawhai, with rangatahi learning mindfulness-led and evidence-based tools to manage stress, increase their resilience and foster positive connections with others. Guided by kaupapa Māori principles, they will also empower rangatahi to share these skills with their community, to further share the positive changes created by Atawhai.

The Kindness Institute creates capacity-building pathways for rangatahi to continue teaching these new skills through their Tuakana graduate program. Their goal is for iwi alongside their rangatahi to continue the Atawhai program themselves year on year.

Past project

Atawhai Program

To help improve the mental health and wellbeing of marginalised rangatahi in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), The Kindness Institute has developed Atawhai, a unique program designed to achieve sustained positive life outcomes for young people.  

Through a program involving intensive week-long wānanga, monthly noho (workshops) and ongoing mentoring over six months, the program invites rangatahi between the ages of 13 and 18 to celebrate their identity, culture and hauora (wellbeing), and participate in activities that promote positive mental health, mindfulness, self-reflection and connection to te reo (Māori language) and te ao Māori (Māori customs and protocols).

Atawhai works to improve rangatahi's mental, spiritual and cultural wellness, build a greater sense of purpose and self-worth and learn self-efficacy and leadership capabilities. It also aims to empower participants to live more fulfilling lives by leading and teaching their peers. 

Program participants gain: 

• an increased sense of belonging and willingness to participate in communities as leaders and teachers.  

• lifelong stress management tools such as mindfulness, communication and forgiveness. 

In 2023, program participants were able to use the tools they’d learnt from Atawhai to reduce stress and control strong emotions. They had all also taught some of these tools to others in their families and communities, which is a key component of the program.

They also reported increased confidence in themselves and achieving what they want in life.