Activating Generational Change for Aotearoa NZ’s Wellbeing
Jase Te Patu (Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Ruanui) is on a mission to activate generational change so kaiako (teachers) and rangatahi (young people) can live well, learn well, and lead well.
Through his not-for-profit organisation Hauora Aotearoa (Wellbeing New Zealand), Jase and the team are committed to transforming mental health in Aotearoa NZ and profoundly impacting the overall wellness of rangatahi, using a te ao Māori approach to nurturing the mind, body, and spirit.
Known for his roles as the face of Mental Health Awareness Week and an ambassador for the Mental Health Foundation NZ, Jase, who is the founder and co-CEO of Hauora Aotearoa, is working with high-school students in Aotearoa to foster resilience and emotional intelligence, to create an overall sense of wellness. By incorporating mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) into his approach, Jase brings a culturally grounded perspective to mental health. Over the years, his initiative, originally operating as ‘M3 Mindfulness’, has evolved into Hauora Aotearoa, a programme that addresses the escalating mental health issues faced by students and teachers in schools.
Responding to an emerging need
Jase embarked on his mission to help rangatahi enhance their mental health and overall wellbeing through M3 Mindfulness, introducing practices centred in mindfulness, Māori stories, and movement within schools. However, mental health in schools deteriorated rapidly, particularly in the aftermath of COVID. Reports highlighted a notable rise in mental distress among students, accompanied by increased behavioural challenges, reduced attendance, and declining academic achievement. Jase saw the need for a more expansive and integrated approach and adapted the programme.
“I had seen over the years the change happening, but it really ramped up, so now you have many more kids coming to school with trauma from their life, and that puts a lot of pressure on our teachers. At the end of 2022, 6000 teachers left the profession … Essentially, mindfulness wasn’t cutting it, in terms of the practices that were going to get the cut-through and meet the needs of what was going on in schools.”
Recognising the limitations of traditional mindfulness practices in addressing these complex challenges, Jase pivoted M3 Mindfulness towards Hauora Aotearoa. This evolution was more than a mere name change; it marked a strategic pivot towards integrating a holistic wellbeing framework based on Te Whare Tapa Whā (the four walls of wellbeing). This framework, created by Sir Mason Durie, emphasises a four-sided approach to wellbeing, encompassing physical, mental, spiritual, and social health.
“We decided to expand our repertoire of tools and practices. Through a Māori lens, we look at the whole - a holistic worldview of wellbeing. So we tend to mental health and wellbeing, spiritual health and wellbeing, and then how that impacts social wellbeing; how we are connecting to others. We thought that was a more robust way of dealing with what’s going on currently in schools.”
Reflecting on the profound significance of Sir Mason Durie renaming their foundation for them, Jase says:
“Hauora means wellbeing from a Māori perspective. So for the ‘godfather’ of wellbeing in the Māori world to rename our foundation, rebrand us, that was a huge tohu [sign], almost his blessing that we’re going to be the organisation that will carry out his concepts in schools.”
Creating a culture of wellness
Hauora Aotearoa’s mission is to bring about generational change, ultimately creating a culture of wellness that permeates through the community. The programme is dedicated to working closely with Year 10 students (ages 14-15), particularly those who are disengaged or encountering challenges, to equip them with tools for mental, physical, and emotional resilience, enabling them to excel in all areas of their life, including academically, and eventually lead with confidence.
“Our big thing is that when you are well, you can learn well. When you are able to learn well, you can lead well … That has to start with our young generation and that’s what we’re out to create - that generational change. We teach them the physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing, spiritual wellbeing, and social wellbeing tools, taking that holistic worldview of wellbeing, which Māori undertake. And they take that onboard for themselves, not just so they can use them and practise them in our sessions, but so they can use them in their lives. They’re life tools essentially. Especially when times get tough.”
Additionally, Hauora Aotearoa provides vital support to teachers, who often grapple with the escalating demands of their profession amidst evolving educational landscapes. By equipping educators with effective strategies and resources, the programme seeks to enhance their own wellbeing while enabling them to better nurture the holistic development of their students.
“We want to support the teachers, so it starts with personal learning development wānanga, which can be anything from 1 hour to 3 hours with the teachers of that school. So they’re fully on board with what we’re doing with the students … and they have some tools to kickstart their wellbeing journey to take care of themselves.”
This foundation is crucial as teachers play a pivotal role in modelling and fostering a supportive environment for students.
Activating Generational Change
Hauora Aotearoa currently operates in 20 schools across Kirikiriroa (Hamilton), Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), Wairarapa, and Pōneke (Wellington), including schools with ethnically diverse student rolls.
“When we pitch to schools, we say we want to work with the disengaged kids, and unfortunately they’re typically our Māori and Pasifika. But we don’t exclude; we’re inclusive. And actually, in the Wairarapa, we have a group of mostly Pākehā, and that’s been really beautiful. For different reasons, they feel disengaged from school ... but they’ve jumped into the exercises and practices that we’ve been doing, they’re learning te reo Māori, they’re making poi from harakeke (flax) that they’ve gathered … and these kids are just thriving.”
The core of the programme is a 10-week course particularly targeting rangatahi aged 14 and 15 years old. This critical period, when students are at a crossroads in their development, is seen as an opportune time to introduce holistic wellbeing practices. At the end of the programme, the students are then asked to pass on the tools of the course to the tamariki (children) in early childhood centres.
Integral to the programme's success is its approach to facilitation. Hauora Aotearoa prioritises using facilitators who have their own lived experience with mental health challenges and reflect the diverse ethnic backgrounds of the students they serve. This ensures that students see themselves represented in the facilitators, creating a sense of trust in the programme.
“Being Māori myself, and having a team of Māori and Pasifika who look like most of the students we’re working with is important. My team have also had lived experience of their own mental health challenges or trauma. They’ve come out the other side having used these practices that we’re teaching these kids. So they can support the kids in a really safe way. That’s our first kupu, our first word - we want to create a safe whare (house) for these kids to come into. If you’re able to do that, be able to create a safe space, anything is possible. You can bring the potential out of these kids.”
Hauora Aotearoa aims to expand its reach, with a goal of being integrated into schools across all of Aotearoa. Jase envisions a future where holistic wellbeing practices are a core part of the education curriculum, creating a ripple effect that transforms communities and ultimately the country.
“Our big audacious goal is for this programme to be throughout Aotearoa, kura kaupapa, wharekura, and then also mainstream. Our big mission is to create a generational change - meaning that these kids are learning these things now so that eventually the next generation is well. And that NZ is not known for illness, like the highest rates of suicide for youth in the world - we’re known for wellness.”
Success Stories and Data
Commenting on the impact Hauora Aotearoa is already creating, Jase cites two examples of previous students whose lives were transformed by the programme. Dimitrius, initially withdrawn and disengaged, found confidence and a new path through the programme, ultimately deciding to pursue a career in teaching.
“On the first day of our course, Dimitrius kept his head down, hoodie on, cap covering his eyes, and wouldn’t even stand up to introduce himself. By the end of the programme, during the session where we were sharing the course tools with children at early childhood centres, you could really see the transformation in him.”
Māmā, who had a history of fighting and disengagement, discovered her nurturing side and became a regular helper at a local kindergarten.
“Māmā was another kid who found her pathway. I saw some leadership in her - so I would give her little things like leading the karakia. Fast forward to the end of our course, at the early childhood centre, she just went and sat down with the tamariki [children] and started feeding them. Even her own peers had never seen that side of her. This nurturing young wāhine with these natural instincts.”
These stories highlight the personal impact of Hauora Aotearoa on individual lives. Quantitative data further supports the programme's success. For instance, at Papakura High School, all of the Year 10 students in the programme who had previously failed their NCEA exams, went on to pass their exams. Similarly, at Porirua College, there was a 12% increase in student wellbeing, improved attendance, and a significant reduction in behavioural issues.
EHF Support and Collaboration
Jase’s kaupapa has garnered support from EHF Fellows and wellbeing advocates Tim Ferriss and Justin Milano, who both provided funding to advance his initiatives, along with additional donations from several other Fellows. Beyond funding, the EHF Fellowship community has offered invaluable strategic guidance and unwavering moral support. Jase expresses particular gratitude for Mikaere Paki, whom he met during his EHF Welcome Experience where Mikaere was a facilitator, who serves on the board of Hauora Aotearoa, emphasising the shared Māori worldview and understanding that enhances their collaboration. Additionally, he acknowledges the unwavering support from Te Kahui Māori EHF Fellows, whose contributions and insightful discussions have been instrumental in driving his mission forward. Jase says:
Hauora Aotearoa Board of Directors, including Mikaere Paki (top right)
“I’m so grateful to have a community of people like this in the Fellowship, who understand what I’m trying to do, because they’re doing something similar themselves. And to be included amongst people who are so heart-driven to create an impact, and leave an impact, leave a legacy in this world and this lifetime.”
Jase is transforming the mental health landscape for rangatahi in Aotearoa NZ by embracing a holistic approach grounded in Māori principles. He is creating a movement that goes beyond mere intervention - it strives for profound, lasting change. Through Hauora Aotearoa, Jase is helping uplift the next generation to navigate life's challenges with resilience, paving the way for a healthier and more resilient future for Aotearoa NZ's young people
Jase and his team welcome any funding support through donations, which are crucial as they rely significantly on community support to sustain and expand their initiatives. To learn more about Hauora Aotearoa, including how to donate, visit: https://www.hauoraaotearoa.com/.
Hauora Aotearoa has the consent of the young individuals mentioned to refer to them by their first names and share details of their journey.
