Iwi encourage young people to get vaccinated
Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Te Tauihu iwi are taking a targeted approach to encourage rangatahi vaccination.
Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu, the charitable trust set up by the eight iwi of Te Tauihu (top of the South Island) to help Covid recovery brought together a rangatahi (youth) advisory group to provide input to and lead some of the Karawhiua (Give It Heaps) campaign.
The rangatahi group, supported by Te Piki Oranga and Nelson Marlborough District Health Board (NMDHB), have organised Kai and Kōrero events (Food and Talk) “by rangatahi, for rangatahi”, starting with events this week on Wednesday at 12:30 at Nelson College and one on Thursday at Queen Charlotte College at 2pm.
NMDHB youth support advisor Reuben Molar said there were low levels of vaccination uptake in Māori and Pasifika people aged 12 to 29 compared to “any other age group across the country”.
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“There is a desperate need to encourage them and provide accurate information about the vaccination and the consequences of not being vaccinated.”
He said it was a “challenging time for rangatahi”.
“Many are facing reduced employment prospects, increased mental distress and uncertainty about the future. Covid-19 will have a bigger impact on rangatahi who were already facing disadvantage, so it’s important for us to have the kōrero on ways we can support each other and kōrero about how we are feeling.”
He said “acknowledging … sometimes unseen” cornerstones of Māori health, like taha wairua (spiritual health), whānau (family), hinengaro (mind), tinana (physical), and whenua (land), could help people get through challenging times.
“It is also important that we directly counter the impact of misinformation and conspiracy theorists, as this variable alone more disproportionately affects and influences Māori and Pasifika communities and is a significant barrier to vaccination uptake.”
Molar will be presenting at the two talks this week alongside Te Piki Oranga Māori health nurse Rata Williamson-Parkin.
She said the rangatahi approach could be summed up by the whakataukī (proverb): “E hara taku toa i te toa takitahi, he toa takitini”. My strength is not as an individual, but as a collective.
“When we support our whānau to make informed choices, we are supporting the community they exist within,” she said.
“The hope is that our Kai and Kōrero sessions will start conversations in the home and amongst friends and whānau, so we can all work together to protect our whakapapa (future generations).”
Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu kaiwhakahaere (chief executive) Dr Lorraine Eade said the Covid pandemic was going to have “lasting impacts”.
“It is critical that we work together to mitigate these – of particular importance is the issue of how to ensure the safety and wellbeing of rangatahi,” she said.
“It is key for us to provide rangatahi a voice to explore, share and ignite ideas in their minds about ways they can constructively stay informed about the vaccination to minimise the impact of misinformation out there and encourage them to take up the offer to vaccinate.”
She said the trust was “actively supporting” opportunities for targeted approaches designed and delivered by rangatahi. She encouraged whānau to book their vaccinations if they hadn't yet, and to check the Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu Facebook page for updates or support.
Ngā iwi o Te Tauihu of Te Waka-a-Māui (The eight iwi of Te Tauihu) are: Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Rangitāne o Wairau and Te Ātiawa o te Waka-a-Māui.