Taloha ni, Kia Orana, Talofa Lava, Malo e lelei, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Ni sa Bula, Kia Ora

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Taloha ni, Kia Orana, Talofa Lava, Malo e
lelei, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Ni sa Bula, Kia Ora!

• PIC Pacific Youth Workshop
• 2006
• (Kupa Kupa Ranei Wineera)

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Presentation content

• History
• NZ Suicide Prevention Strategy
• Role of the church
• Role of Tumai PHO
• PIC Pacific Youth Workshop November 2006
• What was gained?
• Closing comments

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History

• I was on my way to the church as I was
  participating in the service for one of the young
  Tokelauan girls that committed suicide earlier
  this year. As I was about to enter the church a
  young woman stopped me outside and said, can
  you please find a way to look at thisis there
  anything you can do? (Rev. Perema Leasi, 2006)
• 2006 2x Pacific young people take their own lives
  for reasons unknown
• both female, both from the Tokelau community,
  both living in the Porirua area
• Anecdotal evidence common knowledge raises
  awareness and concern in community of suicides
  involving young Pacific people that have occurred
  in the greater Wellington area in recent years

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New Zealand Suicide Prevention Strategy, (2006)

• It is reported that internationally New Zealand
  has high rates of suicide particularly for young
  people. Also, those who live in the most deprived
  areas of New Zealand have higher rates of suicide
  and hospitalization for suicide attempts than
  those living in the least deprived areas.
• Further to this, the social organizations of
  family and church provide significant and
  meaningful relationships, which protect members
  against suicide.

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Role Of the ChurchA Living Hope(Peter 1 3-9)

• Church as a familiar spiritual communal setting
  to congregate as well as worship
• Saviour for families arriving in NZ from
  Pacific countries Samoa, Tokelau, Cook Island,
  Niue, Tuvalu, connecting with others reinforcing
  values/traditions/language
• Rev. Perema Leasi (PIC Church Porirua),
  demonstrating responsibility with wanting to
  respond in a unique Pacific way
• Issued challenge to Kautalavou (PIC Tokelau Youth
  Group)
• How can we address this?
• Agreed to workshop but how do we do this?

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Role of Tumai PHO

• Tumai PHO
• Approached myself to ask for help as a member of
  the PIC Church, but also someone working in a
  health organisation, although not fully
  understanding my role within Tumai PHO or what
  Tumai PHO is or does
• Pacific Project Manager (Pacific service
  development), led planning implementation of
  workshop Foe A Te Vaka Pacific Health Action
  Plan 2006-2009. Priorities to improve health of
  the Pacific people across life span
• Youth health Increase level of awareness
  understanding of stress Increase access to
  health services to young people

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TUMAI MO TE IWI Primary Health Organisation
Foe
A Te Vaka move forward together
Pacific Health Action Plan

2006 2009 January 2006
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Role of Tumai PHO(continued)

• Tumai PHO readily willingly embraced idea of
  workshop as it was consistent with the objectives
  values of Foe A Te Vaka , whilst allowing PIC
  Church to retain ownership of idea
• Tumai PHO initiated collaboration with other
  health agencies to support planning and
  implementation of this historic event RPH Mental
  Health Promotion team Pasifika Mental Health
  Service (CCDHB), SPINZ, YouthLine
• What kind of outcome did we as a PHO want from
  this?
• 1. To provide a safe forum where young people
  (and adults) could have access to appropriate
  health professionals that understand suicide and
  could provide the right information
• 2. To promote suicide prevention but not to
  glamourise the idea or the act of suicide

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PIC Pacific Youth Workshop November 2006

• After initially having speakers present to
  everyone together as a group, participants were
  then separated into two groups in two different
  areas Parents/ grandparents (church) young
  people (hall). Participants were then able to
  focus on the presentations specific to their age
  groups without interruption (potential conflicts
  of understanding between parents children)
• In a church setting positive, strength-based
  concepts were presented in a way that people
  could identify with therefore understand. Eg.
  Book of Job illustrating despair when feeling
  abandoned by GOD (sounding a lot like depression)
• Opportunity to learn in a fun, interactive way

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PIC Pacific Youth Workshop November
2006(continued)

• Information made available through presentations
  (encouraging dialogue) where young people can go
  for help as a means of improving problem solving
  and/or coping skills.
• Parents made aware about some of the risk factors
  that young people may experience and some of the
  common warning signs and where they can go to for
  help if they suspected any changes in their
  behaviour
• Health professionals sharing their experiences
  dealing with young people facing change, loss and
  grief issues and offering ways of helping young
  people to manage these difficult times.

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PIC Pacific Youth Workshop November
2006(continued)

• Provided information pamphlets for young people
  and adults about depression, stress management,
  mental health and suicide support.
• Put together and made available a local directory
  of Porirua mental health and related support
  services and a guide to how to respond to someone
  who has mild through to serious issues around
  suicide and suicide ideation.

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What was gained?

• A timely, appropriate response by Tumai PHO to a
  Pacific communitys call for help on an issue
  that is very sensitive and very real, but also
  very scary for some
• Opportunity to explain to Pacific community what
  a PHO is and how it works and for us to
  strengthen connections with our community
• Opportunity for Tumai PHO to work alongside other
  health providers for the good of the Pacific
  community in Porirua
• An excellent example of primary health care
  (through health promotion) in action
• Validated need for PHOs who have a high Pacific
  community coverage, to have Pacific Health Action
  Plans in place such as Foe A Te Vaka

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Closing comments

• Parents say that perhaps they arent as connected
  with their children as they thought they were or
  ought to be.
• Our younger participants say that they are now
  aware of who can help them during difficult times
• A parent saying out aloud to tell your child I
  love you, before they leave the house in the
  morning to go to school or wherever they may be
  going to
• look I know and see some of these behaviours in
  my children at times but I havent really
  bothered about it but now that will change
• The parents are the real heroes because they
  demonstrated their commitment to making some huge
  adjustments to their thinking about their
  children
• They feel safe now to talk about it (both
  younger older people)

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I could go on and on about the good things that I
saw but I wont because everyone there saw the
same I am certain. What I will say is a prayer

• Tui O Tokelau ee!!! -he tai poto !
• -he tai lotomaulalo !
• -he tai alofa !
• -he tai ola !
• -he tai manuia !
• Ke foki atu ki te kau tautai tenei. Aua te ola o
  te tinihu!!!
• God of the Tokelaus!!! -a sea of wisdom !
• -a sea of humbleness !
• -a sea of love !
• -a sea of life !
• -a sea of blessings !
• Be given to these fishermen/women so our
  childrens lives can continue to flourish !!!
• (Uili Galo)

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Tumai mo te Iwi Primary Health Organisation