Rakau Ora Ltd Mental Health Support

19/08/2025

Kia ora whanau!

Been a bit slow on the old social media but definitely not slow on the mahi. We are really excited to share with you all a new kaupapa under the umbrella of our Harm reduction Clinic.

On Monday the 25 August we will be hitting the floor running with our STI/HIV community testing kaupapa. We have just returned from Conference around Sexual Health and honestly the statistics in this space blew my mind!

It is so important that we get ourselves checked especially in this day and age. The long term affects are many if we don't. We will also be offering treatment if you are in need via a script to Browns Pharmacy.

If your results yield a more complex nature we have our Sexual Health Dr Judy on board and will support you through this process. Either way you will not be alone and we will humbly walk along side you.

We are happy to offer a small koha for your participation and your support of getting these numbers down in our community. It takes a village whanau!

Remember as with everything your business is confidential and won't go past our 4 walls.

Look forward to meeting you all in this space.

Keep cool. Ness xx

06/08/2025

Kia ora whanau,
Exciting times at Rakau Ora. I am proud to represent not only Rakau Ora but also Kaitaia and the far north in conference at Auckland University. This conference is based around harm reduction and focus's on HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections STI.

This is a subject surrounded with stigma and judgement, something we want to break down the barriers for. Unfortunately the numbers for STI are increasing here in the far north and we want to do our bit to support whanau in this journey.

On returning from Conference, 22 August 2025, we will be opening our community sti/hiv testing initiative offering free testing, education, treatment and case management support at our Office in Kaitaia. Like everything we do confidentiality and respect is paramount. For your efforts we would like to offer a small koha.

For any enquires please contact Nisah or Vanessa on 09-4084999.

Kaue whakama e te whanau - we got you!

Nga mihi
Ness

09/07/2025

Kia Ora whanau. Rakau ora will be closed tomorrow Thursday 10th and Friday 11th as we all take a break to bond with our babies and 'fill our cups'. See you all Monday 14th July. Nga mihi Ness

07/07/2025

Next dates for the Lets talk campaign whanau. We are changing things up a bit this month and rather than have on going sessions through the month, we will have the same session each fortnight for the month. That way if you missed out on the first you can catch up on the next session. See below for details. Nga mihi

05/06/2025

Kia ora whanau,

Hope you are all well and living your best lives. We are keeping on keeping on and here is a little update on our mahi:

Counselling - thank so much for trusting me with your purakau, again I am so humbled to meet each of you and share in this space. You are so brave and I learn from you all every day! I am excited to let you know that we are onboarding another counsellor to join our team due to high demand. I will let her introduce herself closer to the time. She is nearly as cool as me lol.

Tattoo Removal - The laser clinic is open for treatments on Friday however I will generally work around you. An amazing process that I am able to witness with our whanau to remove the ink they no longer want. We all change and this is a reminder sometimes of how far we have come in our journey. Remember we are WINZ registered so can help you get your quote into your case manager.

Drop in Hub - We have such a dedicated team in this space and it has also become a great space for whanau who are studying to come and do their work experience. The drop in is just as it suggests - drop in to chill, have a chat, watch a movie and if you need any supports we got you. Taniana and Waiana are the case management queens and can help you identify where you want to go and navigate how to do it. Sometimes you just need another set of eyes to get back on track. We also have a clinician on site if your needs are more complex. Due to demand the hub is now open 9-2pm Monday to Friday. Nga mihi

Drop in Groups - Nisah is our co-ordinator of groups in the space. She has just completed the Anxiety month and it was a hit. This month coming we are touching on the subject of Depression. We will put the start date up shortly. Nishah is a great kaimahi within our space and if you would like to catch up with her around tools education and anything mental wellness wise she is in the hub Mondays and Wednesdays.

Harm Reduction Clinic - Our kaimahi are just completing their Hep c Training and we are able to provide testing days to our community. The last one we had was such a hit we ran out of testing equipment! Way to take control of your health Kaitaia.

Needle Exchange is still available week days and mobile through booking. I am so please that those who have attended feel 'less judged'. That is the aim my whanau - we take you as you are at Rakau Ora x

We will be starting our STI/HIV testing from the space next month and again this is about us taking control of our Tinana and nurturing her to keep up with our busy lives. I will put a panui out when this opens uo. Again this clinic is confidential and we are the last people to judge.

Today I give thanks to our selfless team of lived experience kaimahi for giving their time to help you help your whanau and our community

Nga mihi
Ness

# this karakia embodies all we do and we send to you x

23/04/2025

Kia ora,
Announcement that our Lets Talk about... Campaign starts next Wednesday 30th April.

The flyer says it all so if you have any questions reach out to 094084999.

Nga mihi
Ness

08/04/2025

Reminder free Hep C testing at the Hub today 10-12. End of Hofstede arcade, Opposite Browns Pharmacy, 90 Commerce Street, Kaitaia.

We have a pressy card with your name on it and as always this is a confidential service.

Kaue whakama!

07/04/2025

As part of our Harm Reduction service we are under DISC TRUST. Below is a video that shares our kaupapa and our responsibility to bring the service to the far north. Please note we are not testing drugs at present.

WE HAVE A HEP C TESTING STATION AT THE HUB TOMORROW WEDNESDAY 09 APRIL BETWEEN 10-12. THERE IS A SMALL VOUCHER FOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE FOR OUR APPRECIATION OF YOU HELPING NZ BECOME HEP C FREE.

For any community that is wanting to book for our mobile services please phone Paula on 0904084999 and we can support you with this.

Enjoy the video it really does say it all.

Nga mihi Ness

No stigma, no barriers, just easy, peer-led Hep C testing and even easier treatment. At DISC Trust, we’re all about harm reduction and providing the support ...

03/04/2025

Kia ora whanau,
We are excited to introduce our Harm Reduction and Needle Exchange Program to KTA.

We understand there are different opinions about offering the services, and we welcome any patai you may have about the Needle Exchange Program.

As part of our Harm Reduction services, we will are offering free Hep C testing on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, from 10 AM to 12 PM.

This event will be held in collaboration with Odyssey House to support the 'Hep C Free by 2030' initiative. It will take place at our Drop-in Space. Check out our flyer for more details. Additionally, anyone who gets tested will receive pressy cards for appreciation.

Feel free to reach out, or drop by our hub.
Nga mihi
Ness

28/03/2025

Mind blowing way to end the week with this visit. So humbled to be included in her schedule. Just when I think it is all too hard to keep going we get moments like this that give us a huge boost and confirm that we are indeed pretty cool. Keep on keeping on whanau and don't give up Nga mihi Ness

19/03/2025

Kia ora whanau,
It’s been a long time between updates! We have been so busy trying to keep our services going for our community. Arohamai.

Over the next few weeks will be sharing the flyers for our supports starting with our Laser Tattoo removal treatment.

If this is something you thought you had to travel to Whangarei or Auckland for, think again! We have this right in the heart of our community run by our own and provided to our own.

Due to numbers increasing we have changed our days of service to Thursday - Friday and Saturday Mornings.

The flyer says it all really but if you need further info don't be shy to reach out.

Nga mihi nui - Ness x

12/01/2025

Kia ora whanau and welcome to 2025!

We have been preparing for this new year and are so excited to share the new initiatives we have planned in due course.

2024 for us was around establishing our lived experience mental wellness services to our community. It was about sharing our expertise and experiences with whanau but importantly it was around listening and learning from you, our FFN whanau. What was lacking, what was working and what you needed in the mental wellness space.

Some of our community initiatives have ended and we are excited that there are now others taking these services to the 'next level'. Tena Koe!!

Some have gone from strength to pillar and created waitlists at times. This is beyond the vision I had for Rakau Ora and confirms to me we are on the right path in serving the community.

End of last year we piloted our case management service due to feedback from our drop in hub and this also has been met with great enthusiasm. Due to the success we will be continuing with this 2025.

I am also super proud of our workplace capacity initiative. This initiative supports whanau with lived experience into study and provides work experience along the way with Rakau Ora. We have 3 ready to gain their level 4 addictions and mental health support certificates, one nearing completion of Business administration certification and one who completed this training, as well as one wahine who has been accepted to study 2 years to become a counsellor!

2025 brings another 5 whanau joining this initiative and our Rakau Ora whanau! Our kaupapa in this space is you are never to old to learn new tricks and knowing, the lived experience you once saw as 'wasted time' can indeed become your best friend.

Please have patience as our team attend training this week and prepare for the year. Our Hub drop in is fully operational Monday 20th Jan onward.

Anyway I hope you have all had a great break and ready for the change 2025 brings.

Nga mihi nui
Ness