Suicide for Māori is a huge issue in our country! This statement comes through loud and clear after the overwhelming response from whānau, iwi, community and regional organisations across Aotearoa, who recently applied for the Māori Suicide Prevention Community Fund (2020/2021).
Supported by He Tapu te Oranga o ia Tangata: Every Life Matters Suicide Prevention Strategy, Te Au (The Māori Suicide Prevention Centre) within Te Rau Ora, will coordinate the distribution of $1.6 million to whānau, hapū, iwi, Māori communities and Māori providers through the Māori Suicide Prevention Community Fund. Groups were able to apply for a one-off grant in one of these categories, with the aim to address suicide and its impacts in their respective areas.
139 applications were received before the cut-off date and a total sum amount of $4.8 million has been applied for. With only $1.6 million available, only around 70 initiatives can be funded.
Each application will now be reviewed and assessed by a panel of external assessors. The panel has expertise from clinical, community, whānau and sector representation.
The successful applicants will be notified over the coming weeks, where each successful applicant will start the exciting new phase of their projects and put their suicide prevention initiatives into action. Each initiative funded in this round will have between September (2020) and March (2021) to complete their respective projects.
Preventing suicide is a nationwide responsibility. Building the capacity and capability in Māori communities, and whānau regarding adaptive strategies and resilience to prevent suicide is a core goal of Te Rau Ora. Developing and fostering collaboration, learning, innovation and shared leadership to build wellbeing to prevent suicide requires an assertive approach ready to reach and respond to Māori communities.
The establishment and distribution of the Māori Suicide Prevention Community Fund aims to support communities across Aotearoa to build the capacity of Māori whānau, hapū and iwi to prevent suicide within their communities and to respond effectively if a suicide occurs.
The aims of the Māori Community Fund are to:
• Encourage a focus on Wellbeing
• Provide support to Māori whānau, hapū and iwi that are experiencing suicide risk and/or are
bereaved by suicide
• Build inclusive Māori communities and strengthen resilience
• Raise awareness about available supports and resources
• Increase awhi to whānau known to be at higher risk of suicidal distress.
Over the coming months, keep an eye out for featured stories (on the Te Au Māori and Te Rau Ora websites), about the initiatives happening across the country that we will be supporting through this fund.
For further information: contact communityfund@terauora.com
Rutu Aperira
Rutu’s dreams and aspirations come from lived experience following the tragic suicide of her 18year old brother, and she determined to do something to honour his memory and help raise awareness about suicide causations and risks.
August 3, 2022
