Context
Suicide has a long-lasting and far-reaching impact on the lives of many people in New Zealand: individuals, their whānau and families, friends, peers, colleagues, hapū, iwi and wider communities.
Every year, hundreds of people die by suicide. In 2021, 607 people died by suicide in Aotearoa New Zealand (a rate of 11.6 per 100,000) (Ministry of Health, 2021).
Preventing suicide is everybody’s responsibility (Te Rau Ora, 2017). 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 (2019). 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.
Goals and Objectives
The desired outcomes of the Fund are that successful initiatives support the visions and solutions of Tūramarama ki te Ora: National Māori Strategy for Addressing Suicide Prevention 2017-2022, and the overarching goals and objectives of Every Life Matters – He Tapu te Oranga o ia Tangata – the New Zealand Strategy and Action Plan to prevent suicide in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Goals of the Fund are to:
Build the capacity of Māori whānau, hapū and iwi to prevent suicide within communities and to
respond effectively if, and when, a suicide occurs by:
Reducing Māori suicides
Reducing suicidal attempts
Easing the impact of suicide.
The key objectives of the Fund are:
• Providing support to Māori whānau, hapū and iwi that are experiencing suicide risk and/or are
bereaved by suicide.
• Prioritising population groups within their communities that are known to be at higher risk of
suicidal distress, including men, youth, rainbow communities and rural communities.
• Building inclusive communities and strengthening community resilience.
• Encouraging a focus on mental wellbeing.
• Raising awareness about available support services.
Successful initiatives from the Fund will help:
• Promote Māori ownership of Māori wellbeing and suicide prevention.
• Build on the strengths of Māori whānau, hapū, iwi and communities.
• Deliver culturally safe supports and services.
• Prioritise whānau-centred treatment and management models.
• Acknowledge intergenerational trauma, grief, and loss of mana.
• Provide suicide bereavement responses that protect the continuation of whakapapa, hapū and
iwi structures, and;
• Build the evidence base and Mātauranga Māori of what works for Māori.
