September 16, 2015
Self determination through Whanau Ora
A key figure in the development of Whanau Ora is welcoming a Productivity Commission report that praised the programme’s innovative approach to social services.
Helen Leahy, a former Maori Party chief of staff who is now the acting chief executive of South Island commissioning agency Te Putahitanga o Te Waipounamu, says the More Effective Social Services inquiry report recognizes what can happen when people determine their own solutions rather than be told what to do by the state.
She sat the three commissioning agencies can’t change the system overnight but they can try to help other agencies understand the needs of whanau and the changes they want to see,
"What the Productivity Commission report spells out is that you cant just tinker with system and help and change a few letters of expectations of different departmental that's not going to make a difference with people on the ground. It's actually taking some risks being prepared to place faith in our families to actually make the difference to rethink it rather than to assume that Wellington or the state has all of the answers" she says.
Helen Leahy says despite the media focus on Whanau Ora, her agency has only $4 million a year to distribute, compared to the $29 billion going in to Social Development and the $15 billion in the health vote.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH HELEN LEAHY CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MzI0Njg=
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