Multiple generations in a neighbourhood purpose-built around health and community services: that’s the pitch from the boss of a Taranaki health and social care agency.
Tui Ora pou tū kūrae (chief executive) Alana Ruakere says whānau are often impacted by factors beyond the influence of her team.
“Whether their house is warm and dry, whether they have adequate income, employment, whether the whānau at home are safe in happy, positive relationships, whether there’s good kai on the table.”
Looking for answers, Ruakere won a Churchill Fellowship to visit intentional communities – created for connection and cohesion – including in South London, Manchester and Amsterdam.
She wants those insights to underpin a pilot hapori (community) in Taranaki and is half-way through a feasibility study for an intergenerational community of 700 people.
“We’re speaking with experts in aged care, philanthropy, social housing development, you know, those people who already are good at this stuff.”
Ruakere is convinced it’s not a utopian idea but concedes it’s difficult and expensive to develop land and housing.
“It doesn’t make me despair because there’s also a global movement of impact investors who invest long term, and invest in the wellbeing of communities.”
“Who are the potential partners [with] strong values alignment, who are interested in building either healthy homes or social housing or aged care or educational environments – thinking differently?
“Thinking about intergenerational approaches, thinking long-term, thinking community, place-based?”
The plan has already been presented to New Plymouth District Council’s Going for Growth committee, but Ruakere said government would not be the first port of call.
Ruakere lives with her mother, adult children and mokopuna – and is aiming for a place where all generations want to live.
“When I retire I want to live where it’s not just me looking at other old people like me.”
She estimated it would take at least five years for a pilot hapori to be built.
At its core would be facilities to support wellbeing, including a health centre.
“If you have kaumātua with mobility issues, you might run a mobility clinic.
“You might have a physio in there. You might have a Specsavers.”
“You’d also have small retail. You know, the good things available: your cafe, those community ‘third places’ where people connect.”
Ruakere said with all Taranaki’s iwi having settled Treaty claims they could be investors, especially as 100-year planning is becoming a norm.
“Some already have significant capability in housing development.”
She believes mana whenua already hold priorities of kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga (stewardship and support) and relationship to taiao (environment) which resonate with the hapori idea.
“You wouldn’t do a hapori development without working very closely with mana whenua.”
“What is that opportunity for community to take care of the land, for innovative thinking around waste management, around energy?”
Hapori neighbourhoods would attempt to redesign lifestyles that wouldn’t only suit Māori whānau.
“Most whānau don’t get to design the way their lives work: Their school’s on one side of town, the daycare’s on another, mahi’s on another.
“You spend half your morning driving around in a car.”
Formal health and community services would be just one aspect of wellbeing care.
Ruakere gave the example of a young mum up all night with a teething baby.
“She thinks: ‘Well, the medical centre’s open just down there – I’m going to see the nurse, I need to talk about this baby driving me mad’.
“But on the way she bumps into an older wāhine who says, ‘Let me look at that kid. Oh, yep, this molar’s coming through. Have you thought about… have you tried...?’
“They have a kōrero. They sit down for a coffee.
“And once the mum’s got through all of that, she’s thinking, ‘I’ll give it a go for another night’.”
LDR is local body journalism funded by RNZ and NZ on Air.
