We build the financial capability of Māori and Pacific peoples, and we work closely with Māori and Pasifika healthcare partners and community organisations, and incorporate tikanga Māori and cultural values into our BFC service to deliver better financial futures and outcomes for Māori and Pasifika communities.
The reasons for Māori inequity are historic and still affect Māori socially and economically. At the same time, approaches to building financial capability are not often designed or delivered in culturally appropriate ways. We believe in better supporting Māori financial wellbeing and resilience.
We know that raising Māori and Pacific peoples’ financial capability will significantly benefit and improve their economic, cultural and social wellbeing. We create innovative, safe and culturally relevant solutions and respond to their holistic needs of integrating families and communities.
Raising Pacific people’s financial capability skills will help improve their economic, cultural and social wellbeing, and research shows the most successful programmes are those grounded in Pacific values and culture, and holistically integrated around families and community. We focus on delivering financial capability support in culturally appropriate ways, so Pacific people and their families are reached effectively.
Through our BFC programme, and our experienced te reo-speaking mentors, we empower our Māori and Pasifika clients on their journeys of financial capability. We work with Māori and Pacific Island organisations and employment schemes, and act in accordance with tikanga to offer culturally appropriate and conversant mentors to Māori and Pacific clients who feel more comfortable with one.
We work with Te Puna Hauora, the Māori health organisation based on the North Shore, and Grace Foundation, which offers safe shelter and holistic services to marginalised Māori and Pacific peoples. We deliver one-on-one financial capability and advocacy services to clients and whānau of both organisations as part of a strategic, collaborative partnership.
We deliver mentoring at De Paul House working with Māori, Pasifika, migrant, and refugee individuals and whānau facing homelessness to provide financial capability knowledge and solutions to improve their life outcomes.
We also welcome Māori and Pasifika individuals and whānau from South Auckland who choose to come to our Takapuna office because they don’t want a financial mentor in their location, ashamed they’ll be recognised by their community. And we work with individuals and whānau in South Auckland who come from the Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre, and from emergency accommodation.
