Overview

Tuakana has been piloted in the last two years, and will continue to help marginalised rangatahi teach community mindfulness and yoga classes. It is a unique initiative that builds knowledge, skills and behaviours that strengthen whānau and community wellbeing. Graduates from our foundational Atawhai program have the option to continue their training in the Tuakana program.

Tuakana has a unique meaning in Te Reo Māori; it refers to the relationship between an older (tuakana) person and a younger person in the context of teaching and learning. This captures the essence of our Tuakana program.

Program Details

Tuakana is a program that has one foot firmly in the future, motivated by rangatahi needs, sustainable growth and scalability. This newer initiative is supported by the strong foundation built by ATAWHAI, including the robust evidence that underpins it and the continued demand for the service. This innovative model is based on the principle that we are training our rangatahi who, in turn, train other people in their home, school or community. Becoming the teacher allows students the opportunity to build self-efficacy, respect and support from their peers. We know from experience with Atawhai and existing research, that a program delivered by rangatahi, for rangatahi is the most effective way of passing on these important mental health and wellbeing tools.

Outcomes

The key objectives of Tuakana are to:

• support rangatahi to increase their own sense of self-worth, self-efficacy and leadership capabilities;
• equip rangatahi with the skills to teach others; and
• increase choices and possibilities for rangatahi in the future, to become contributing and engaged members of society through improved employment opportunities.

Our Tuakana program responds to the well-documented need to support youth mental health in Aotearoa / New Zealand, and builds upon a longer standing project in our offering, Atawhai. Importantly, Tuakana recognises a youth-led desire to strengthen their resilience capabilities and mental wellbeing, become mental health leaders in their communities and seek employment opportunities in this field.