Two promising, young Pacific and Māori researchers are sharing their experience and deepening their skills as part of a new partnership Te Hiringa Hauora | Health Promotion Agency is investing in.
Tatyana King-Finau (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine, Tonga) and Brooke Kuresa (Samoa) are students at Te Herenga Waka/Victoria University of Wellington. Over the next 12 months, Te Hiringa Hauora will support them to grow their research and science communications skills as part of a partnership with the university’s Youth19 team. This team contributes to the most comprehensive study of young people’s health and wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand, the Youth2000 survey series.
“This partnership will provide timely, robust data about young people’s experiences and aspirations in New Zealand to feed into public sector understanding and decision making”, says Dr David Dundon-Smith, General Manager Insights and Evaluation at Te Hiringa Hauora.
“It also enables Te Hiringa Hauora to help build a dynamic workforce by supporting early career Māori and Pacific researchers”, says Mary O’Hagan, General Manager Operations at Te Hiringa Hauora, “Both Tatyana and Brooke show great promise for their future and their communities. Supporting them aligns with our commitment to uphold Te Tiriti, achieve health equity and prioritise populations of greatest need”.
Tatyana is passionate about Māori and Pacific youth mental health and wellbeing, especially among the queer, takatāpui and trans Māori and Pasifika communities. She has recently moved from the University of Otago and is about to start her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Te Herenga Waka.
Brooke is beginning her Masters in Health Psychology. Her passion for Pacific youth wellbeing is closely tied with her community connections in Porirua. Both women will be supported by Dr Terry Fleming (co-lead of Youth19), Dan Archer (Youth19 Study Manager) and other researchers from the team and wider university.
The researchers will provide access to high-quality analyses, valuable advice and expert communication about youth wellbeing. This partnership will support the continued role of Te Hiringa Hauora as a leader across the public service, in the promotion of the wellbeing of young people.
To find out more about the Youth 19 team and its work visit www.youth19.ac.nz/
Image on the right shows Brooke Kuresa (left) and Tatyana King-Finau (right).