E Tipu E Rea Whānau Services - Building up young parents and breaking down barriers

E Tipu E Rea Whānau Services is an organisation utilising a Kaupapa Māori Support Framework to support mātua taiohi and hapū māmā (young parents and pregnant mothers) in creating an environment where their tamariki can thrive.

Created in response to the successful implementation of Thrive – a teen parent project at the Auckland Women’s Centre – E Tipu E Rea aims to fill a gap in the system, as an independent teen parent service that prioritises the mana and hauora of young Māori.

E Tipu E Rea Whānau Services tīma

In 2021-2022, E Tipu E Rea supported over 300 whānau with education, health, budgeting, and other social care services, including 500 kai boxes. Furthermore, the team secured housing for 20 mātua taiohi. These achievements are a result of the dedicated work of the organisation, which strives to ensure that tautoko is available to all those who need it.

"Mātua taiohi and hapū māmā are doing their best given the opportunities and support available to them. They want to be good parents and provide for their tamariki – but circumstances don’t always allow for that. E Tipu E Rea acts as a whānau that wraps around new and expectant mātua taiohi to ensure they have access to the resources and networks that will enable them to thrive," says Zoe Hawke (Ngāti Hako, Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Pākehā), CEO of E Tipu E Rea.

The E Tipu E Rea approach

One of the ways E Tipu E Rea makes a difference is by offering Hapūtanga Wānanga, a birthing and parenting program with a traditional Māori lens. The program is open to all whānau, regardless of where they are in their parenting journey. During the fortnightly wānanga, participants make ipu/container: clay pots that store the placenta after birth and are buried in the whenua to symbolise a return to Papatūānuku.

"By reclaiming their Māori heritage through programmes like Hapūtanga Wānanga, mātua taiohi not only honour their culture but also lay a groundwork for passing down invaluable knowledge to their tamariki, leading to a positive intergenerational impact," says Hawke.

Using indigenous frameworks, the organisation also aims to dismantle harmful stigmas that young parents face by advocating for systemic change. Consequently, these changes benefit young parents in areas such as health, education, housing, social development, care, and protection.

"We've heard countless stories where mums are turned away from rentals because they are hapū or have young tamariki. The reality is that indigenous peoples tend to represent the majority of international teen pregnancy rates, and a colonial stigma victimises and side-lines teen mothers as an economic problem," says Hawke.

Giving our māmā the resources they need

The impact of E Tipu E Rea can be seen in their clients' success stories. Tianna Kiro (Ngāpuhi), who was three months pregnant when she approached E Tipu E Rea, credits the organisation with providing the support and understanding she needed during a difficult time.

"Before finding E Tipu E Rea, I went to a few other organisations but found them overwhelming. The threat of CIFs getting involved was always brought up, which wasn't encouraging," says Kiro. "My social worker at E Tipu E Rea was incredibly supportive and understanding. They helped me find a home, build my confidence, and showed me that I could be a great mother while pursuing my passions".

Tiana Mīhaka (Ngāpuhi), who was 17 and pregnant when she became involved with E Tipu E Rea, had a similar experience. "E Tipu E Rea helped me with work and income, kai parcels, and set me up at a temporary young parent home," says Mīhaka.

Tianna and Tiana now work at E Tipu E Rea as Alcohol Social Movement Coordinators, where they can give back to rangatahi in a way that has previously done for them. E Tipu E Rea hopes that by mātua taiohi sharing their voice with communities and decision-makers on issues that impact their wellbeing, they will contribute to social change — resulting in more mātua taiohi receiving the support they need and being treated fairly.

“Our rangatahi and mātua taiohi are the future leaders of Aotearoa. Our responsibility is to remove the judgement and give them the chance they deserve. While we can support them as a community, we need government organisations such as the Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Health, Te Whatu Ora and Oranga Tamariki to work together. Our whānau don't work in silos, but our ministries currently are," says Hawke.

Learn more about E Tipu E Rea Whānau services here: https://etipuereaws.org.nz/