Navigating A Path Forward

The Fono has branches in the south, central, west central and North Shore areas of Auckland as well as Northland, providing medical, dental, pharmacy, health promotion, social services and Whanua Ora services to its communities.   

The aim of its Church Navigator roles is to work alongside the different ethnic-specific denominations and to build the capability of church leaders to enable them to better assist dreams and aspirations of the families involved in the churches to achieve wellbeing.  The foundational values they use to work with the Church Leaders are those outlined in the Nga Vaka o Kaiga Tapu conceptual frameworks for Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands. 

So far, the Navigators have worked with 22 churches, building strong relationships and mutual trust. The key approach of the Church Navigators has been to create safe spaces where participants can talanoa (talk, share ideas). 

The Fono says a key aim is to “build strong and capable Church leadership” around wellbeing so those leaders can champion causes such as in family violence prevention, although it readily admits there are no quick fixes and change takes time and a consistent long-term approach is needed to successfully influence real change and positive outcomes. As The Fono works towards developing and refining its own learnings and processes around Pacific strengths-based approaches, community mobilisation and community-led solutions, they are also learning and supporting as they go and highly aware that this is an untested space for many Agencies and Pacific providers.  

Team Leader of Family Harm Services at The Fono, Tima Hunt, says the ultimate aim of the group is more vibrant Pasifika communities. Tima says this will be measured in a number of ways, such as an increased awareness of the group’s initiative, an increased sense of cultural identity for the younger generation, a sense of belonging, connection, awareness and access to better education, health and social opportunities for those involved. 

“Groups/Churches will become ‘community hubs’ for our people,” Tima says. 

The key driver for the program is its relevance to the Pasefika Proud’s Pathways for Change 2019-23 framework, which encourages Pacific community leaders to confront and inspire change particularly in attitudes and behaviours. Tima says the Pathways for Change “encourages and motivates our culturally aware community navigators to build on relationships within Pacific leadership, communities and therefore families”. 

To date, The Fono can point to a number of positive benefits achieved, particularly when Covid struck the community, such as providing food parcels, COVID testing and vaccinations. The strength of our relationships enabled The Fono to work closely with the Churches to ensure the community were supported during the most difficult of times.  The trusted relationships truly benefit the community and enable us (The Fono) to do what we need to do to protect our most vulnerable. 

“Our churches have the confidence to reach out to us for support,” Tima says. 

“All of this has had a positive effect on the overall wellbeing of the Pacific people/communities involved” 

The building of trust with Church Leaders and their churches creates opportunities for the Church Navigators to use strengths-based approaches in their talanoa to bring about long-term changes in attitudes, behaviours and negative social norms and to contribute to families reaching their moemoea or dreams and aspirations. 

The Fono - thefono.org

The Fono – Facebook - facebook.com/thefonohealth

Contact for more information -  email

Pasefika Proud Pathways for Change 2019-2023 - DOWNLOAD HERE  
Pacific families and communities are safe, resilient and enjoy wellbeing.  

Faith-based support 

Faith-based organisations are a key conduit to Pacific peoples. Over the years, Pasefika Proud has developed key relationships with church leaders across numerous denominations, which has resulted in the delivery of faith-based initiatives. A range of feedback and evaluation findings indicate that there are positive reasons to work with church and faith-based communities, especially to get key messages out to Pacific peoples and provide trusted leadership for change. 

Faith-based focus 

• Current successes and strengths to build on: 
• There is a growing acceptance of a faith-based approach for Pacific wellbeing. 

Areas identified where additional focus and work are needed: 

• Strengthen the role of the church in the dissemination of information and participation in key programmes and local initiatives 
• Utilising the churches’ influence on Pacific communities to encourage non-violent behaviour and family violence prevention initiatives 

• Local communities and church still need to play a bigger role in improving family violence awareness and messaging 

• Focus on partnerships / collaboration with churches and non-government organisations 
• (NGOs), particularly with improving awareness and cultural messaging for impact. 

The Church Navigator initiative forms part of the overall Pasefika Proud, Pacific Wellbeing projects. 

Kiribati Maneaba | Kiribati Family Violence Prevention and Wellbeing Plan 2019. To be reviewed.  

Tuvalu “Te Olaga Ola Filemu” | Tuvalu Family Violence Prevention and Wellbeing Plan. Currently being implemented nationally 

Tokelau National Wellbeing Plan | Launched October 2022 

Niuean National Wellbeing Plan | To be launched 2023

Fijian National Wellbeing Plan | Launched September 2022 

Tongan Churches National Wellbeing Plan | Currently being socialised within the Tongan Church Leaders around New Zealand 

Samoan Churches National Wellbeing Plan | Currently being socialised within the Samoan Church Leaders in the South Island of New Zealand