Building Connection and Opportunity in South Canterbury: How Tahi Pasifika is bringing Pacific communities together

In late 2024, Pacific leaders in Timaru came together following the closure of the Smithfield freezing works, where many Pacific families had been employed. Community leaders recognised that while Pacific people were deeply impacted, there was no unified Pacific voice advocating for the needs of the region’s communities. 

That moment became the catalyst for the formation of Tahi Pasifika. 

Supported through Pasefika Proud capability-building funding, the collective now brings together leaders from Tongan, Samoan, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Fijian and Niuean communities to support Pacific families through culturally grounded initiatives focused on wellbeing, education, youth development and community connection.

Leaders say the funding has been integral in helping turn long-held ideas into action, giving the collective the resources and governance support needed to formally establish and begin delivering programmes and events across the region.

“It’s helped us to start off,” Sina said. 

“We’ve been sitting with these ideas and we just needed the resources to help us start them.” 

“Tahi Pasifika is only a year old and we’re still building,” she said. 

“But it’s already helping our smaller Pacific groups feel seen, connected and supported.” 

Sina, who also works full-time as a social worker for Youth Justice at Oranga Tamariki, says much of the work behind Tahi Pasifika happens after hours and on a voluntary basis. 

“We do this for love,” she said. 

“We all have our full-time jobs and families, but we know our people need support and connection here in the regions.” 

The collective has quickly become a space where Pacific communities can come together not only to celebrate culture, but to respond to practical needs facing families and young people. 

One recent example was a Pacific family health and wellbeing day that brought together families from across the region for sports, health checks, cultural activities and fire safety education. 

The event also highlighted the growing strength of the collective itself, with different Pacific groups working side-by-side to support the wider community. 

Members say creating opportunities for communities to learn from one another has been one of the biggest shifts since Tahi Pasifika was formed. 

“Before, everyone was kind of working separately,” Sina said. 

“Now we’re learning from each other, supporting each other and becoming more confident together.” 

That sense of belonging is especially important for Pacific young people living in the South Island, where some families can feel isolated from larger Pacific communities. 

Soti Fealofani, Secretary of Samoan Society Timaru, said the collective has helped create spaces where young people feel connected and supported. 

“It’s about enhancing the mana of our people,” she said. 

“We want our young people to know they belong here and that there are people here who care about them and want to see them succeed.” 

One initiative already making a tangible difference is the collective’s driver licensing workshops. 

Held during the school holidays, the workshops supported around 45 young people, with 11 participants successfully gaining their driver licences. 

For many families, obtaining a licence can be life changing. 

“Driving legally gives our young people confidence,” Sina said. 

“It helps them support their families, get to work, help with transport and avoid ending up in the justice system through fines and things like that.” 

The workshops also became a way to strengthen relationships between youth and community leaders. 

“It broke barriers,” Soti said. 

“The young people saw that we were there to support them, not judge them.” 

Education has also become a major focus for the collective. 

Through a learning support programme based at Timaru Girls’ High School, 47 Pacific students have been receiving support with NCEA subjects. 

Alongside this, Tahi Pasifika has been delivering Talanoa Ako, a 10-week programme designed to help parents engage more confidently with their children’s education. 

The programme supports parents to better understand school systems, communicate with teachers and advocate for their children. 

Soti said another important area has been digital literacy, helping families build confidence using online platforms for schooling, communication and government services. 

“Sometimes our families don’t engage because the systems feel overwhelming,” she said. 

“So we help break those barriers down and walk alongside them.” 

The collective is also looking toward longer-term pathways for Pacific youth. 

Merali Taylor, who helped establish and support the collective, said partnerships are already being developed with organisations including Ara Institute of Canterbury and Fire and Emergency New Zealand to create more visibility around education and career opportunities for Pacific young people in Timaru. 

“There’s a lot more opportunity now for agencies to connect directly with our Pacific communities through Tahi,” Merali said. 

“We’re building something that creates stronger pathways and stronger relationships.” 

For those involved, Tahi Pasifika is about much more than programmes or events. 

At the collective’s launch, Reverend Taeano reminded attendees of Isaiah 42:6, speaking of being “a light for the nations” — words community leaders said reflected the collective’s mission of unity, service and hope for Pacific families across South Canterbury. 

They say the support from Pasefika Proud has been instrumental in helping bring the vision to life and establish a foundation for the collective’s long-term sustainability. 

Merali described the support as “a hand up in terms of building the collective” and said it had helped strengthen governance and create opportunities for communities to come together. 

Sina said the funding had helped transform community ideas into practical initiatives and created momentum for the collective to grow. 

Soti said the impact could already be seen through the success of initiatives like the licensing programme. 

“If it wasn’t for Pasefika Proud, these young people didn’t get their licence. Simple.” 

Taati Ma Temnakai Barao, representing the Kiribati community, said the collective had created opportunities for Pacific families from different backgrounds to connect, learn and build relationships together. 

“We would like to acknowledge and thank this amazing organisation for the great work they are doing in bringing Pasifika communities together, including the Kiribati community,” she said. 

“Thank you for creating safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces where our communities can come together as one.” 

While the collective is still growing, the women behind Tahi Pasifika say they are committed to continuing the work together. 

“We just make it happen,” Sina said. 

“And we’ll keep showing up for our people.”