Over the past year, Healthy Families Hutt Valley has continued to work alongside Wainuiomata Marae, TRM Training, and Hutt City Council’s Sport and Recreation in a kaupapa designed to strengthen rangatahi wellbeing through deeper connection to identity, culture and self-worth "A Better Me" - as part of TRM's Whakamana Rangatahi course.

The initiative emerged from a shared commitment to supporting rangatahi in ways that are relational, culturally grounded and community-led. Rather than using a deficit approach to mental health, A Better Me is grounded in Te Whare Tapa Whā and Te Whakaruruhau, using karakia, whanaungatanga, kōrero, gratitude and reflective activities to help young people explore their strengths, resilience and whakapapa.

In November 2025, eight Pātaka Kai were installed across Te Awa Kairangi in partnership with local groups responding to increasing food pressures in their communities. The intent was practical — to provide visible, local, stigma-free access to shared kai. What followed was evidence of systems change in action.

The real impact was not the structures themselves, but the activation they sparked across the system.

Hutt Valley Samoa: Leading Systems Change from Within

Last year, Hutt Valley Samoa joined the Tangata Moana Healthy Organisations kaupapa, a collective journey designed to strengthen how Pacific and community groups nurture their people and purpose.

In the Hutt Valley, local sports clubs, Healthy Families Hutt Valley, and Hutt City Council are championing a new wave of community wellbeing by introducing alcohol-free signage across Wainuiomata sports fields. Rooted in manaakitanga and kōtahitanga, this initiative reflects a shared vision for safe, inclusive spaces where tamariki can thrive and whānau can gather free from alcohol-related harm. With strong leadership from clubs like Wainuiomata Rugby and Wainuiomata Rugby League, the signage stands as a symbol of community aspiration—highlighting what’s possible when grassroots voices lead and systems respond with practical support.

Inano Dance is more than a Cook Islands dance collective—they are systems changemakers. With support from Healthy Families Hutt Valley, they are transforming cultural movement into a recognised force for health and wellbeing. From activating public spaces with Urahiit to preparing for Te Maeva Nui, Inano Dance is leading Oire Te Whanganui-a-Tara with pride, purpose, and power. Their story shows how culture is not just part of the solution—it is the solution.