A Better Me - Building My Tomorrow : Strengthening rangatahi wellbeing through identity, culture and community
Tui Kingi - Systems innovator with the rangatahi from TRM
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. Through this approach, wellbeing is reframed into 'Building My Tomorrow' through cultural reconnection, belonging, self accountability and shared responsibility.
Over the past six months, we have walked alongside 30 tane rangatahi - peeling back the issues impacting their self worth and identity in a setting that is safe and culturally centred - Wainuiomata Marae. Feedback from rangatahi, kaiako, the marae and whānau has been overwhelmingly positive. Young people have spoken about the changes they have noticed in themselves through the programme, while parents have reflected on the shifts they are seeing at home. Comments shared include, “anger has been replaced with reflection,” “my son is showing a deeper appreciation,” and “he is a happier person with more confidence.” Other whānau described their sons as becoming more respectful, speaking more, helping out more, and growing in confidence.
Building on these outcomes, the first of four A Better Me programmes scheduled for 2026 is now underway. This year, the kaupapa has been strengthened further through the introduction of a new module, 'Building Your Tomorrow' which focuses on which focuses on identity, self-worth and accountability as the rangatahi transition from school to employment and the next state of their life. This module supports rangatahi to better understand their value add — what they contribute, what responsibilities they hold to employers, and what responsibilities they hold to themselves. Insights from the first intake will be gathered and reviewed with rangatahi to help refine and strengthen the module for future delivery.
This mahi reflects the wider Healthy Families approach of supporting prevention through systems change. At the practice level, A Better Me is helping shift how wellbeing is understood and supported by replacing individualised or clinical framings of mental health with cultural, relational and strengths-based approaches. At the relationship level, the initiative has strengthened collaboration between marae, local government, training providers and community networks, creating a stronger collective around rangatahi wellbeing. At influencing level, leadership is being held close to community, with marae and local partners shaping delivery in ways that reflect lived experience, local knowledge and cultural leadership.
The impact of this work also sits within a broader strand of Healthy Families Hutt Valley mahi to strengthen the visibility, language and practice of wellbeing across multiple settings, including sport, education and marae. Through this wider work, wellbeing is increasingly being understood not as an individual issue to solve alone, but as something that is built and sustained through relationships, identity, belonging and shared care.
Looking ahead, Healthy Families Hutt Valley’s role will increasingly focus on enabling long-term sustainability. Beyond June 2026, the intention is to transition leadership of A Better Me to community partners, with Healthy Families supporting the pathway through systems guidance, reflection, documentation and capability building. Next steps include continuing delivery, reviewing the new employment-focused module, developing facilitator training to support future peer or community-led delivery, and capturing lessons and impact to inform the transition.
A Better Me is showing what becomes possible when rangatahi wellbeing is nurtured through whakapapa, whanaungatanga and community leadership. It is a strong example of prevention in action — grounded in culture, shaped by community, and creating the conditions for rangatahi to thrive.
““Take care of what they hear. Take care of what they see. Take care of how they feel. For as the children grow, so shall the shape of Aotearoa.”