Shining the light on successful holistic wellbeing approaches to the Wellington Sports Sector
Wellington Rugby League Chief Executive Andre Whittaker
With the local Rugby League environment setting a noteworthy example in recognising and addressing the hauora and Waiora of its community, Wellington Rugby League Chief Executive Andre Whittaker presented at the most recent Wellington Sports Sector CEO hui on the wellbeing initiatives they’ve delivered in partnership with Healthy Families Hutt Valley, Te Whatu Ora and other community health providers.
The presentation aimed to shine a light on the positive impact Wellington Rugby League has made for the hauora and waiora of the game and community and encourage other sports codes to pave the way for a healthier, more resilient and empowered generation of athletes.
Andre touched on how the sports system is key to creating a sustainable long-term impact to support wellbeing kaupapa.
“I was proud to share some key elements to the success of the season, including forming strategic partnerships to leverage the kaupapa with the likes of Healthy Families Hutt Valley and Te Whatu Ora, incorporating hauora into our strategic plan, having a ‘Hauora Club of the Year’ award to name a few. I also shared how our consistent messaging around hauora was important on our apparel and merchandise – it wasn’t so long ago that players received alcohol branded training tops. We wanted to change that kind of messaging to change the kōrero that goes back to the household and whānau.”
Healthy Families Hutt Valley and Te Whatu Ora presenting the ‘Hauora Club of the Year Award’ at the Wellington Rugby League Awards
Andre says that his presentation sparked a movement toward acknowledging the importance of mental health and wellbeing in sports beyond physical performance.
“There was some good engagement and discussion from the other Wellington Sports Leads. We got to discuss what each sports code currently has in place around wellbeing and how they can build more on hauora and waiora into their current wellbeing strategies.”
Demonstrating the value of how sport and wellbeing can be interconnected creates the opportunity for all sports clubs to practice a holistic approach to athlete development and encouraging a collective effort among all sports to prioritise the mental health of their communities.