Enabling Access & Choice workforce to navigate mental health and addiction

In September and October we reached the significant milestones of hosting Le Va’s inaugural ‘Navigating Mental Health’ and ‘Navigating Addiction’ trainings.

Just as Pasifika people have long understood the moana and how to navigate their way to safe shores, we acknowledge that our frontline Pasifika health providers are expert navigators. This is especially true when it comes to making connections, creating a safe space, and engaging in respectful talanoa with tagata ola.

Both interactive workshops aim to further equip the workforce with relevant knowledge and skills that can be applied with clinical and cultural integrity. They focus on the importance of holistic wellbeing and strategies to support Pasifika people who experience common mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and addiction to alcohol and other drugs.

These trainings were developed after consultation with Pasifika services over many talanoa sessions and our hope is that our people working in this space grow in confidence when working alongside Pasifika who experience these challenges. Fa’afetai tele lava to the Pasifika Access & Choice services and their staff who have come to Le Va’s trainings across Aotearoa. The wisdom and experience everyone brought to the workshops enriched our talanoa.

To find out more about Le Va’s involvement in the Pasifika Access & Choice space, visit Access & Choice. To find out more about our workshops, email pasifikaprimarymha@leva.co.nz.