Engaging Pasifika

Pasifika cultural competency

If health services connected culture and care for Pasifika people, we would see better access rates, earlier intervention from services, a reduction in ‘did not attend’ rates, more satisfaction with the quality of services and, ultimately, better health outcomes.

Le Va’s Engaging Pasifika cultural competency training programme is evidence-informed and equips health and disability services to connect culture and care.

Through a blended learning approach, participants learn the foundational attitudes, knowledge and skills to safely engage with, and effectively deliver, quality services for Pasifika people and their families.

Our comprehensive Engaging Pasifika programme offers EP Online for pre-workshop eLearning, followed by EP Live for a face-to-face, full-day workshop. Participants can then access EP+ for ethnic-specific online modules.

Engaging Pasifika workshops

The Engaging Pasifika programme is for non-Pacific health and disability workers employed at Ministry of Health-funded services. Registrants’ applications will be assessed and accepted if eligible to attend.

For more information on the Engaging Pasifika programme and to register for workshops in your region, view our schedule below or email the team at engagingpasifika@leva.co.nz to find out more.

Engaging Pasifika

Engaging Pasifika is Le Va's cultural competency programme for non-Pacific health workers, offering blended learning to improve services for Pasifika communities.

7 Hours
Free
In person

Resources and research

Please explore our Engaging Pasifika publications, resources and research to learn more about how to connect culture and care as a mainstream health or disability worker supporting Pasifika people.

Learn more

Enhance access

I realised my personal biases and misconceptions that might impact the way I relate to the Pasifika community. A key point that I took away was being aware that there are cultural differences that can influence how a person engages in the service.

Clinical psychologist

Spirituality

I made sure that I asked if the family would like to start with prayer. They both started and finished with prayer and then followed this time by saying to me that they were so pleased to have finally found me! The family told me that they have felt so let down by professionals in the past and Le Va’s training meant that I could really engage with this family in a positive manner.

Family centred

While working with the family, I took into account the family structure and their family priorities to help resolve the issues for which they came to me for support. This was clearly appreciated by the family.

Community worker

Partnering with Pasifika

Working closely with the Pasifika nurses helped the experience run smoothly and resulted in appropriate hospital admission using the medical services available for the best outcome possible.

Pharmacist

Building trust

I tried to allow the control of the meeting to be in the family’s hands and had a conversation rather than an ‘inquisition’ where all I did was ask questions… I followed their lead.