Whiti Ora Wellbeing Initiative

As part of a new wellbeing initiative at Whiti Ora we will be closed for the first week of the school holidays, the most immediate being Saturday 9 July – Sunday 17 July. 

To have the impact that we want with our community and to make our vision a reality, ka topa te manu ki te rangi – expanding horizons for an active, healthy, connected Te Tairāwhiti, we need to bring the best of ourselves to mahi each day.  

To do this, we need to get the right balance in life, look after staff, reduce burnout and prioritise quality whānau time in-line with our values to ensure that everyone is feeling engaged, refreshed and at their optimum. 

He aha te mea nui o te ao
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata 

What is the most important thing in the world?
It is the people, it is the people, it is the people 

Bookings by external groups for our meeting rooms will be unavailable during this time. 

We will respond to phone calls, messages and emails once we’re back on Monday 18 July. 

Noho ora mai. 

2022-27 Strategic Plan

Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki 

Mānawa maiea te ariki o te rangi 

Mānawa maiea te Mātahi o te tau 

Matariki is a time to acknowledge the past, celebrate the present and plan for the future. With this in mind, we thought it was a good opportunity to launch our 2022-27 Strategic Plan. 

Ka topa te manu ki te rangi – Expanding horizons for an active, healthy, connected Te Tairāwhiti. Our Strategic Plan will lead us into the future and guide our mahi for the next five years.  

What influences our work: 

  • Our journey: We look to our past (Ngā Tapuawae o Mua – the footsteps of our past) and our present (Te Pae Tata) to remind us of our origins, the aspirations of another generation, and to help us get our bearings for where we are now. We honour those who have been with us on our journey that spans over 30 years.  
  • Our values: He manu rere tahi, he manu rere teitei, he manu rere tika and he manu rere rata – The birds that fly together, high, straight and with an open heart. These values guide our everyday behaviours to our policies, plans and practices.  
  • The uniqueness of our community: Our insights tell us that we’re unique as a region. Our biggest assets are our people and the strong sense of hapū and iwi identity, tikanga and connection to the taiao. This strength requires a unique response that only our people can determine, particularly our communities of young people and Māori. 
  • Our foundation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi: We developed an Effectiveness for Māori Strategy that seeks to whakamana i te tiriti – give effect to the Treaty, in particular the principles of Mana Ōrite (partnership), Mana Māori (Protection) and Mana Taurite (Participation). 

Our Strategic Plan reaffirms our why, our kaupapa, our purpose and then prioritises how we should allocate our time and resource to propel us forward, ngā whāinga rautaki, our strategic priorities. 

Our Strategic Priorities are: 

  • Whānau and Hapori (Families and Communities) 
  • Ensuring equity 
  • Authentic partnerships 
  • Strong organisation 

You can read more about these in our 2022-27 Strategic Plan below.

Sport will always remain a critical focus, however, the importance of play, being active, and having a healthy lifestyle are equally important to the mahi that we do to support the well-being of our communities. 

Throughout our journey, as an organisation we have expanded the depth and breadth of our services.  

While historically we prioritised the club, code or organisation, we’ve learnt through our journey that change happens when the aspirations of people and communities are at the heart of decision making. This means that we will continue to work with our traditional partners but our ‘why’ has expanded to understand how clubs, codes and organisations contribute to the wellbeing and aspirations of the community. 

Some of our mahi includes:

  • Supporting whānau, communities, organisations, clubs, and champions who are seeking to improve activity and wellness, through physical activity, play, active recreation and sport initiatives 
  • Managing the Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa fund to help reduce barriers to physical activity for tamariki and rangatahi  
  • Providing Coach development opportunities 
  • Supporting and assisting primary and intermediate schools and kura with kai, sport, active recreation and play 
  • Supporting secondary schools by assisting and promoting student participation in sporting opportunities 
  • Supporting the delivery of community events such as Quarter Marathon, Titirangi Mt. Everest Challenge, Swim the Distance, Gymnastics Festival for Gisborne and the East Coast, Weetbix Tryathlon, Inter-school Cross Countries, and the Sporting Excellence Awards 
  • Developing and supporting new places and ways in which our tamariki can play
  • Advocating for greater participation and leadership by women and girls in sport with our Well Wāhine initiative 
  • Providing financial management, communications and information management for community organisations through Taupua Tairāwhiti our shared services function
  • Providing Green Prescription – a health referral support service that includes Wānanga Kai, Workout Pods and fitness classes 
  • Working and advocating for quality sporting and recreation facilities through our partnership with Trust Tairāwhiti, Gisborne District Council, iwi and the wider community
  • Working alongside early childhood centres and Kohanga Reo to increase the quality and quantity of physical activity and to improve nutrition for under fives 
  • Working with individual whānau to improve their hauora journey by incorporating better and improved eating habits, increase movements and self confidence 
  • A Tairāwhiti Rising Legends programme that supports the development of young, aspiring athletes within our region

A massive thank you to our community, stakeholders, funders, Board and Sport NZ for the support as we fully expand our wings and in doing so expand our horizons to create an active, healthy, and connected Te Tairāwhiti – Ka topa te manu ki te rangi. 

Ngā mihi o Matariki, te tau hou Māori. 

Meri Kirihimete & Happy New Year

Meri Kirihimete & Happy New Year ✨

2021 has been another challenging year but with the support of our community, we’ve managed to also make it an epic one.

Our office is closed from 5pm Friday 17 December and we’re back Wednesday 5 January.

We hope you enjoy the summer, spending time with your whānau and resetting for 2022.

Noho ora mai
The team at Whiti Ora.

New Zealand Sport & Recreation Awards 2021

Homai te pakipaki to our General Manger, Kylie Turuwhenua-Tapsell on being awarded the Susie Simcock Future Leaders’ Scholarship. Kylie received this prestigious award for her amazing mahi in community led initiatives, leading the way in youth development, and the power of sport and recreation.
“Receiving the award is such a humbling experience that I am still processing. For me, the award is a good reminder that nothing is ever done by one person. The mahi that has been achieved acknowledges the amazing staff and hapori partners who bring their community focussed hearts to what we do.”
“It also reminds me that we’ve started a journey of change to better reflect Te Tairāwhiti and that our accountability needs to be to those who have barriers to accessing opportunities and supporting their voices.” – Kylie Turuwhenua-Tapsell.
Our mahi for Well Wāhine Week was a finalist for the Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion Award. The award recognizes innovative initiatives which support diversity and inclusion within sport and recreation. Whilst we didn’t take home the award, we’re grateful we were selected as a finalist and congratulate Sport Waitākere for their win. Ka pai hoki koe!
Terry Sheldrake received the Sir Eion and Jan, Lady Edgar Lifetime Achievement Award. Terry was recognised for his outstanding service to Triathlon and Sport. He was the founding CE of Whiti Ora 30 years go. Congratulations Terry!
Ka mau te wehi!

Christmas & New Years Hours

Meri Kirihimete & Happy New Year ✨
As we approach the end of 2020 it’s a good opportunity to look back and reflect on what a year it has been. Ngā mihi for the continuous support from our community in a year that has been full of many challenges.
Our office is closed from 5pm Friday 18 December and we’re back Monday 11 January.
We hope you enjoy your holiday, spending time with your whānau and resetting for 2021. Stay safe!