People Pride Place – Our Three Pou

Our purpose is to enable communities to connect and flourish

Kaitiakitanga (Place) is about nurturing and respecting our land. Our role as people (People) and to our whenua is to ensure its sustainability for future generations (Pride).

Our values – Compassion, Contribution and Connection, are woven throughout the three Pou and we continue to aim high to fulfil our values and commitments.

Our Māori lens framework encompasses the following:

Manaaki whenua, Manaaki tangata, Haere whakamua

Care for the land, care for the people, go forward

The expression ‘Manaaki whenua, manaaki tangata, haere whakamua’ connects people to the environment. This connection is expressed through kaitiakitanga – guardianship and protection.

Care for the land is about a place of nurture and respect, where connect and belonging are physical and spiritual, and the belief system that humans and nature are not separate but related as one.

Manaaki tangata is about working together to achieve aspirations for wellness within ourselves and the environment we live in. Changing peoples’ relationships with their environments will change the wellbeing of the people.

‘Haere whakamua – go forward’ is about our aspirations to achieve zero waste business that will create sustainable futures for many generations. This will contribute to living a vibrant and healthy life.

This framework will guide us in delivering the key outcomes of MPHS which are:

• Create opportunities for our local community to engage in quality programmes and projects that improve their connection, well-being and sense of belonging.
• Invest in members of our community to challenge them to discover their dreams, inspire learning and support them to live the lives they live.
• Invest in members of our community to challenge them to discover their dreams, inspire learning and support them to live the lives they value.
• Provide venues, resources and community space to host activities that meet the needs of the community.
• Successfully manage social enterprises that make positive contributions to the local community and support us to achieve our outcomes.

Established in 2004, we support, develop and advocate for our diverse multicultural and youthful community to flourish.  

We run many projects and programmes, receiving strategic direction from a Board and support from our staff, funders and volunteers. The programmes include education, environmental restoration, youth and women empowerment programmes, community fitness and neighbourhood development to enable our residents and community to thrive. 

We are grateful to our community for their support in MPHS lobbying for a purpose built facility, which we have been operating from since 2012. 

The platform for our work at MPHS is a determined focus on connection through many different perspectives. We appreciate its importance and for us, it is the most crucial aspect for building individual and community wellbeing and resilience. Our focus on connection is evident through everything we do; in how we support connections between individuals living in our communities, supporting connection and learning through organisations working in our community and enabling a strong connection between our wonderful staff and board members.

Although our sphere of responsibility is embedded in our deep connection with the Henderson South and McLaren Park community, we extend our community development focus and collaboration across Tamaki Makarau.