Waka Whakamua hits ground running

Israel Hawkins speaks at the launch of Waka Whakamua in September. Photo/File

A Rotorua-based community collective which launched in September is getting down to business, although some of its services still need funding.

It has launched several new initiatives and is working with gangs in Rotorua's east to offer different alternatives and employment opportunities.

Waka Whakamua director Israel Hawkins said the collective was made up of 30 providers, including businesses, churches and organisations.

The six focus areas were health, employment, community, whanau, faith-based and crime. Within each focus area, a key issue had been identified through extensive research.

So far it had received funding from the Todd Foundation for back end support for its website, leadership and research-based projects.

''We are looking to place and reintegrate offenders that are coming back to Rotorua into employment. While our faith-based collective is working with solo parents and the Ministry of Social Development is interested in giving us some support.''

Meanwhile, the crime collective was working with local gangs on the Eastside, he said.

''One of the areas is the employment of these young guys and teaching them tikanga as an alternative to gangs. I suppose we are teaching them how to be more pro social.

''It is supported by their leader, which is really good, and it has been used quite a lot by the police to help out where there has been gang friction.

''We are not funded to do that, yet we are trying to find funding but doing the work anyway.''

Rotorua had the second highest gang population in the country, he said.

Meanwhile, the health collective had starting working with a young person who was morbidly obese and his whanau.

''The Mokoia Community Association asked us to help out and we said absolutely.''

The collective had joined forces with others including Gold's Health and Fitness to set health goals, nutrition plans and support, he said.

Hawkins said Waka Whakamua was excited about the future.

''It's a combination of excitement and let's get to work.''