Healthy Families Waitākere

What Healthy Families Waitākere does

Healthy Families Waitākere is a community-led health promotion initiative operating in West Auckland, New Zealand, as one of ten designated sites in the national Healthy Families NZ program funded by the Ministry of Health since 2014. The organisation applies a systems-change methodology—co-designing prevention initiatives with local people in schools, workplaces, sports clubs, marae, and community spaces—rather than running individual behaviour-change campaigns. Its portfolio spans Māori and Pacific health equity, food sovereignty, active transport, mental health, and physical-activity programming.

Its core "products" are frameworks and programmes built on mātauranga Māori and Pacific epistemologies, including Mana Motuhake o te Kai (food sovereignty framework), Wayfinding Leadership (vaka-based identity programme), Fa'atauanau (Pacific mental-health-in-sport partnership with NZR Mind Set Engage), Tāfesilafa'i (Fa'a Sāmoa community of care for aoga amata), Rongomaiwhiti Rīki (kura-to-club sport pathway), Play Streets (street-play pilot scaled into Auckland Council policy), Kai Villages, Maramataka, and School Eats. Underlying technology is non-software: cultural frameworks, co-design toolkits, publications, and trained systems-innovator staff. The platform architecture is the trust network and the operating host is Sport Waitākere, which provides premises at Massey Leisure Centre and shared leadership.

The business model is government grant funding, not commercial revenue. Healthy Families Waitākere does not charge community partners, schools, or organisations for its services; it operates as a collective-impact initiative delivering free support, with revenue classified as professional services–style grant funding from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development. The go-to-market is community-led partnership engagement—no paid marketing, distribution via existing gathering places, and earnt media through outlets such as The Spinoff. The initiative rebranded to Tuia Waitākere in 2026 to reflect a deepened place-based identity.

Name

Healthy Families Waitākere

Legal name

Healthy Families Waitākere

Website

https://healthyfamilieswaitakere.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Healthy Families Waitākere (now Tuia Waitākere) is a Ministry of Health-funded community health promotion initiative in West Auckland that co-designs culturally grounded prevention programmes—spanning food sovereignty, mental health, sport, and play—with Māori, Pacific, and local communities across schools, marae, sports clubs, and workplaces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Promotion

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Community Food Services (624210), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH), Health Education & Parent Coaching (Sleep, Safety, Illness Management) (EDACAMAN)

Keywords

• Community health promotion
• Public health prevention
• Food sovereignty programs
• Systems change consulting
• Māori Pacific wellbeing

Headquarters

HQ city

Massey, Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government funding (Ministry of Health): Healthy Families Waitākere is part of the Healthy Families NZ initiative, funded by the Ministry of Health as a prevention-based public health approach operating across ten sites in Aotearoa New Zealand. Additional government funding comes from Ministry of Social Development.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Healthy Families Waitākere is a community-led health promotion initiative that partners with schools, workplaces, sports clubs, marae, and community spaces across West Auckland to drive prevention-based systems change. It delivers a portfolio of programs including Mana Motuhake o te Kai (food sovereignty), Tāfesilafa'i (Sāmoan ECE community of care), Wayfinding Leadership, Fa'atauanau (rangatahi wellbeing in sport), Play Streets, Kai Villages, Rongomaiwhiti Rīki, and School Eats social enterprise.

Product overview

Healthy Families Waitākere is a community health organization offering a portfolio of health promotion programs and frameworks rather than a technology product. Its offerings include: the Mana Motuhake o te Kai food sovereignty framework; Tāfesilafa'i community of care for Sāmoan ECE; Wayfinding Leadership series for schools; Fa'atauanau rangatahi wellbeing in sport; Play Streets community initiative; Kai Villages food programs; and various publications including the Te Whai Kori Regional Play Framework and Maramataka resources. These programs work across schools, workplaces, sports clubs, marae, and community spaces to support healthier environments and community-led change.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mana Motuhake o te Kai Framework A food sovereignty framework with three pou (pillars): Tāngata (people), Taiao (environment), and Tikanga (customs), designed to help communities regain control over local food systems.
• Tāfesilafa'i A community of care initiative supporting Sāmoan early childhood education centres (aoga amata) through professional development, wellbeing support, and cultural frameworks grounded in Fa'a Sāmoa.
• Wayfinding Leadership A leadership framework developed by Chellie Spiller and Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr, using Pacific wayfinding principles and the metaphor of the vaka to help rangatahi build identity, cultural connection, and leadership skills.
• Fa'atauanau A rangatahi wellbeing program in school sport incorporating Pacific models of mental health and wellbeing, including Fonofale model and Faikava-style connection, developed in partnership with New Zealand Rugby's Mind Set Engage.
• Play Streets A community-led street play initiative piloting temporary street closures to create safe play spaces for children, developed in partnership with Auckland Council, Auckland Transport, and Healthy Families South Auckland with Waka Kotahi funding.

Quantifiable outcome

• 52+ schools received improved water infrastructure supporting water-only policies
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Sport WaitākerecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthy Families Waitākere operates as a service under Sport Waitākere, sharing office space at Massey Leisure Centre. Sport Waitākere CEO Lynette Adams serves as Healthy Families Waitākere Chair, providing organisational leadership and alignment with broader sport and recreation initiatives in West Auckland.
• Hoani Waititi MaraecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in food sovereignty mahi, working with the West Auckland Māori Thought Leadership collective to identify kai sovereignty as vital for Māori health in West Auckland.
• Heart FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth-focused partner organisation supporting the Tāfesilafa'i initiative for Samoan early childhood centres, contributing to the community of care for faiaoga.
• PlunketsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth partner in the Tāfesilafa'i initiative, providing support to aoga amata alongside other health organisations.
• Auckland Regional Public HealthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Tāfesilafa'i initiative supporting aoga amata health and wellbeing.
• Western InitiativesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity initiative that provided digital devices to aoga amata centres as part of the Tāfesilafa'i support package.
• Cause CollectivesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-based partner supporting the Tāfesilafa'i initiative with aoga amata.
• Presbyterian NorthernsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Tāfesilafa'i community of care initiative.
• Talking MatterssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly childhood education experts supporting the Tāfesilafa'i initiative with professional knowledge.
• Ministry of Education Pasifika TeamsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment education specialists providing support and guidance for aoga amata through the Tāfesilafa'i initiative.
• AUT (Dr Rebecca Hopkins)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing research expertise to the Tāfesilafa'i initiative.
• SAASIA (Sosaiete Aoga Amata Sāmoa I Aotearoa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella organisation for Samoan immersion early childhood centres. SAASIA runs monthly professional development for faiaoga and offers ERO visit preparation support to aoga amata through the Tāfesilafa'i initiative.
• Auckland CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in Play Streets pilot across seven West Auckland neighbourhoods. In April 2026, Auckland Council adopted Play Streets as policy across Tāmaki Makaurau based on learnings from the pilot.
• Auckland TransportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Play Streets pilot, collaborating on creating safer street environments for community-led play.
• New Zealand Rugby (Mind Set Engage)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFa'atauanau partnership incorporates Pacific models of mental health and wellbeing into Mind Set Engage workshops with schools and clubs. Mind Set Engage has operated for nearly ten years connecting with grassroots teams on mental health through the sport pathway.
• Mental Health Foundation of New ZealandsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner working with Healthy Families Waitākere, celebrating community champions supporting mental health in places people spend their time, including the Valkyries women's rugby league initiative.
• Kelston Boys High SchoolsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Fa'atauanau community outreach session held at Kelston Boys High School with aiga participation and kai sharing.
• Avondale CollegesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitial design partnership for Fa'atauanau framework with first XV rugby team, informing the development of rangatahi wellbeing approach in school sport.
• Te Kura o Pātiki | Rosebank SchoolsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Wayfinding Leadership program with Samoan and Niuean bilingual units, exploring Pacific leadership identity through the vaka framework.
• Eco MatterssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal environmental trust providing funding for high visibility vests and hats for walking school bus participants at Pomaria School.
• Hāpai Te HauorasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Maramataka Māori lunar calendar workshops alongside Healthy Families Waitākere, working to revive traditional health and wellbeing practices.
• Toi TangatasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of second Maramataka workshop to identify opportunities for bringing traditional Māori health practices into everyday life.
• Panuku Development AucklandsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Ōpanuku Reserve redevelopment, bringing rangatahi co-design ideas to life with 17 Māori worldview play elements in the playground.
• University of AucklandsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research project with Food Systems Innovator Michele Eickstaedt and Dr Sarah Gerristen identifying systemic barriers to fruit and vegetable intake in West Auckland.
• Our City ChurchsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator in School Eats social enterprise providing nutritious $5 lunches to Lincoln Heights School students.
• I Love AvondalesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organisation for Wayfinding Leadership wānanga engaging 35 rangatahi and tamariki with Pacific leadership framework.
• Te Whānau o Waipareira Tū PakarisupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Wayfinding Leadership initiative, contributing youth mentors and rangatahi development expertise.
• Turn Your Life AroundsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development organisation in Tāmaki Makaurau contributing mentors to the Wayfinding Leadership program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• The Fono: Pacific health and social services provider in Tāmaki Makaurau delivering culturally grounded whānau ora-style health programmes. Comparable as a Pacific-led health promotion provider serving overlapping target communities (Sāmoan, Tongan, etc.) but with broader clinical services included.

Broad incumbents

• Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand: National mental health promotion charity that partners on Fa'atauanau rugby-league wellbeing work. Comparable as a New Zealand-wide prevention-focused health promotion NGO, distinct in scope (mental health specific) but overlapping mission in community wellbeing.
• Auckland Regional Public Health Service: Regional public health unit covering Tāmaki Makaurau and a partner on the Tāfesilafa'i initiative. Comparable as the publicly funded public-health delivery layer operating in the same geography with overlapping prevention and equity objectives.
• Te Whānau o Waipareira: Large West Auckland iwi social services provider contributing youth mentors to the Wayfinding Leadership programme. Comparable as a West Auckland Whānau Ora provider with overlapping community-led health, education and rangatahi mahi.
• Sport Waitākere: Parent organisation that hosts Healthy Families Waitākere within its premises at Massey Leisure Centre. Comparable as a West Auckland sport-and-recreation umbrella with shared leadership (Lynette Adams chairs both) and overlapping sport-based health initiatives like the Valkyries partnership.

Direct peers

• Healthy Families South Auckland: One of the other Healthy Families NZ sites, delivering the same Ministry of Health-funded community-led prevention model in South Auckland. Most directly comparable peer — same funder, same framework, parallel programme mix including Play Streets — making it the closest operational comparator.
• Hāpai Te Hauora: Māori public health NGO operating in Tāmaki Makaurau with a focus on Māori health equity, including co-hosting Maramataka workshops with this organisation. Highly comparable in mission (Māori-led public health prevention) and operating footprint across Auckland.
• Toi Tangata: National Māori nutrition and physical-activity organisation co-hosting Maramataka and food-sovereignty work with this organisation. Comparable as a culturally grounded, Māori-led health promotion entity delivering similar prevention content across communities.
• Community Waitākere: West Auckland community development organisation cited as a partner on the food-secure communities plan alongside Hoani Waititi Marae. Comparable as a place-based community development nonprofit operating in the same West Auckland communities on adjacent resilience and equity themes.
• Cause Collective: Community-based social services organisation partnering on the Tāfesilafa'i initiative supporting aoga amata. Comparable as a West Auckland community-led nonprofit working alongside Healthy Families Waitākere on equity-grounded whānau support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/healthyfamilieswaitakere
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/healthy-families-wait%C4%81kere

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Healthy Families Waitākere