A kaupapa Māori approach has led to improvements across the board at Quitline.
Under the leadership of Jordan Taiaroa from Te Ātihaunui a Pāpārangi, the principles of whakawhanaungatanga, manaakitanga, aroha and rangatiratanga have been introduced to all elements of Quitline Taiaroa. And the results speak for themselves.
The number of Māori working at Quitline has doubled in the past year. The number of enrolled tangata whaiora still not smoking at three months has also more than doubled from the same time a year ago, and there was a 13% increase in Māori and Pasifika peoples contacting Quitline.
Although the results are encouraging, instilling Māori values into a mainstream infrastructure has its challenges.
“It can be difficult at times,” Taiaroa says. “Having non-Māori who are not familiar with Māori principles and have not worked in this kind of environment has been hard but that’s when the other Māori staff help me affirm our Māori values at Quitline, and so far it’s been great.”
Taiaroa is a former smoker, and knows the challenges that smokers face when trying to quit. But his motivation runs deeper.
“First and foremost I am a Māori,” he says. “That is at the centre of who I am and what I am trying to achieve. Better health outcomes for Māori, for my people.”