This grassroots programme was created by Ōpōtiki whānau and community alongside CoLiberate.

In 2024 we reconnected 113 trusted adults and 19 rangatahi in Ōpōtiki with their ability to have every day support conversations to keep each other safe and well. 

 “Just as the sun goes up, it comes down, and so there will be times when we are in Te Pō, the place of darkness. It’s okay to be there, so long as we don’t get stuck down there – we need our whānau to be able to navigate their way back up into the world of light in good time.”
– Whetū Mārama Development Rōpū member.

This is an all new version of Mental Health First Response Skills Training, developed in partnership between members of the Ōpōtiki community and CoLiberate.

We acknowledge the practitioners who have come before us – the mātauranga that has come from whānau, hapū, iwi to this partnership. The atua kōrero that comes from the practitioners in the Ōpōtiki community, Te Whakatōhea social support workers, teachers, grassroots frontline.

We acknowledge the development rōpū – Parehuia Mafi, Tutangiora Mafi, Robyn Abraham-Harris, Waha Allison-Kereopa, Harmony Martin, Sian Cass, Gemma Hiakita and Sam Rosenthall.

Thank you to Paora Brosnan for helping to contextualize the CONVOS framework within Te Ao Māori.

“I feel that this training has given me the confidence to stand up and get involved if i feel something is not right. I will be following my puku mohio a lot more and I won’t be afraid to ask questions because it may help save someone’s life.”
– Ngā Whetū Mārama participant in Ōpōtiki.

Created in collaboration with Te Puni Kōkiri.

If you would like to learn more about this kaupapa, please use the form below and we will book you in for a kōrero.