Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Heartland Services in Picton
A community hub in Waitohi Picton and the Marlborough Sounds will be a place to “get things done”.
Te Piki Oranga, in collaboration with Waikawa Marae, is now providing Heartland Services out of Picton.
Ricky Carr, pūkenga kaiwhakahaere (site manager) for Te Piki Oranga in Wairau, said the one-stop shop would provide a much-needed central “presence” for rural and remote whānau when they needed support with health, wellbeing or social services.
“We can offer a physical location – a place to get things done in person – as well as support on the phone or by video-conference,” Carr said, adding the hub was all about “making life a little easier” for people.
Heartland Services was a Ministry of Social Development initiative, with locations from Northland to Southland. Picton residents took the opportunity to meet the team at an open day on Wednesday to find out what Heartland could do for them.
The main services were: assistance with technology, email, printing, photocopying, scanning, phones and internet; support with accessing government and community service forms, applications and websites; a place to meet with government and community service staff, kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face) or via video-conferencing.
“Although it is early days we already have many government and community agencies ready to run regular drop-in sessions and workshops in person,” Carr said.
Te Piki Oranga, a provider of health and wellbeing services for Māori in the top of the south, acknowledged Te Ātiawa o te Waka-a-Māui as the owners and kaitiaki of the land and buildings from which they were working, Carr added.
Allanah Burgess, kaiwhakahaere (manager) of Waikawa Marae, said they first looked at having the Heartland Services at Waikawa Marae, but instead opted for the more central location of 22 High St, which was formerly the Wave Cafe and Courtyard.
“A lot happens on a marae, more than may be appreciated, such as our provision of health and social services like Whānau Ora that enable whānau and wider community members to thrive.
“When discussing how to make these essential new services available to whānau and others who need awhi (care), we decided in favour of the High Street hub from iwi-owned premises. This way we can uphold the tikanga of whakaruruhau to provide a safe, comfortable place as we do on the marae, and that happens to be in a convenient, central location for people.”