He Oranga Poutama is a collaborative initiative led by Te Pae Oranga o Ruahine o Tararua in partnership with Sport Manawatū and Sport New Zealand – Ihi Aotearoa. He Oranga Poutama is about supporting and growing community leadership and participation in play, active recreation and sport, and is intentionally designed to fill a gap for Māori communities, providing access to physical activities in culturally comfortable settings. It is one of Te Pae Oranga’s local commissioning initiatives and reflects Te Pae Oranga’s aspiration to ensure that whānau-led and whānau-driven innovation is systemically supported.
Te Pae Oranga o Ruahine o Tararua (Te Pae Oranga) commissioned a social impact assessment of their commissioning approach with He Oranga Poutama. The report highlighted the transformative power of iwi-led commissioning. Te Pae Oranga investment decisions are grounded in mātauranga Māori and local leadership. This delivers not only measurable economic returns but also profound social impact across whānau, hapū and iwi.
He Oranga Poutama, as an example of Te Pae Oranga-led commissioning proves that whānau-led and whānau-driven approaches are not just culturally resonant but are systemically effective. The social impact assessment report highlights the fact that our commissioining approach catalyses intergenerational wellbeing, leadership development, and strengthened identity in ways that conventional models cannot replicate.
While the social impact report revealed a strong return on investment, with a benefit-cost ratio of 8.6, this figure still undervalues the true impact of He Oranga Poutama, as many of its most powerful outcomes represent non-monetised benefits.
You can read the full Analysis of Impact on the Manawatū Region here:
He Oranga Poutama Social Impact Assessment – Analysis of Impact on the Manawatū Region