Celebrating our partnership with mana whenua on Founders’ Day 2025: The Selwyn Foundation Chair Hon David Cunliffe (left) and Tom Irvine, Chief Executive Officer (at the time) of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Whai Māia.

A significant development has been our partnering with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei on a range of capability development and knowledge-sharing initiatives, in recognition of their significance as mana whenua and our mutual appreciation of our joint history at the Pari-one-taka/Selwyn Village site.

At our Founders’ Day event on 22 May 2025, a landmark kawenata (covenant/Memorandum of Understanding) was signed between the two organisations, a symbolic gesture to confirm our ongoing partnership and collaboration. An addendum to this ground-breaking agreement specifically relates to our first project to jointly deliver a Māori-led Te Hauora Mahara/memory loss centre, where elders with mate wareware/dementia and their families/whānau can, over time, seek assessment, care and support in a dedicated te ao Māori space.

In designing this person-centred approach, both Selwyn and Whai Māia (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei’s health and social development entity) may combine expertise, funding and resources. A clinical and diversional therapy programme is to be co-created with whānau and driven by lived experiences, thereby enabling kaumātua to age with dignity, cultural connection and security in their local community.

We are also in discussion with other Iwi who have expressed interest in replicating whatever is co-created, potentially expanding the reach and impact of this initiative exponentially.