We provide the information and support to talk about gambling related harm. We also provide opportunities for Māori communities to speak out on their views about this kaupapa. Māori communities in return, provide the content that helps to make both regional and community, policies and strategies. These policies and strategies inform the way our city evolves and what changes it needs to make to better support the way Māori communities live, play and work within it. Most importantly though, we make sure it is the vision of the whānau we connect with that underpins the mahi we carry out through the Preventing Gambling Harm kaupapa here at Hāpai.
Preventing gambling related harm is an objective across the wider population of Māori within Auckland, but the issues of significance they face as unique Māori communities inform the way in which they choose to address those harms. Understanding the harms associated to gambling is varied across our population, also enables us to understand the way we address those harms can be just as dynamic. At Hapai we are constantly forming new relationships, exploring new ideas and developing new concepts for our projects. Creating diversity ensures a growing number of Māori communities have the connection and resources to achieve their optimal wellbeing as is the original purpose of Hāpai - ‘oranga tangata, oranga whenua’
"our focus has been on empowering Rangatahi, Kaumātua and Consumers..."
We have three major themes our work is done within:
- Awareness raising in communities allows us to share the knowledge of how the region is addressing gambling related harm. This is also an opportunity to provide a space for our whānau to promote their own views to both the community and the wider Auckland network. This is always done through kanohi ki te kanohi.
- Supporting communities to leverage their strengths. Finding opportunities to connect to each other and develop their own kete with tools, insight and relationships. We appreciate communities have a depth of knowledge. Our role is to become/teach/source/learn whatever it is that supports their vision for increased well being through preventing gambling harm.
- Policy development both on a local and regional level helps design an environment that enhances community wellbeing. To that end, the uptake of these policies must to something that empowers communities to succeed. We build relationships with funders and local authorities to ensure our communities ideas are interwoven throughout a range of activities.
Additional services we deliver as part of our work across Auckland communities
Since 2018, our service has picked up the Effective Screening Environments and Safe Gambling Environments service lines, which enable us the opportunity to work with pubs, clubs and trusts to ensure they are providing an environment that supports and enables gambling addictions support to be accessed if a person is experiencing harm from their gambling.
A brief timeline in Aotearoa New Zealand
A brief timeline of the introduction, development and acceleration of gambling harm throughout the history of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Included in this timeline are several important highlights of various events that led to the displacement of Māori and their increased exposure to gambling harm.
Gambling Harm Awareness Week (GHAW) 2022
This year, Gambling Harm Awareness Week (GHAW) is from 5 September - 11 September 2022. Keep an eye on this page for the 8-part financial literacy campaign.
Tune into our monthly webinars, on the first and last Thursday’s of the month on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Highlights
18 November, 2022
Hapai Te Hauora welcomes long overdue review into pokies
The Minister of Internal Affairs Jan Tinetti launched a review into pokies today.
7 September, 2022
Ka Hao te Rangatahi campaign launches to recognise Gamble Harm Awareness Week
This year, Gambling Harm Awareness (GHAW) is observed from 5 - 11 September. GHAW provides opportunities for reflection, promotion, and raising awareness around gambling harm, gambling addiction and the wider impacts of gambling on whānau and hapori.
5 September, 2022
Lotto stores in poorest half of NZ account for 70% of sales
Selah Hart of Hāpai te Hauora, a kaupapa Māori public health agency whose work includes reducing gambling harm, said some people in poor communities saw Lotto as a way out of poverty.
5 June, 2022
NewstalkZB - Selah Hart: "It's a silent addiction that many people suffer from"
Hapai te Hauora CEO, Selah Hart joined the Weekend Collective to discuss what adding more Lotto games would mean for New Zealand.