Pou Hono Manawa

Pou Hono Manawa – Māori disability support for whānau hauā / tāngata whaikaha Māori

Pou Hono Manawa is a Kaupapa Māori-led disability support service for whānau hauā and tāngata whaikaha Māori. Our team works alongside disabled Māori, their families and whānau so they can live the lives they choose, in ways that reflect Te Ao Māori.

You can currently access Pou Hono Manawa through our contracts in the Wellington region and Waikato. If you live somewhere else in Aotearoa, we may still be able to support you through other CCS Disability Action services.

On this page

[ccs-a1] Accessible information

[ccs-a1] What is Pou Hono Manawa?

[ccs-a1] Who can use Pou Hono Manawa?

[ccs-a1] Where we offer Pou Hono Manawa

[ccs-a1] If you live outside Wellington or Waikato

[ccs-a1] What support can I expect?

[ccs-a1] Contact us

Accessible information

We want our information to be easy to use and understand.

On this page you can:

  • Download Pou Hono Manawa information in Easy Read

  • Watch an NZSL video about Pou Hono Manawa

What is Pou Hono Manawa?

Pou Hono Manawa is a new way of working with disabled Māori and their whānau, guided by our Manawa Māori leadership framework. We focus on whanaungatanga (relationships), whakapapa (connections) and rangatiratanga (you having control over your life), so your support reflects your culture, values and aspirations.

We can help you:

  • Connect with your whakapapa and culture

  • Build relationships with others, including our Karanga Maha, Many Voices whānau

  • Live in the community and home of your choosing

  • Share your voice and aspirations and plan the steps to get there

  • Tackle barriers together with you and your whānau

Our vision is that every disabled person and whānau hauā is interwoven into the life of their whānau and community. Pou Hono Manawa is one of the ways we work towards that vision with tāngata whaikaha Māori.

Contact us


If you have questions about Pou Hono Manawa, want to know if you might be eligible for disability support, or would like a brochure, please contact our Pou Hono Manawa team at: PouHonoManawa@ccsDisabilityAction.co.nz

Who can use Pou Hono Manawa?

Pou Hono Manawa is a free service for people who are eligible for disability support services through their local Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) service and who would like support grounded in Te Ao Māori.

You can use Pou Hono Manawa if:

  • You are Māori and disabled (whānau hauā / tāngata whaikaha Māori), or a disabled person with strong connections to Māori whānau, hapū or iwi

  • You are aged 0–65

  • You experience any impairment (for example learning, physical, sensory or autism spectrum impairment)

  • You live in one of the regions where Pou Hono Manawa is currently funded (Wellington region or Waikato), or you are happy for us to explore other CCS Disability Action supports if you live elsewhere

You can be at any stage of your cultural journey or identity – you do not need to speak te reo Māori or already be closely connected with your marae. What matters is that you want support that honours Te Ao Māori.

Where we offer Pou Hono Manawa

Wellington region

Pou Hono Manawa is available for people who are eligible for disability support services in the wider Wellington region.

This includes:

  • Wellington

  • Porirua

  • Hutt Valley

  • Kāpiti

Eligibility and NASC referral (Wellington):

You can ask these NASCs to refer you or your whānau member to Pou Hono Manawa at CCS Disability Action.

Waikato

Pou Hono Manawa is also available for people who are eligible for disability support services within the Disability Support Link (DSL) NASC area in Waikato.

This includes:

  • Hamilton

  • Hauraki

  • Matamata-Piako

  • Ōtorohanga

  • South Waikato

  • Waikato District

  • Waipā

  • Waitomo

Eligibility and NASC referral (Waikato):

‍ ‍Ask DSL to refer you or your whānau member to Pou Hono Manawa at CCS Disability Action.

If you live outside Wellington or Waikato

If you live somewhere else in Aotearoa, we may still be able to support you as whānau hauā / tāngata whaikaha Māori through other CCS Disability Action services.

We can:

  • Help you navigate local disability supports and Māori disability services in your region

  • Offer advocacy and information

  • Work with you and your whānau using the same Manawa values, even if it is not under the Pou Hono Manawa contract

If you are tāngata whaikaha Māori or whānau hauā living outside Wellington or Waikato, please contact your local CCS Disability Action branch and ask to speak with someone about Māori disability support. We will do our best to find the right support pathway with you.

What support can I expect?

Wherever you live, our Pou Hono Manawa team and wider CCS Disability Action kaimahi will:

  • Treat you with dignity and respect in ways that meet your cultural needs

  • Make sure our communication works well for you, including interpreting, Easy Read and NZSL where needed

  • Be clear about timelines and actions so you know what to expect

  • Work with you to identify and tackle any barriers

  • Walk alongside you and your whānau so you can have the life you want

Examples of support:

  • Standing with you in NASC meetings or when talking with other services

  • Supporting you to reconnect with marae, iwi or hapū

  • Helping you explore housing, education or community options that fit your tikanga and values

  • Connecting you with other tāngata whaikaha Māori and local Māori disability supports (for example, programmes like Manaaki Tangata and similar services in your region)

In Wellington and Waikato, Pou Hono Manawa is delivered by CCS Disability Action staff who have the cultural capability and relationships needed to work responsively with whānau hauā / tāngata whaikaha Māori, supported by our national Māori development leadership.

Talk with our team

If you have questions about Pou Hono Manawa, whether you might be eligible for disability support, or you would like a brochure sent to you, please get in touch with our team.

You can:

  • Ask us about your situation and what support might be available

  • Request a Pou Hono Manawa brochure in print, PDF or Easy Read

  • Get help to understand NASC eligibility and how to make a referral

Email our Pou Hono Manawa team: PouHonoManawa@ccsDisabilityAction.co.nz

We can kōrero with you and your whānau about whether Pou Hono Manawa or another service is the best fit, and how we can tautoko you.