More than 200 people attended the Counties Manukau Meth-Harm Symposium - and overwhelmingly agreed more events like it were needed in the community.
The event last month was an initiative from the Counties Manukau Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities (ROCC) programme, aiming to fill a need for those most affected by meth harm.
ROCC is a Police-led programme, multi-agency approach to address the harm and drivers of organised crime in communities.
It supports a community-led, regionally supported and nationally enabled model across three areas – meth harm, vulnerable whānau and rangatahi at risk.
“Community members and service providers want to engage in the meth-harm space,” says Victoria Hearn, ROCC Senior Advisor for Counties Manukau District.
“People on the frontline told us they need more information about meth, its impacts, and how to better support whānau they work with every day.
“We listened to what the community wanted and we planned it with them from start to finish. It’s the co-design approach that allowed the day to stay relevant, grounded, and aligned with the real issues facing our community.”
The symposium included speakers from Police, the New Zealand Transnational Crime Unit on the situation across the Pacific, New Zealand Drug Foundation, Te Whatu Ora and local support agencies.
Meth harm educator Peter Thorburn shared his personal story and research into addiction and the long-term impacts on those affected and their whānau.
He spoke on meth’s effect on the brain, and triggers often driven by other addictions and social pressures including gambling, hoarding, promiscuity, trauma, poverty, chronic pain and general health.
“If we can get our whānau engaged in things that give them genuine support and enjoyment, they can rewire their brains,” he says.
“Reconnecting with things they used to enjoy before addiction – this could be time with whānau, outdoor activities, trying new things and making connections.”
Community provider Turuki Healthcare called for more culturally grounded approaches to complement clinical and other wraparound services.
“We can’t come at our whānau with correction – they need connection,” says Renee Murupaenga, Turuki Health Primary Health Care Manager (pictured, below right).
“We need multiple answers and have to do things differently. We have to let whānau be heard and create safe places to create kōrero with them.”
The symposium included voices of lived experience. Isabella Tane said she was sharing her story not to shock listeners, but so they could understand her addiction started long before she started taking the drug.
“People often ask ‘Why meth’ but the better question is: ‘What happened before the meth?’,” she said.
For Isabella, this included a childhood of violence, abuse and dealing with grief at a young age. With the help of whānau and support services, including Turuki Healthcare, she centred her recovery on being a supportive mum.
Today, she heads the healing programme Tihei Mauri Ora, created by wāhine for wāhine, supporting recovery through Māori and holistic wellbeing practices.
Victoria says feedback from attendees confirms a need to recognise people with such experience as leaders and experts, integrating their voices from the start.
The symposium is one of several ROCC initiatives with potential for similar events across the country. In Counties Manukau, next steps include ongoing community forums that can respond to issues raised at the symposium.
“There is a clear need for more accessible pathways into addiction support, and events like this help bridge the gap between services and the people they’re trying to reach,” says Victoria.