Popao Project (The Model and Group)

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By April 17, 2015 No Comments

Authors: Isa Lei Pacific Island Mental Health Service, Waitemata District Health Board

Year: 2008

Event: 2008 TheMHS Awards

Subject:

Type of resource: TheMHS Awards

Award state: NZ

Award level: Winner

Award category: Special Judges Award

Abstract: Isa Lei is a Pacific community mental health service that provides cultural-clinical care coordination to Pacific mental health consumers and their families residing within the Waitemata DHB area from a multi disciplinary team. The Popao Project was developed by two staff members from Isa Lei and another staff member from an NGO. Working with a client these three shared they identified key elements with the person that was vital to acknowledge along their recovery journey. Therefore over a period of two years they created and developed the Popao Model and with consumers developed the Group who supported the Approach. The model was brought from a Tongan perspective however it can apply to all ethnicities as a guide for a consumers journey. In 2005 we presented the Popao Model at the Mental Health Workers Association conference in Tonga. Since then the model has been adapted and screened by consumers and local community. One goal for the future is for the Popao Model to be implemented into Isa Lei by use of a Recovery Plan. Description of Facility/Organisation: The organisation that Popao has been working from is Isa Lei Service under the Waitemata District Health Board (Auckland) New Zealand. It has 8 staff at present along with 9 consumers who are very much active in coordinating the group and its project. Over the years the group has not received steady or regular funding. Most of the money that has been needed for the project and promotion has been donations from the consumers and families, fundraisers, community groups and services. As noted in our application, the Popao model was finally launched in 2007 and endured a long journey to get the Model to that point. The Popao group was present and all spoke in favour of the usefulness and the relevance in their recovery. The Popao Project was presented at the TheMHS Summer Forum in Sydney by the Group in February 2008. It was seen and recognised by our previous Clinical Director of Mental Health, Waitemata District Board and was highly commended by the awesome work and preparation, the impact on the consumers lives and the quality of service delivery that has taken place.

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