PIASS TRUST
Disability
Vaka Tautua is a not-for-profit company, formed by the PIASS and Malologa Trusts. PIASS Trust was established in 2000 by Pacific people with disabilities within Aotearoa. The vision was to provide a reliable, informative and enlightening service for our Pacific people experiencing disability and their families in Aotearoa. PIASS stands for Pacific Information Advocacy and Support services. Pacific Disability advisors provide information in the pacific languages. In the past, they have also been advocates for our pacific disabled clients and today they bridge gaps between government agencies, service providers and organisations to ensure the needs of the client are met. With the support of the Ministry of Health, PIASS became the first Pacific NGO organisation to directly address the needs of our Pacific disabled people.
Older peoples
PIASS Trust was also concerned with the needs of our Pacific Older people in Aotearoa. Early in its establishment, PIASS received funding from Counties Manukau District Health Board to set up Older peoples programs, that are ethnic specific, and where older people can enjoy "time out" in the community doing arts and craft, socialising, exercising, eating healthy and receiving information that will enhance their health and wellbeing and independence. We have 8 older peoples groups, across the Auckland region. They are two Cook Island, three Samoan, three Tongan, one Niuean, two Tuvaluan, one Tokelauen/ Kiribati older peoples programs.
MALOLOGA TRUST
Mental Health
Malologa was established in 1999, initially under the umbrella of Richmond Fellowship and stepped out as an independent organisation in 2002. Malologa provided Consumer Support Workers to provide cultural expertise and support to Pacific consumers who are identified or are suspected of experiencing mental illness or suspected psychiatric disorder (as defined in DSM IV or other generally recognised diagnostic classifications) including drug and alcohol problems which has a significant impact on the consumers' ability to function or which is at risk of doing so. We also support their families and friends and the local community to understand and to be better informed of how to support their loved ones or members of the community who experiences mental illnesses.
PIASS & MALOLOGA JOIN TO FORM VAKA TAUTUA MANAGEMENT SERVICES
In 2007, the boards of PIASS and Malologa Trust, came together to realise a vision; that our Pacific people in Aotearoa deserve quality service from professionals and expert management to drive the services that will serve the needs of our people. Since then (in 2010) Vaka Tautua has achieved full accreditation with Telarc SAI QHNZ against the EQUiP4 Standards. Vaka Tautua holds national contracts and intends to continue growing and providing quality services to our Pacific people in Aotearoa.