Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui is a national centre of evidence based workforce development for the mental health, addiction and disability sectors in New Zealand.

They work with a range of organisations and people including service providers (DHB and NGO), training and education providers, researchers and international experts. Organisations can use Te Pou’s resources, tools and support to improve their services.

Te Pou includes Matua Raki (addiction workforce development) and Disability Workforce Development. They’re funded by the Ministry of Health.

Evidence based
Workforce planning and development is about ensuring an organisation has the right number of people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time, with the right attitude, doing the right work, at the right cost, with the right work output. (World Health Organisation, 2010)

Taking an evidence based approach means the resources, tools and information we provide draw on consumer experience, research and clinical expertise. Organisations, people using services and their whānau can trust that Te Pou’s resources are based on evidence and the latest in practice and service innovation.

Working together
Te Pou works alongside DHB and NGO mental health and addiction services, and disability organisations to understand their priorities and workforce challenges. We then use our range of projects and expertise to meet these needs.

Some of their current projects look at reducing the use of seclusion and restraint, increasing access to talking therapies, supporting more people to take part in training, and improving the physical health of people using services. They also provide tools, training and resources to improve outcomes and information use.

The name
Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui is a name that has mana associated with it. The individual words mean:

Pou: pillar, post, upright, support, pole
Whakaaro Nui: to contemplate, to think wisely

Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui means the pillar of contemplation, of reflective thinking, the notion being that Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui is the post or pillar for people and practices in the mental health, addiction and disability sectors. Te Pou brings together and uplifts research activity and workforce development.

Traditionally, a pou, as well as being of immense practical value, was highly symbolic and a tried and true representation of mana and resolve.