Who we are
Hauora mō ngā Tāngata Katoa is a kaupapa Māori charitable trust based in South Auckland. We exist to create spaces where those who are vulnerable, neurodiverse, at risk of disengagement, or needing positive guidance can grow in confidence, emotional strength, and connection to culture and community.
We are more than a programme — we are a movement for change.
“One breath, one movement, one breakthrough at a time”
Our Kaupapa: Wellbeing for ALL
Māori values and Te Whare Tapa Whā
Culturally responsive and trauma-informed practice
Evidence-based behaviour change science
Partnerships with schools, whānau, and community organisations.
Impact at a glance
12+ partner schools & community organisations
400+ sessions delivered each year
180+ rangatahi supported
Hauora Trust grew from grassroots community action into a holistic wellbeing organisation grounded in lived experience, kaupapa Māori values, and evidence-informed practice. At its heart, our work is about restoring balance, dignity, and connection — to self, to others, and to community.
Over 15 years ago, Oz van Leeuwen was approached by a local Community Constable to deliver self-defence sessions for women and children in the local area. With decades of experience in martial arts, self-defence, and mentoring young men preparing for services such as the Police and Defence Force, Oz ran these programmes successfully for many years through NZKM Fitness & Self-Defence. These early sessions embodied manaakitanga and tiakitanga — creating safe spaces where people could build confidence, capability, and personal agency.
Several years later, Marama Killen, a theatre and film practitioner turned high school teacher who spent eight years at Pukekohe High School, found NZKM during a period of significant mental health challenge, where she needed to make deliberate changes to support her wellbeing. She was seeking an environment that understood healing as holistic — integrating physical movement, emotional regulation, and supportive relationships.
The Evolution of Hauora Trust
What began as a personal journey toward recovery and resilience soon became a shared vision. Through this process, Marama experienced firsthand the role that safe movement, routine, and supportive environments play in mental and emotional wellbeing. She retrained as a personal trainer and began running women-only group fitness classes, intentionally designed as safe, inclusive spaces that upheld dignity, belonging, and emotional safety.
During this time, Marama and Oz undertook extensive research into how habits are formed, drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and sociology. This work was guided by the understanding that lasting change happens through small, supported steps — an approach closely aligned with kaupapa Māori principles of ako (learning together) and rangatiratanga (empowerment and self-determination). This research evolved into SHOT – Sustainable Habits Over Time, a methodology focused on embedding change that is realistic, culturally responsive, and enduring.
As Marama took on the day-to-day management of the organisation, Hauora was invited by Mai Lighthouse to deliver a youth empowerment programme for rangatahi identified as at risk of disengagement. While the programme began as a physical intervention, it quickly evolved into a holistic model grounded in Te Whare Tapa Whā. Movement became the pou tinana — the anchor through which emotional regulation (hinengaro), social connection (whānau), and purpose and identity (wairua) could be strengthened.
The outcomes spoke for themselves. What began as 24 sessions in a single term has grown to 136 sessions delivered in Term 1 of 2026 alone, delivered in partnership with schools, community organisations, and local services. Growth has been guided not by scale alone, but by whanaungatanga — strong, trust-based relationships with the communities we serve.
Today, Hauora Trust delivers programmes for people aged 5 to 85. Our work supports mental and emotional wellbeing, physical health, social connection, and spiritual grounding. We work alongside vulnerable, at-risk, and neurodiverse people, recognising their strengths, stories, and whakapapa. Our purpose is not quick fixes, but long-term, sustainable change — helping our people move from surviving to thriving, supported by care, connection, and collective responsibility.
Our Vision
To see tamariki and rangatahi living with strength, belonging, and purpose — physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially.
Our Kaupapa
Different is GOOD!
So how do we work with it?
To use movement, mindset, and connection to build sustainable wellbeing habits that last.
Our Mission
• Local and long‑term: We commit to schools and partners over years, not weeks.
• Culturally grounded: Guided by Te Whare Tapa Whā, tikanga, and values such as manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, and tiakitanga.
• SHOT method: Small steps, consistent practice, and coach support — behaviour change that lasts.
• Inclusive by design: Neurodiverse, at‑risk, and underserved communities are actively welcomed and supported.
• Evidence‑informed: We integrate psychology, behaviour science, and strength‑based coaching.
We blend Māori models of wellbeing with practical coaching so people can build everyday habits that last. Our SHOT (Sustainable Habits Over Time) approach supports movement, mindset and rewiring unhelpful patterns — step by step, with community support and real-world accountability.
Contact us
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