How We Can Help

Pacific Trust Otago (PTO) is a charitable organisation based in Dunedin that provides support to Pacific communities in the Otago region. Our support services include: health, social, education and cultural which are available for our Pacific communities.

The primary focus of our organisation is to engage with and support activities to improve the well-being of Pacific people. Also providing communities with health, social, education and cultural support where applicable.

Pacific Trust Otago Takes On A Culturally Responsive Approach

Offering our support to all 9 of our Pacific communities in the Otago region. The different services we provide aim to uplift our people whenever they require our assistance.

We have a skilled group of 19 staff members spread throughout our different services who are ready and willing to help our communities. Though our main priority is to serve and provide for our Pacific communities in the Otago region, we do not limit our services to Pacific people and can provide for any ethnic group.

PTOS’s long term goal is to increase our connections with Pacific communities as well as other agencies and providers in the Otago region.

PTO promotes services to Pacific people to access health, education & social services.

A Wellbeing Focus

Pacific Trust Otago’s conceptual framework is based on the concept of a vaka (canoe), as the model for governance and operational functions in the organisation.

“Matangi Lelei To Ki He La Mahaehae”

“Matangi Lelei To Ki He La Mahaehae” comes from a Tongan proverb of a canoe with torn sails (La Mahaehae) being ineffective in capturing (to ki he) fair winds (Matangi lelei).

The deeper meaning infers that to be effective, the vaka requires the combined skills and talents of many craftspeople, to be maintained in top condition, and to capture the winds (Matangi Lelei) to reach it’s destination.

This concept applies to Pacific Trust Otago and is a motivating principle for the organisation to:

Combine all the skills and talents of the many people it connects with

Maintain the organisation in the best condition

Capture the opportunities offered to achieve its mission.

About Our Services

Our services operate through government funding from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples and the Ministry of Social Development. There are other services that are funded through grants from our partner agencies and providers which help us operate.

Our services include:

Whanau Ora, Covid Response, Well Child Tamariki Ora, Tupi Aotearoa, Dietetics, Seniors Program, Educational Programmes, Moananui Festival, Vaccination Clinics, Toloa, Internships, Tupi Foundation, Rotai Playgroup, Toa Scholarship, Kakana Internship, Vaka Project, Health Link, Dance Fit, Toloa Community Project.

Health/Medical Services

Educational/Research Services

Social/Welfare Services