Children and young people are happy and healthy
Healthy Active Learning is a joint government initiative between Sport NZ and the Ministries of Health and Education. It aims to improve the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi through healthy eating and drinking and quality physical activity. Working together, regional sports trusts, regional education offices, and public health units support schools, kura, and teachers to develop healthy and active learning environments and better connections to their communities.
Backed by government investment of $47.6m (2019 Wellbeing Budget), the initiative is of no cost to schools. Speaking to its success since inception in 2020, the physical activity workforce – contracted by regional sports trusts – has grown to support over 800 primary and intermediate schools and kura across the motu.
Led by Sport NZ Ihi Aotearoa in partnership with Ngā Pākura and supported by the Ministries of Health and Education, Mātaiao is a culturally distinctive kaupapa Māori pathway which runs parallel to the Healthy Active Learning initiative. It is underpinned by the Atua Matua Framework (Māori Health and Wellbeing Framework) and is about connecting tamariki to te taiao (the environment) for better health and wellbeing outcomes.