He aha Pipiri?
What is Pipiri?
Māramatanga
Insight
Pipiri is the first lunar month of the Māori calendar and a time for reflecting on the past, acknowledging the present, and planning for the future.
Whakaohooho
Inspiration
Pipiri is the birth month of my son, my source of inspiration. I want to put into te taiao/the world what I hope he will receive from it.
Olivia Van der Veen
Ngai Tahu She/Her
I have worked in the prevention sector for ten years in government and NGO roles.
I began as a rehabilitation facilitator for Ara Poutama O Aotearoa (Department of Corrections), supporting clients using cognitive behavioural therapy, exploring how experiences and formed beliefs can influence thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. Later, I was trained as a Senior Advisor of Kaupapa Māori to provide in-house supervision of rehabilitation facilitators. My role was to support professional practice and growth for individuals and groups through a Tiriti lens.
I have supported health practitioners in providing wrap-around support for whānau hauora. Most recently I have helped large government contracts in the community to undertake harm prevention research while upholding te Tiriti.
I live in the Wairarapa with my whānau and travel the lower North Island for mahi.
I am passionate about providing kaupapa Māori services as a crucial, missing piece of the puzzle so that we may work toward becoming a Tiriti-led society.