Manaaki Ora App

The Manaaki Ora app is a culturally centred well-being tool designed to provide Māori individuals and whānau with self-help guidance. It's based on the Māori models of health – Te Whare Tapa Whā and Manaaki Tangata – incorporating holistic concepts of well-being, including emotional, physical, spiritual and whanau aspects.

• The app includes activities to help you identify feelings when you're overwhelmed and to create plans for dealing with emotional distress.
• It recommends useful interventions and options to create a supportive contact list. It also includes details for New Zealand local support and crisis services.
• The app also offers very useful advice for whānau who are concerned for their oved ones, on how to communicate openly with them and work towards supporting them or engaging them with support services.
• The app contains audio explanations and clear and stylish graphics. It also has some engaging interactive activities.

For the complete app description go to the Google Play(external link), App Store(external link) or, for a more detailed review, see reviews below.

Clinical review

Reviewer: David Bloore, Clinical Psychologist, David Bloore Psychology Ltd (private practice)
Date of review: July 2024
Platform: Android
Version: 1.7
Comments: Manaaki Ora is a simple app designed to help (primarily) Māori individuals and whanau who are struggling with mental or emotional well-being. The app helps you (and supportive whānau) identify specific areas that are challenging and through the use of Māori models of health/wellbeing – Te Whare Tapa Whā and Manaaki Tangata – to facilitate interventions specifically identified by these holistic models. The app also encourages development of a support network and highlights further support/crisis services, for when more intensive intervention may be required.

You can gain insight into your emotional functioning and consider the different areas of life which contribute to your well being. You can also develop a plan for how to improve your well-being and daily functioning and develop a contact support network to reach out to when in need.

Whānau can get a better understanding of what might be impacting on a loved one’s well-being and learn how to better support someone who is going through a difficult time.

Overall this is a good, easy-to-use app that helps to connect with Māori users and may be very beneficial to those who initially struggle to reach out to healthcare professionals for support
Safety concerns: There are no safety concerns about the app, but as the creators note, this app is designed to provide tips and guidance for wellbeing. It is not designed to for people struggling with more serious mental health disorders and if you do have concerns for someone’s safety, please seek help through the crisis services mentioned in the app, or dial 111.
New Zealand relevance: Yes.