Financial Workshops Empower Whānau

Financial Workshops Empower Whānau on the Path to Homeownership

The journey to homeownership is more than owning a home—it has even inspired some families to quit smoking.

According to financial mentor Anaru Ah Kew, the rewards have been life-changing.

“A home represents hope and intergenerational wealth,” he says.

“People don’t have the bandwidth to think about health if they don’t have a roof over their head. I think of mana motuhake in a modern sense—when you pay off your own home, it’s truly yours, and I’ve seen real behavioral change.”

Anaru Ah Kew, who has whakapapa from Waikato and Ngāi Tahu iwi, is one of the mentors behind the Financial Workshops. As a homeowner himself, he understands firsthand the freedom and opportunities it has provided for his whānau.

He says the workshops are more than just financial education; they are a beacon of hope.

“People who had never thought about owning a home started to see it as a possibility. Some even gave up smoking—a habit they wouldn’t break for anything else—because they saw a pathway to something bigger, like owning their own home. It’s powerful to witness that shift.”

Financial capability workshops are a key component of OWN IT—Tāmaki Regeneration Company's shared homeownership initiative, aimed at delivering new homes to the Tāmaki community over the next 20 years.

OWN IT is for first-time homebuyers whose household earns between $85,000–$150,000, with this increased to $205,000 for multi-generational households.

“We don’t give financial advice,” Anaru said. “What we provide is foundational knowledge—what we call financial well-being. It’s about helping whānau understand the basics so they can make informed decisions about their future.”

Financial literacy is about having mana over your money, and the program, delivered in seven online sessions over seven weeks, covers a wide range of topics, from understanding the economy and housing market to managing debt and savings.

“We get a lot of people that say, ‘I wish I knew this when I was younger.’ It’s just about unlocking the information and showing that you don’t have to be super academic to understand this.”

The workshops emphasize the importance of long-term thinking—a concept encapsulated in the name Akarara Mamao.

“It’s a Cook Islands Māori term that means ‘to look beyond,’” he says. “In the world of money and financial well-being, it’s easy to get stuck in the now. But we need to have our eyes beyond the horizon, planning ahead for our future.”

This forward-thinking approach is at the heart of the workshops. Families are encouraged to think not just about their immediate financial needs, but also about their long-term goals. Each session builds on the previous one, paving the way toward building intergenerational wealth, with a focus on goal setting, paying off debt, savings/investments, and insurances.

Families also have access to one-on-one financial mentors to help support whānau—whatever their end goal is.

“It’s about putting one foot in front of the other,” Anaru says. “By the end of the seven weeks, participants have a series of steps they can take to move closer to mortgage approval. It’s a journey, and we’re here to support them every step of the way.”

The workshops also emphasize the importance of community and whānau support. For many participants, the journey to homeownership is not one they undertake alone. The workshops encourage participants to involve their whānau in the process, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals.

“Homeownership is often a collective goal,” he says. “It’s not just about the individual; it’s about the whānau as a whole. We encourage participants to involve their whānau in the workshops so everyone is informed and can support each other throughout the process.”

This collective approach is particularly important in the Māori and Pacific communities, where whānau and community ties are central to everyday life. By involving the entire whānau in the process, the workshops help to build stronger, more resilient communities.

In the pursuit of financial well-being, understanding the complexities of homeownership can feel daunting. For many whānau, the journey to homeownership starts with confronting difficult truths, like addressing debt or understanding savings. The workshops are structured to guide participants through these challenges, providing action points after each session.

These workshops provide whānau with the knowledge and confidence to take control of their financial futures, one step at a time.

“We talk about understanding KiwiSaver, compounding interest and how to make it work for you, how to confront your debt, and what are the barriers to getting mortgage approval.”

“We’re quite real—we don’t dress it up. There’s so much more we can do to support whānau on their journey to financial independence and homeownership. It’s about creating lasting change, not just for individuals, but for entire communities.”

Even if participants don’t end up purchasing a home immediately, the knowledge and skills they gain through the workshops are invaluable.

“It’s not just about getting into an affordable home,” he says. “It’s about financial well-being. Whānau might walk away with a better understanding of how to manage their money, reduce debt, or maximize their KiwiSaver benefits. That knowledge is powerful.”

The future looks bright as the initiative continues to empower whānau with the knowledge and tools they need to achieve their dreams. With a focus on long-term thinking, community support, and practical financial education, these workshops are making a difference, one whānau at a time.

“Everyone’s situation is different,” Anaru says. “I’ve seen whānau coming into these workshops with hundreds of thousands in debt, but it’s about starting the process, taking those first steps.”