HAL National Hui - Kaimahi Reflections

Recently, I was fortunate to travel to Ōtautahi with my Healthy Active Learning teammates for the National HAL Hui. Alongside the conference programme, our time in Christchurch gave us a meaningful and enjoyable opportunity to connect as a team. We explored the Christchurch Botanic Gardens on our morning walks and even made time to test out the hydroslides at Parakiore Recreation and Sports Centre.

In 2025, shortly after I started working at Tuia Waitākere, I attended my first HAL National Hui. At the time, it was one of many new experiences I was trying to absorb and make sense of, so getting to return with a year of experience in the HAL team under my belt, I could feel how much had clicked into place. I was more confident in my understanding and better able to see how the stories, lessons and experiences shared by others could inform my work in West Auckland. I also came away with a stronger sense of how our mahi at Tuia contributes to a much bigger, national kaupapa.

One of my biggest takeaways from the conference this year was the value of sharing practical tools and ideas across the HAL network. Hearing from people in similar roles throughout Aotearoa gave me examples of events, activities and approaches that have already been tested in other communities. We can learn from those experiences and adapt what works for the schools and communities we support. I’m especially looking forward to trying Active Southland’s approach to adventure race-style activities with our network of kaiako. Sport Northland’s session on movement board cards was another highlight. I could immediately see how valuable this practical resource could be for the schools Tuia Waitākere works with.

Alongside learning from others, the HAL Conference gave me the opportunity to present our own work: how Tuia Waitākere has been building a Community of Practice in West Auckland. I shared where the kaupapa began, the practical steps we have taken to bring kaiako together, and the successes, challenges and impacts we have seen so far. I also explained how we plan to keep the Community of Practice meaningful, worthwhile and sustainable for teachers, kaimahi and everyone involved. 

Preparing the presentation was an enjoyable process, and returning to the conference one year after my first real exposure to the HAL world felt like a full-circle moment. This time, I was there to teach as well as learn. The lead up to presenting at the conference also gave me space to reflect on what we have achieved, revisit the highlights and feel proud of the collective effort that has made the kaupapa successful. After my presentation, kōrero with kaimahi from across the motu helped me workshop new ways to engage more kaiako in our Community of Practice – highlighting to me just how important it is to connect and share experiences to help us all gain new insights. 

Later in the conference, I spoke with another HAL advisor who had also tried to bring a network of kaiako together. We compared the challenges and successes we had experienced, and it was validating to hear how similar they were, especially the difficulty of finding a day when a group of teachers is available. We agreed that persistence is key and were able to encourage one another to keep trying.  

Stepping away from the office gave me the break in routine needed to reflect on our work and remember that we are part of a wider national team, united by shared goals. It was inspiring to be surrounded by people who are equally passionate about supporting school communities to lead healthy and active lives. I returned to the office with renewed excitement for the mahi and practical ideas to put into action. I’m looking forward to continuing to strengthen our Community of Practice and sharing the new resources and approaches I discovered at the conference.

** Thanks to Sport Canterbury for the group photo.