Coffee and haircuts connecting generations
Yolande McIntyre with Michelle Lavender in the salon chair at Tauwhiro Salon in the old community college on Scott St. Photo: William Woodworth.
Blenheim’s old community college building has come full circle with a focus on generational collaboration and beating loneliness as new iwi-led programmes begin.
The Tauwhiro Café and Hair Salon, and its related programmes aiming to connect young and old, has sprung from Ngāti Rārua’s aim to upskill young people, foster inter-generational interaction and increase wellbeing.
All members of the community are welcome at the Scott St café and hair salon to engage with rangatahi who have been selected to work with Ngāti Rarua in Hāpai Ake.
“A need for Ngāti Rārua drives what we do, but the more that benefit the merrier,” said operations manager Michelle Lavender. “One of our tupuna, Tana Pukekohatu, shortly before he passed left us with the mission to live well and be kind to all peoples. I like to think that he knew that all boats rise on the rising tide.
“Isolation in general is bad for you with obvious health and education repercussions and with a health and social service already running the purchase of the old community college that provided us with a great skeleton to start running more programmes from.
“Many of our older people don’t have whānau support so the idea they can share a coffee and a chat with young people, instil some wisdom and be a role model is great.
“Likewise, we’re starting with 13 to 15-year-olds, our digital generation, so they can teach our kaumātua just as much as our kaumātua can teach them.”
The new project has seen skilled people get aboard the business and the mentoring opportunities within it, Ray Barr moving from Herb & Olive to run the café and Yolande McIntyre sharing her skills in the hair salon.
“I’ve been in hospitality for 25 years, but this job was more about people, especially our rangatahi”, says Ray.
“I personally love the connection I make with our elderly people, and hearing their stories, so I’m pleased that they can come here and just sit all day if they like.
“The community focus brought me to Ngāti Rarua in the first place, but we do need give a safe space to connect and look after our next generation by having people teach, whether that’s our elderly or us”, agreed Yolande.