Lay summary
The isolation experienced by people in high deprivation communities has increased after the COVID-19 pandemic with job losses and fears for health for people with chronic diseases. The M.E.K.E. Initiative brings together three innovations developed by Māori, for Māori: Patu healthy lifestyle programmes, the Meke Meter (a self-reported wellbeing tool which embraces Te Whare Tapa Whā) and the Domynis (a mobile container gym or 'wellbeing pod') that takes health and fitness to the people. This project will pilot an approach to imbed the Domynis in the middle of a shopping centre in a high deprivation neighbourhood, running Patu programmes from this pod and tracking community wellbeing using the online Meke Meter app. We will use a kaupapa Māori approach to investigate whether the placement of the pod in the community increases whānau engagement and capture the community’s perception of the impact of this initiative on their wellbeing.