This presentation explores Lalaga o le Vā, a Samoan-led project developed by Big Tings, a movement founded by mental health nurse and therapist Libby Blore. Grounded in the belief that connection heals, this kaupapa reimagines mental health through a cultural, relational, and collective lens. Rooted in the Indigenous concept of the vā – the sacred space between people, culture, and environment – and guided by the Vā i Moana framework, this work weaves together the threads of identity, belonging, and collective healing.

The Vā i Moana framework provides the foundation for Lalaga o le Vā, centring spiritual, social, cultural, enviornmental and physical connection as vital elements of wellbeing. The Vā i Moana framework views wellbeing as an ocean, deep, vast, and interconnected. It represents the spaces that hold us, the relationships that sustain us, and the light that guides us forward. This model draws on both cultural and clinical wisdom, recognising that evidence-based practice and Indigenous knowledge can coexist and complement one another.

At its heart, Lalaga o le Vā aims to be the connector between the mental health, education, and community sectors — weaving holistic, cultural, and medical practices together. It acknowledges that each of these spaces holds immense value, but greater impact happens when they work in harmony. By bringing systems, people, and approaches together, it seeks to create a model that works for our people, not around them.

This vision comes to life through three interconnected strands:
The Thread, a community event series fostering storytelling, reconnection, and shared learning.
The Library, a digital platform connecting people to culturally grounded wellness resources.
The Fale, a community hub hosting initiatives, workshops, and partnerships.

Together, these strands strengthen collective recovery, empower communities, and create a future where culture leads, systems collaborate, and healing begins in relationship.

Three Key Learnings
1. How the Vā i Moana framework guides practice and strengthens collective recovery by centring connection, balance, and relational healing.
2. Practical strategies for integrating culture, community, and collaboration into systems of care, weaving Indigenous, Pasifika, and clinical practices to create a model that works for our people.
3. How Indigenous leadership, lived experience, and village-based worldviews can unite the mental health, education, and community sectors, fostering collaboration and a more connected future for the next generation.

This presentation explores Lalaga o le Vā, a Samoan-led project developed by Big Tings, a movement founded by mental health nurse and therapist Libby Blore. Grounded in the belief that connection heals, this kaupapa reimagines mental health through a cultural, relational, and collective lens. Rooted in the Indigenous concept of the vā – the sacred space between people, culture, and environment – and guided by the Vā i Moana framework, this work weaves together the threads of identity, belonging, and collective healing.

The Vā i Moana framework provides the foundation for Lalaga o le Vā, centring spiritual, social, cultural, enviornmental and physical connection as vital elements of wellbeing. The Vā i Moana framework views wellbeing as an ocean, deep, vast, and interconnected. It represents the spaces that hold us, the relationships that sustain us, and the light that guides us forward. This model draws on both cultural and clinical wisdom, recognising that evidence-based practice and Indigenous knowledge can coexist and complement one another.

At its heart, Lalaga o le Vā aims to be the connector between the mental health, education, and community sectors — weaving holistic, cultural, and medical practices together. It acknowledges that each of these spaces holds immense value, but greater impact happens when they work in harmony. By bringing systems, people, and approaches together, it seeks to create a model that works for our people, not around them.

This vision comes to life through three interconnected strands:
The Thread, a community event series fostering storytelling, reconnection, and shared learning.
The Library, a digital platform connecting people to culturally grounded wellness resources.
The Fale, a community hub hosting initiatives, workshops, and partnerships.

Together, these strands strengthen collective recovery, empower communities, and create a future where culture leads, systems collaborate, and healing begins in relationship.

Young people say genuine, real, and effective support is not found just through systems, but in real time, place-based environments, and genuine relationships, and must be whole-of-person encompassed. We will share how we have supported young people through our innovative ‘Youth Compass Framework’, and how this can be applied as a blueprint for youth mental health into the future with worldwide transferability. This is not just trauma informed, it is trauma responsive best practice.

Young people are presenting earlier, with greater complexity, carrying intersecting mental, social, physical and cultural stressors that traditional service models struggle to hold in systems that are stretched. Yet when individually tailored support models adapt to the young person’s world, rather than expecting the young person to adapt to the system, their trajectory of recovery changes significantly and the systemic barriers overturn.

This presentation explores mixed-method evidence including the voices of young people, quantitative outcomes, service-data, qualitative insights, and emerging themes from a research collaboration with “Orygen” exploring our impact with young people, families and the system through this model.

We will explore:

-Lived experience perspectives on what young people actually need from services, and how relational, holistic and place-based models underpin all outcomes.

-How in-situ therapeutic work dramatically increases engagement, stabilisation and functional gains for young people experiencing high distress, neurodivergence, trauma, support avoidance.

-How integrating outreach-based, wrap-around clinical therapy with psychosocial capacity-building offers more sustainable outcomes than traditional models of care.

-Practical strategies for embedding trauma-responsive, neuro-affirming and culturally safe approaches into practice and models.

-Evidence showing significant reductions in avoidable hospital presentations, significant improvements in psycho-social functioning and psychological stability.

-Culturally responsive approaches strengthening care for First Nations and CALD young people in regions with limited service access.

-Creative solutions that address systemic barriers including transport, stigma, financial hardship and rural service gaps.