Elaine Underwood, a tireless mental health advocate who was one of the founders of the West Auckland-based WALSH Trust more than 30 years ago, was honoured at Unitec last week with the presentation of several scholarships in her name.
WALSH Trust, which provides community based mental health support and residential services, is an important part of the West Auckland community, supporting people’s recovery, supported living, training, and employment services.
“Elaine was a fierce West Auckland advocate who worked relentlessly to ensure those experiencing mental health difficulties got the support they needed,” says WALSH Trust CEO Will Ward.
“We’re really proud of her work and it was a pleasure to honour her legacy while celebrating those who are going on to create their own in the mental health sector.”
WALSH has provided scholarships to support Unitec’s Health and Wellbeing students for the past 15 years as a way of keeping Elaine’s legacy alive and relevant in the community in which they work, live and study.
Will Ward, along with WALSH Trust Board chair Gail Tongs presented the scholarships to seven Level 4 Certificate ākonga, including Nick Duggan, Gary Smith, Niki McGibbon, Edward Ip, Ainu Ngateina, Eden Schwenke and Shana Ahmed.
The scholarships are designed to support ākonga with funding for their work placement training and learning, including laptops, books and transport.
Kaylene Parr, former WALSH trustee and Unitec Lecturer who established and led the Health and Wellbeing programme at Unitec for 20 years, provided the keynote address at the event.
Starting her career as a nurse at Middlemore Hospital, Kaylene has seen the development of services at WALSH including the transition of residential services at Langford House (the first service of WALSH), to the now specialist Te Whare Rata (‘the place of wisdom’), which currently provides six beds for older people who require short term support with their mental health.
She also campaigned for the role of support worker as its own entity in the workforce and has been a leading proponent for other initiatives and organisations for supported living in the community.
“No-one is an island,” she told the ākonga and kaimahi at last week’s awards ceremony, held at Unitec’s Waitākere campus.
“When you’re in health, it’s important to know who you’re working with. Form those relationships and get to know your community.
“It’s also important to know yourself. Consider the role of teacher within your work,” she said.
“Model yourself on others, taking the positive experiences and practice and put these in your kete.”
School of Healthcare and Social Practice Senior Lecturer Sailauama Cheryl Talamaivao took over from Kaylene as programme lead when she retired in 2022. Cheryl co-hosted the awards ceremony along with fellow Healthcare and Social Practice Senior Lecturer, Dr Ali Rasheed.