“The most rewarding part about working for Pacific Homecare is that I literally get paid to help serve people.”
Director of Whānau Ora Services, Rauna Murray-Stowers discusses all he experienced in his seven years of working for Pacific Homecare (PHC).
A devoted father of one and fiancée, Rauna started at PHC in 2016 as a Service Coordinator. At the time, the organisation was small, so his role quickly expanded to a jack-of-all-trades. Some of his tasks were reporting to the Whānau Ora department and navigating their elderly wellness programmes, Fia Ola and Metua Pakari. As the years went on, Rauna spent more time in the Whānau Ora space, which led him to become the Director of Whānau Ora Services.
Apart from his current role, Rauna volunteers as a Grassroots level coach for tag in the local community. A passion of his after completing a degree in Sports and Recreation with a major in Coaching. Amongst all sports, his favourite is basketball, although being a “Poly Kiwi” has influenced his love for rugby.
At Pacific Homecare, the Whānau Ora team rep the fun young tag out of the staff. With that, Rauna says that if the team were to describe him, it would be calm. From what he hears from staff, his calmness stems from his confidence to always make things work.
“No problems too big or too small and everything can always be worked on. We shouldn’t get stressed over things that we can’t control and that if any problem arises it’s only a problem if we can’t make it work – so I guess that’s where the calmness comes from.”
When asked about his favourite part about working for Pacific Homecare, Rauna says how the organisation actively serves people, by following three main values. “What I love about Pacific Homecare is that we have our values of love, care and professionalism and it’s not just things we say but they are things we actually live, especially that love and care part. That’s felt amongst our staff, that’s felt amongst our customers and we genuinely live that and I love that.”
As it is also his most rewarding part about working here, Rauna constantly reminds his team about how blessed they are to be paid to serve their people in the community. “We don’t have to go back far to go to the likes of Mama Pi, our founding Mamas who again did this stuff for free first.”
When asked about what inspires Rauna to work every day, he had three reasons. The first is the customer base. Saying how inspiring it is to come to work and make a positive impact on someone’s life, especially the vulnerable who need that aid. The next is creating a legacy.
“My father. I grew up with him in this piece of work. Yes, connected to Pacific Homecare but also other Pacific organisations within the community. So, it’s great that I get to do something similar and carry on that work that my father did and what I saw of him doing.”
The last and biggest inspiration for him is his fiancée Matilda and their daughter, Frankie.
“They are my why’s and it’s not hard to find motivation in the morning when I wake up and I see them and know that that’s the whole reason I have to go to work.”
Not only does Rauna’s love for serving people in the community shine in his work, but it also can be seen in how he describes Pacific Homecare in these three words. “Love for people.”
Serving our people, serving our community, and inspiring others throughout it all.
