TITLE:
First-Year Pacific Students’ Perception of Their Well-Being Journey at University in Aotearoa New Zealand
AUTHORS:
Lilly Sopoaga, Shyamala Nada-Raja, Sarah Colhoun, Tracie Leckie, Faafetai Sopoaga
KEYWORDS:
Pacific, Well-Being, Mental Health, University Students, Fonofale Model
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.12 No.11,
November
29,
2024
ABSTRACT: The well-being of tertiary students is of global interest given increasing rates of mental health problems amongst students internationally; these are often exacerbated by cultural inequities. This qualitative study explored the perspectives of first-year Pacific students, a minority community studying at a university in Aotearoa New Zealand, about factors important to their health and well-being. We interviewed 30 students using the Talanoa method, a Pacific specific approach to collecting data that enables the interviewer and interviewee to connect well during the process. The Fonofale Model, a holistic framework for examining well-being, was utilised to guide the discussion. Interviews were completed in Semester One, April-May 2019, the first wave of a larger longitudinal project. Data were uploaded into NVivo software for data management and were analyzed using the Kakala methodology. Four themes, relating to influences on Pacific students’ well-being, were identified and these were: the important role their families played, their cultural identity, spirituality, and engagement with support services offered. Tertiary institutions can play a significant role in supporting the health and well-being of Pacific students. Success in tertiary education is crucial to breaking the cycle of poor health and well-being and social outcomes for Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand.