Freda Wells
"It's amazing how poetry can unlock deep insight into the most complex of challenges - our unacceptably high rates of childhood trauma and pathways to collective healing and prevention." ~ Aimee Hadrup, Manager of Tamariki Wellbeing - Southern Initiative This beautiful evening bought together a doctor/poet, economist, and two social innovation and change practitioners, to hold space for us to enrich our understanding of the complex challenge of adverse childhood experiences.
This event - our inaugural Goodlife event for 2025 - was suggested by Aphra Green. Having seen Dr Glenn Colquhoun speak, and hearing what Goodlife's kaupapa is about - to create events to combine art, science, culture and everything else together to uplift, inspire and unlock our collective potential - Aphra said, "you should ask Glenn". She also recommended Aimee Hadrup as MC, and we're grateful Aimee said yes. So really this is an Aphra Green production! It takes a village.
The shared purpose of this event was based around the following questions:
How can policy be more effective and lead to the actions we need?
How can we challenge the status quo at systems-level?
How can all of us benefit from taking more of a strengths-based approach?
"Once we choose to design something, we change what futures are possible." ~ Bill Burnett.
One of Aotearoa's most loved and awarded poets, Colquhoun's 2023 essay 'Holding the ACEs' is dedicated to the young people of the Horowhenua Youth Health Service, and raises awareness about adverse childhood events (ACEs) in New Zealand, using storytelling to raise awareness of the reality of our own communities, and how we can all have an impact.
An audience of 50 or so, immersed themselves in live poetry and story-telling, made connections with a community of inspiring changemakers, and gained insights about social change.
It is hard to find the words to describe the beauty of this event, despite the extremely challenging painful subject matter. Our events are intended to be more than listening to speakers, but to be an experience; to come away feeling changed. We were told numerous times that this was the case. Our principles were around realness, safety, belonging, being relational and mana-enhancing. These things are so often felt more than seen or heard. The "invisible" elements of an event. We designed the evening so that attendees were gently nudged into different cognitive modes, from discussing questions at their tables, to listening, to conversations in pairs, more listening, and finally whole-room Q&A. The result was feeling not just 'talked to', but heard, engaged, connected, stimulated and changed.
The organisers met with Glenn several times before the event, and we agreed on several things - that this wasn't about shock value, and finger pointing; but about WITNESSING (in caps because witnessing is essential to healing), about "not growling anyone" (Glenn's lovely words), but really opening our eyes to what goes on 'here' in our own neighbourhoods, and coming together as a system to better understand how it is all connected to everything else. Glenn is all soul and heart, he must be to continue to show up to work despite the horror stories he is privy to, of the abuse of young people in his small town. He is there medicine, like all safe connections are.
Dr Glenn Colquhoun spoke to his book, 'Holding the ACEs' - on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in Aotearoa. Glenn guided us on a journey of heart-break and hope, centred around his work with young people and their experiences of ACEs at his youth health clinic. He said when he makes it safe for kids to talk, he is hearing a modern history of this country. That when he looks through the lens of modern medicine, what he see's in kids doesn't make sense, but through the lens of ACEs, things come into sharp focus. And that ultimately he learns so much more from them, than from his medical degree.
ACEs are the single biggest health threat facing NZ - increasing negative outcomes across the board: cognitive & social development, mental health & physical health - even cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory illness, even diabeties. And while this is heart-breaking, it's 'not a sentence.' Healing is possible: "let minds do what they do in relationship - heal." He is a 'bannister' - close enough for them to lean on, but far enough away to allow them to walk the journey independently.
Thank you to our incredible panelists who shared such deep wisdom and great ideas:
Maraea Teepa who spoke of creating the conditions for the change we need, and the importance of work to heal the trauma in our men
Ganesh Ahirao - reminding us that people "don't need fixing, they're not broken", but the system is stacked for the status quo(& also for your self-deprecating humour, "you could feel the vibe - but I'm an economist so I don't understand that."
David Hanna how prevalent it is to 'other' and refer to 'them' when we are ALL part of this systemGlenn Colquhoun - reminding us how beautiful it is to be uncomfortable and 'wriggle on the stick'
MC-extraodinaire Aimee Hadrup for weaving the whole dialogue together and reminding us of the beautiful metaphor of the lemon tree, just as it thrives if we ensure good sunlight soil and water, so too do humans if we create the conditions - the aroha, education, and relationships.
Thank you to Julia Bennett at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wellington for your invaluable support and cheering on It was an honour to host this event in support of your organisation.
Thank you Goodlife Collective crew Emilie Fetscher & Rob Cousins for holding the space!
Huge thank you to Ronja Lidenhammar and Alec Tang for hosting us at KPMG New Zealand
And thank you to everyone who attended. You bought your presence and energy to this challenging and hopeful conversation - this is key to shifting the dial on these tough topics, showing up - together.
To close with Glenn's words: we each bring parts of the jigsaw, and we never finish the jigsaw - keeping joining together to discover what is possible x
The evening included a panel discussion and Q&A with GP and Poet Glenn Colquhoun, economist Dr Ganesh Ahirao, Wesley Community Action Group Director David Hanna, and Southern Initiative Manager of Tamariki Wellbeing - Aimee Hadrup, who together explored barriers and levers to empower the action needed to improve childhood conditions and outcomes in Aotearoa.
Proceeds from ticket sales were donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters Wellington.
Glenn Colquhoun is a poet and a doctor. He grew up in South Auckland, studied theology for two years at Avondale College, and completed a BA in English and Education at Auckland University in 1987. He later attended Auckland Medical School, graduating in 1996. In 1994 he took a year off his medical training and spent that time in Te Tii, a small Māori community in Northland. This began a lifelong relationship with the community and its people. His first collection of poetry, The art of walking upright, was written about this community. In 2004 he was awarded the Prize in Modern Letters. This was, at the time, the largest award made to an emerging writer anywhere in the world. In 2011 he helped to establish the Horowhenua Youth Health Service, where he continues to work in adolescent medicine. He performs poetry regularly throughout the country.
Colquhoun's poetry and prose have garnered 12 significant awards, including Best book of poetry in the Montana Books Awards (2003), Prize in Modern Letters (2004), Booksellers NZ Platinum award twice (2006 and 2010), Fulbright Scholarship to Harvard University (2010) to name a few.
Colquhoun has authored eight books of poetry, five children's books, and four essay books.
Thank you to sponsors Simply Food for supporting this event, to KPMG for generously providing a venue, and to Big Brothers Big Sisters New Zealand for your support, guidance and participation - and for working tirelessly to create 'PCEs' - positive childhood experiences.
REFERENCES
https://events.humanitix.com/holding-the-aces-glenn-colquhoun
Freda Wells
Freda Wells
"It's amazing how poetry can unlock deep insight into the most complex of challenges - our unacceptably high rates of childhood trauma and pathways to collective healing and prevention." ~ Aimee Hadrup, Manager of Tamariki Wellbeing - Southern Initiative This beautiful evening bought together a doctor/poet, economist, and two social innovation and change practitioners, to hold space for us to enrich our understanding of the complex challenge of adverse childhood experiences.
This event - our inaugural Goodlife event for 2025 - was suggested by Aphra Green. Having seen Dr Glenn Colquhoun speak, and hearing what Goodlife's kaupapa is about - to create events to combine art, science, culture and everything else together to uplift, inspire and unlock our collective potential - Aphra said, "you should ask Glenn". She also recommended Aimee Hadrup as MC, and we're grateful Aimee said yes. So really this is an Aphra Green production! It takes a village.
The shared purpose of this event was based around the following questions:
How can policy be more effective and lead to the actions we need?
How can we challenge the status quo at systems-level?
How can all of us benefit from taking more of a strengths-based approach?
"Once we choose to design something, we change what futures are possible." ~ Bill Burnett.
One of Aotearoa's most loved and awarded poets, Colquhoun's 2023 essay 'Holding the ACEs' is dedicated to the young people of the Horowhenua Youth Health Service, and raises awareness about adverse childhood events (ACEs) in New Zealand, using storytelling to raise awareness of the reality of our own communities, and how we can all have an impact.
An audience of 50 or so, immersed themselves in live poetry and story-telling, made connections with a community of inspiring changemakers, and gained insights about social change.
It is hard to find the words to describe the beauty of this event, despite the extremely challenging painful subject matter. Our events are intended to be more than listening to speakers, but to be an experience; to come away feeling changed. We were told numerous times that this was the case. Our principles were around realness, safety, belonging, being relational and mana-enhancing. These things are so often felt more than seen or heard. The "invisible" elements of an event. We designed the evening so that attendees were gently nudged into different cognitive modes, from discussing questions at their tables, to listening, to conversations in pairs, more listening, and finally whole-room Q&A. The result was feeling not just 'talked to', but heard, engaged, connected, stimulated and changed.
The organisers met with Glenn several times before the event, and we agreed on several things - that this wasn't about shock value, and finger pointing; but about WITNESSING (in caps because witnessing is essential to healing), about "not growling anyone" (Glenn's lovely words), but really opening our eyes to what goes on 'here' in our own neighbourhoods, and coming together as a system to better understand how it is all connected to everything else. Glenn is all soul and heart, he must be to continue to show up to work despite the horror stories he is privy to, of the abuse of young people in his small town. He is there medicine, like all safe connections are.
Dr Glenn Colquhoun spoke to his book, 'Holding the ACEs' - on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in Aotearoa. Glenn guided us on a journey of heart-break and hope, centred around his work with young people and their experiences of ACEs at his youth health clinic. He said when he makes it safe for kids to talk, he is hearing a modern history of this country. That when he looks through the lens of modern medicine, what he see's in kids doesn't make sense, but through the lens of ACEs, things come into sharp focus. And that ultimately he learns so much more from them, than from his medical degree.
ACEs are the single biggest health threat facing NZ - increasing negative outcomes across the board: cognitive & social development, mental health & physical health - even cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory illness, even diabeties. And while this is heart-breaking, it's 'not a sentence.' Healing is possible: "let minds do what they do in relationship - heal." He is a 'bannister' - close enough for them to lean on, but far enough away to allow them to walk the journey independently.
Thank you to our incredible panelists who shared such deep wisdom and great ideas:
Maraea Teepa who spoke of creating the conditions for the change we need, and the importance of work to heal the trauma in our men
Ganesh Ahirao - reminding us that people "don't need fixing, they're not broken", but the system is stacked for the status quo(& also for your self-deprecating humour, "you could feel the vibe - but I'm an economist so I don't understand that."
David Hanna how prevalent it is to 'other' and refer to 'them' when we are ALL part of this systemGlenn Colquhoun - reminding us how beautiful it is to be uncomfortable and 'wriggle on the stick'
MC-extraodinaire Aimee Hadrup for weaving the whole dialogue together and reminding us of the beautiful metaphor of the lemon tree, just as it thrives if we ensure good sunlight soil and water, so too do humans if we create the conditions - the aroha, education, and relationships.
Thank you to Julia Bennett at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wellington for your invaluable support and cheering on It was an honour to host this event in support of your organisation.
Thank you Goodlife Collective crew Emilie Fetscher & Rob Cousins for holding the space!
Huge thank you to Ronja Lidenhammar and Alec Tang for hosting us at KPMG New Zealand
And thank you to everyone who attended. You bought your presence and energy to this challenging and hopeful conversation - this is key to shifting the dial on these tough topics, showing up - together.
To close with Glenn's words: we each bring parts of the jigsaw, and we never finish the jigsaw - keeping joining together to discover what is possible x
The evening included a panel discussion and Q&A with GP and Poet Glenn Colquhoun, economist Dr Ganesh Ahirao, Wesley Community Action Group Director David Hanna, and Southern Initiative Manager of Tamariki Wellbeing - Aimee Hadrup, who together explored barriers and levers to empower the action needed to improve childhood conditions and outcomes in Aotearoa.
Proceeds from ticket sales were donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters Wellington.
Glenn Colquhoun is a poet and a doctor. He grew up in South Auckland, studied theology for two years at Avondale College, and completed a BA in English and Education at Auckland University in 1987. He later attended Auckland Medical School, graduating in 1996. In 1994 he took a year off his medical training and spent that time in Te Tii, a small Māori community in Northland. This began a lifelong relationship with the community and its people. His first collection of poetry, The art of walking upright, was written about this community. In 2004 he was awarded the Prize in Modern Letters. This was, at the time, the largest award made to an emerging writer anywhere in the world. In 2011 he helped to establish the Horowhenua Youth Health Service, where he continues to work in adolescent medicine. He performs poetry regularly throughout the country.
Colquhoun's poetry and prose have garnered 12 significant awards, including Best book of poetry in the Montana Books Awards (2003), Prize in Modern Letters (2004), Booksellers NZ Platinum award twice (2006 and 2010), Fulbright Scholarship to Harvard University (2010) to name a few.
Colquhoun has authored eight books of poetry, five children's books, and four essay books.
Thank you to sponsors Simply Food for supporting this event, to KPMG for generously providing a venue, and to Big Brothers Big Sisters New Zealand for your support, guidance and participation - and for working tirelessly to create 'PCEs' - positive childhood experiences.
Freda Wells
"It's amazing how poetry can unlock deep insight into the most complex of challenges - our unacceptably high rates of childhood trauma and pathways to collective healing and prevention." ~ Aimee Hadrup, Manager of Tamariki Wellbeing - Southern Initiative This beautiful evening bought together a doctor/poet, economist, and two social innovation and change practitioners, to hold space for us to enrich our understanding of the complex challenge of adverse childhood experiences.
This event - our inaugural Goodlife event for 2025 - was suggested by Aphra Green. Having seen Dr Glenn Colquhoun speak, and hearing what Goodlife's kaupapa is about - to create events to combine art, science, culture and everything else together to uplift, inspire and unlock our collective potential - Aphra said, "you should ask Glenn". She also recommended Aimee Hadrup as MC, and we're grateful Aimee said yes. So really this is an Aphra Green production! It takes a village.
The shared purpose of this event was based around the following questions:
How can policy be more effective and lead to the actions we need?
How can we challenge the status quo at systems-level?
How can all of us benefit from taking more of a strengths-based approach?
"Once we choose to design something, we change what futures are possible." ~ Bill Burnett.
One of Aotearoa's most loved and awarded poets, Colquhoun's 2023 essay 'Holding the ACEs' is dedicated to the young people of the Horowhenua Youth Health Service, and raises awareness about adverse childhood events (ACEs) in New Zealand, using storytelling to raise awareness of the reality of our own communities, and how we can all have an impact.
An audience of 50 or so, immersed themselves in live poetry and story-telling, made connections with a community of inspiring changemakers, and gained insights about social change.
It is hard to find the words to describe the beauty of this event, despite the extremely challenging painful subject matter. Our events are intended to be more than listening to speakers, but to be an experience; to come away feeling changed. We were told numerous times that this was the case. Our principles were around realness, safety, belonging, being relational and mana-enhancing. These things are so often felt more than seen or heard. The "invisible" elements of an event. We designed the evening so that attendees were gently nudged into different cognitive modes, from discussing questions at their tables, to listening, to conversations in pairs, more listening, and finally whole-room Q&A. The result was feeling not just 'talked to', but heard, engaged, connected, stimulated and changed.
The organisers met with Glenn several times before the event, and we agreed on several things - that this wasn't about shock value, and finger pointing; but about WITNESSING (in caps because witnessing is essential to healing), about "not growling anyone" (Glenn's lovely words), but really opening our eyes to what goes on 'here' in our own neighbourhoods, and coming together as a system to better understand how it is all connected to everything else. Glenn is all soul and heart, he must be to continue to show up to work despite the horror stories he is privy to, of the abuse of young people in his small town. He is there medicine, like all safe connections are.
Dr Glenn Colquhoun spoke to his book, 'Holding the ACEs' - on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in Aotearoa. Glenn guided us on a journey of heart-break and hope, centred around his work with young people and their experiences of ACEs at his youth health clinic. He said when he makes it safe for kids to talk, he is hearing a modern history of this country. That when he looks through the lens of modern medicine, what he see's in kids doesn't make sense, but through the lens of ACEs, things come into sharp focus. And that ultimately he learns so much more from them, than from his medical degree.
ACEs are the single biggest health threat facing NZ - increasing negative outcomes across the board: cognitive & social development, mental health & physical health - even cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory illness, even diabeties. And while this is heart-breaking, it's 'not a sentence.' Healing is possible: "let minds do what they do in relationship - heal." He is a 'bannister' - close enough for them to lean on, but far enough away to allow them to walk the journey independently.
Thank you to our incredible panelists who shared such deep wisdom and great ideas:
Maraea Teepa who spoke of creating the conditions for the change we need, and the importance of work to heal the trauma in our men
Ganesh Ahirao - reminding us that people "don't need fixing, they're not broken", but the system is stacked for the status quo(& also for your self-deprecating humour, "you could feel the vibe - but I'm an economist so I don't understand that."
David Hanna how prevalent it is to 'other' and refer to 'them' when we are ALL part of this systemGlenn Colquhoun - reminding us how beautiful it is to be uncomfortable and 'wriggle on the stick'
MC-extraodinaire Aimee Hadrup for weaving the whole dialogue together and reminding us of the beautiful metaphor of the lemon tree, just as it thrives if we ensure good sunlight soil and water, so too do humans if we create the conditions - the aroha, education, and relationships.
Thank you to Julia Bennett at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wellington for your invaluable support and cheering on It was an honour to host this event in support of your organisation.
Thank you Goodlife Collective crew Emilie Fetscher & Rob Cousins for holding the space!
Huge thank you to Ronja Lidenhammar and Alec Tang for hosting us at KPMG New Zealand
And thank you to everyone who attended. You bought your presence and energy to this challenging and hopeful conversation - this is key to shifting the dial on these tough topics, showing up - together.
To close with Glenn's words: we each bring parts of the jigsaw, and we never finish the jigsaw - keeping joining together to discover what is possible x
The evening included a panel discussion and Q&A with GP and Poet Glenn Colquhoun, economist Dr Ganesh Ahirao, Wesley Community Action Group Director David Hanna, and Southern Initiative Manager of Tamariki Wellbeing - Aimee Hadrup, who together explored barriers and levers to empower the action needed to improve childhood conditions and outcomes in Aotearoa.
Proceeds from ticket sales were donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters Wellington.
Glenn Colquhoun is a poet and a doctor. He grew up in South Auckland, studied theology for two years at Avondale College, and completed a BA in English and Education at Auckland University in 1987. He later attended Auckland Medical School, graduating in 1996. In 1994 he took a year off his medical training and spent that time in Te Tii, a small Māori community in Northland. This began a lifelong relationship with the community and its people. His first collection of poetry, The art of walking upright, was written about this community. In 2004 he was awarded the Prize in Modern Letters. This was, at the time, the largest award made to an emerging writer anywhere in the world. In 2011 he helped to establish the Horowhenua Youth Health Service, where he continues to work in adolescent medicine. He performs poetry regularly throughout the country.
Colquhoun's poetry and prose have garnered 12 significant awards, including Best book of poetry in the Montana Books Awards (2003), Prize in Modern Letters (2004), Booksellers NZ Platinum award twice (2006 and 2010), Fulbright Scholarship to Harvard University (2010) to name a few.
Colquhoun has authored eight books of poetry, five children's books, and four essay books.
Thank you to sponsors Simply Food for supporting this event, to KPMG for generously providing a venue, and to Big Brothers Big Sisters New Zealand for your support, guidance and participation - and for working tirelessly to create 'PCEs' - positive childhood experiences.
Freda Wells
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