Ageing Well whānau receive King’s Birthday honours

Ageing Well is proud to celebrate two of our whānau who were named on the King’s Birthday and Coronation Honours List 2023.

Our Chair, Dr Will Edwards, was named as Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to Māori health, and Ageing Well Principal Researcher, Dr Ofa Dewes, was awarded the Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to health and the Pacific community.

“This is a wonderful personal and professional honour for two of the most diligent and indefatigable in our whānau. Both Dr Edwards and Dr Dewes have given their time and expertise selflessly to champion their communities, and have made a significant impact in the landscape of Aotearoa New Zealand,” said Director of Ageing Well Professor Louise Parr-Brownlie.

Co-Director Professor David Baxter agreed with this assessment.

“Whilst both Dr Edwards and Dr Dewes do not seek the limelight, we are extremely proud to acknowledge their significant contributions to our organisation and to their respective communities,” he added.

Dr William John Werahiko Edwards (ONZM)

Dr Will Edwards (Taranaki, Ngāruahine, Tāngahoe, Pakakohi, Ngāti Ruanui) has been a Māori community development leader and advocate for positive ageing for older people, in particular for Māori, for more than two decades. His leadership and service are in the areas of health and wellbeing, education, Māori advancement, and also the strategic opportunities that weave them together.

Professor Parr-Brownlie was earnest in her praise for Dr Edwards.

“Dr Edwards is a humble tāne Māori who lets his actions speak for themself. His collective impact is only realised by drawing the threads of his leadership activities into the beautiful, protective and empowering korowai that he wraps around everyone in his presence.”

“The breadth of Dr Edward’s leadership and service is outstanding. He encourages everyone to share their whakaaro and arrives at consensus in a way that maintains the mana and integrity of everyone and the kaupapa,” Professor Parr-Brownlie added.

One of Dr Edwards’ strengths is to seamlessly meet the need at grass roots and governance levels, taking knowledge across sectors to position strategies for optimal success. He is able to see the big picture and also has the pragmatic gift of knowing how and when action can be achieved.

Through Dr Edwards’ leadership, Ageing Well has modelled how entities in the research and science sector can move to Tiriti partnership; this has influenced the strong commitment articulated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in Te Ara Paerangi (Future Pathways) for the science sector to move to Tiriti partnership.

Co-Director of Ageing Well, Professor David Baxter, praised Dr Edwards’ commitment to leading by example.

“Dr Edwards has always served and been a leader to his communities; his leadership and service is integral to who he is as a person,” said Professor Baxter.

“We are so fortunate to have his knowledge, understanding, and dedication guiding us at Ageing Well.”

Read the article featuring Dr Edwards on Stuff.

Read more about Dr Will Edwards’ work.

Dr Ofanaite Ana (Ofa) Dewes (MNZM)

Dr Ofa Dewes is a researcher and advocate who has contributed significantly to studies on Pacific health in New Zealand. Her leadership is in the areas of health and wellbeing, ageing, caregiving, and Pacific advancement.

She is a staunch advocate for implementing the Ministry of Social Development’s Carers’ Strategy Action Plan, and other policies and plans that have the potential to improve the health and wellbeing of older Pacific peoples and their aiga. One of Dr Dewes’ goals is to “present ethnic-specific and culturally-centred information that highlights the experiences and expectations of aiga carers and families.”

Professor Parr-Brownlie highlighted Dr Dewes’ leadership and commitment to ensuring the Pacific voice is heard in Aotearoa New Zealand as two of her most notable legacies.

“Dr Dewes is a selfless Pacific leader working in local government, as an advocate and expert advisor to Ministries, public health researcher and mentor, and in governance and advisory roles,” Professor Parr-Brownlie said.

“In order to achieve the best outcomes for her community, Dr Dewes works tirelessly and collaboratively. Such dedication is to be admired and commended, and we are so proud to see her efforts recognised with the Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit,” she said.

One of Dr Dewes’ strengths is in empowering her community members to participate and facilitate change. In addition to upskilling Pacific researchers whose careers have been fostered within the University and academic system, she has invited members of the Pacific community who possess strong cultural knowledge to join her teams. She has empowered and upskilled these community members to take on the critical role of trusted community researchers, and also ensuring that the research for Pacific people is done by Pacific people.

“Dr Dewes is one of the most unassuming and easy-going people I have met. She is the first person to dive in and roll up her sleeves in order to achieve something, as we have seen at events such as the Pacific Peoples’ Fono,” said Professor Baxter.

“It has been wonderful to work with Dr Dewes and watch her grow into her advocacy, leadership, and academic roles. Her work output and her care for her community are extraordinary,” he said.

Dr Dewes is currently the Principal Investigator (PI) for the Ageing Well funded project Pacific Cultures: Building blocks for a socially-involved and co-created approach to brain health among older adults, and was the PI for previous projects Tapinga ‘a maama’ and Building connections as we age.

Read more about Dr Ofa Dewes’ work.