Te Vaerua Community Rehabilitation Service: A Participation Action Research study of community based rehabilitation in the Cook Islands

Abstract

Community based rehabilitation (CBR) is a World Health Organisation initiative to support people with disabilities to attain maximal life participation through locally based programmes. Te Vaerua Community Rehabilitation Team (Te Vaerua) is a provider of CBR in the Cook Islands. This study used a Participatory Action Research (PAR) framework to explore cultural values, motivations for and provision of rehabilitation by Te Vaerua in the Cook Islands. Data was collected through focus groups, interviews, participant observation, and an emergent process of action cycles with local rehabilitation stakeholders. Three key themes were identified: 1) rehabilitation is available, 2) rehabilitation has heart, and 3) rehabilitation gives hope. These themes have an overarching concept of ‘ko te iti tangata te mea maata’ – that people are the most important thing. Rehabilitation was seen as central to broader social objectives to strengthen families, empower Cook Islands citizens, support people to remain in the Cook Islands, and to provide opportunities for people to give back to their  communities. The study concluded that strong relationships between providers and the local community are essential to successfully implement both PAR and CBR.