(Picture caption: Proud of his Tongan heritage, Andrew Lavulavu, far left, is passionate about his social enterprise Home Ownership Pathway which has Pacific values and people at its core.)
Designing a home ownership programme from the ground up for Pacific people – not from the top down – was a key milestone for Andrew Lavulavu and his team.
On top of that, the Auckland-based financial literacy consultant found there were substantial “niche gaps” for Pacific aiga in the “industry-driven” home ownership space.
He manoeuvred quickly and in 2017 set up Home Ownership Pathway – a social enterprise that provides pastoral care support and financial capability services for first-home buyers.
The Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) recently featured Auckland construction supervisor Josua Tauva’s journey into home ownership.
It was Andrew and his team who set Josua on the right path through the Home Ownership Pathway programme.
Andrew partnered with MPP last year to deliver financial capability programmes targeted at Pacific families who struggled with their home ownership goals.
He says the programme is designed to meet a resource-heavy need for more care and cultural competence when dealing with Pacific people and Māori.
“Having the support from MPP to deliver this programme as Pacific-led for Pacific outcomes has made a huge difference,” Andrew says.
“It has allowed whānau and communities we work in to elevate and engage in a comfortable manner that they otherwise wouldn’t get.”
Ten years ago, Andrew saw an opportunity for him and his idea for a home ownership enterprise.
At the time, there were plenty of services available for Pacific people in health, education and business, which he calls “silos”.
“However, there was a real gap in the housing and home ownership silo.
“We set up our home ownership enterprise based on our engagement with Pacific communities.
“It is designed to fill the niche gap for our people from the grassroots level up.
“Previously, if you didn’t understand the process around home ownership, or you didn’t meet the criteria, providers would go ‘see you later’, because everything was commission-driven.
“Then they would say, ‘here’s a huge book on how to get on track to buy your first home and you are left to figure things out for yourself’.”
He adds many Pacific aiga who were in that boat worked a relentless 40 to 60-hour week, raised young children and English was their second language.
“Designing and developing a programme that worked with our people in mind, incorporating our culture and navigating this pathway was something I was passionate about developing,” he adds.
Home Ownership Pathway has seen 162 people through its financial capability and literacy programmes since it partnered with MPP.
A total of 23 people of that 162 have bought their own homes.
Andrew was born and raised in Porirua City to a father of Tongan heritage and a European mother.
He spent three years in in Vava’u, Tonga with his grandparents before returning to Wellington’s Titahi Bay.
After attending school in Porirua, and graduating Victoria University, he took up a financial services career in Lambton Quay before his big move to the United Kingdom.
Five years after that move, he returned to Wellington with his wife Margaret to raise his three sons.
Andrew and his family now live in Auckland.
His message to anyone seeking help to buy their first home is simple.
“Engage our customer services for real direction and guidance... this is a niche space so start the pathway as soon as possible, engage your children and housing, and thing as our ancestors do.
“Keep learning and adjusting along the way.
“Our parents worked hard and made sacrifices and we are grateful to be here in Aotearoa, however, we will maximise every opportunity we are give to show them their sacrifices and hard work does pay off for the next generation.”
Visit the Home Ownership Pathway website or follow the organisation on Facebook for more information.