Longo Matangi
Practitioner, Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA), Melbourne
Bachelor of Health Science in Health Management
Her purpose has always been shaped by her cultural roots and her commitment to supporting Pasifika and Māori communities., says Longo Matangi who completed a Bachelor of Health Science in Health Management in mid-2024.
“As a Pasifika woman, my passion lies within the Pasifika and Māori communities, and ensuring that we can meet equitable and positive health outcomes. After graduating, I joined Le Va in Auckland as a project coordinator for the FLO Pasifika for Life programme, which equips Pasifika families and communities with a better understanding of how to prevent suicide by enhancing protective factors and reducing risk factors associated to suicide. I loved being part of the amazing team at Le Va and contribute to our community.”
Earlier this year, Longo relocated from Aotearoa New Zealand to Australia, and her purpose has evolved in a powerful way.
“I’m a visitor who is currently living and working on the land of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Being here has opened my eyes to the unique strengths, histories and resilience of Aboriginal communities, and has deepened my desire to contribute meaningfully to their wellbeing. I started working at The Orange Door (TOD), a statewide family violence and child wellbeing support service here in Victoria. A few months ago, I was given the wonderful opportunity to move into a practitioner role with the Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) based at TOD.
“I believe my role is vital in supporting culturally grounded, trauma-informed responses for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. It requires strong cultural awareness, clear communication and thoughtful coordination; values that reflect my background and purpose. What I love most is the alignment it gives me with culturally led practice and community-driven approaches. Every day, I learn from colleagues and leaders about Indigenous worldviews, deepen my understanding of trauma-informed support and contribute to meaningful outcomes for families. My time with VACCA and The Orange Door has strengthened my cultural identity and reinforced my commitment to community wellbeing.”
An easy decision
Longo – whose family hails from the village of Ta’anea in Vava’u, Tonga, and from Ngā Rauru in Whanganui – feels that being able to get such a meaningful job and a good education is truly a blessing, especially after growing up in a low socioeconomic area.
“I’m the first grandchild on my father’s side to graduate from university and gain a bachelor’s degree, so this is a big accomplishment for me and my family. As I was growing up, I sure could have gone a different way in life as the cards I was dealt in life weren’t great. However, seeing my own community, Glen Innes, made me want to aim higher and become better so that I could give back to my loved ones and my community in any way I could.”
She says deciding to study health management was easy for her.
“I chose health management as it covered both health and business aspects, which enables me to keep an open mind throughout my careers. If I want to work with patients or clients, I can do this with my degree. If I want to work in HR or in a corporate environment, my degree also allows me to do so. As a mature student at AUT, I loved being able to gain valuable experience and insights in the disability, mental health and youth spaces, including being able to work part-time as a funding facilitator at Taikura Trust alongside my studies.
“The supportive health management team – especially Lynda Guildford and Vicki Tennant – was one of my highlights at AUT. They were positive and supportive throughout my degree, and always offered invaluable advice. I also enjoyed being on the faculty’s student shadow board in my last year. That was a great way to share student insights and worries with the staff in a respectful and professional way. I felt like an advocate for other students by being on this shadow board.”
Advice for other students
Longo’s advice for other students is simple: go with your gut.
“For some of us, we might not be able to afford university study, we might not have the time, and we might not think that we’re good enough, but AUT has a lot of services and supportive staff to help you through this. I found the health management staff to be very helpful and having some online lectures was handy, so I used that as my advantage to get through my degree.”
While she admits that her own studies weren’t without worries, she says she had a bit of lightbulb moment in her first year.
“During my first semester back at AUT, I was quite worried about not being able to financially afford expenses for myself and family while studying, however someone once said, ‘Money comes and goes, but time doesn’t’. I understood that there will always be a job out there for me, however I might not have the time to complete a degree in the future. I knew that in 2024 I would be 27 regardless, so why not be 27 with a degree?”
