The karanga rang out on Friday 10th June as Te Wānanga o Raukawa welcomed representatives of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, and the Ministry for Children to launch Tū Māia, a training programme to build cultural competency amongst Oranga Tamariki staff. Te Wānanga o Raukawa has joined with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi under Te Tauihu o ngā Wānanga to partner with The Ministry for Children to provide the training. The pilot is being delivered by each of the wānanga with Te Wānanga o Raukawa delivering to 100 staff in the first intake. The programme has a duration of 21 weeks with three papers. Each paper commences with a residential seminar and continues online. This is the first time that the three wānanga have joined to deliver the same programme.
At the launch, much of the vision and push to get the programme underway was attributed to the tenacity and drive of the late Tā Harawira Gardner. Early in 2021 he took on the role of acting Secretary for Children and Chief Executive of The Ministry for Children. He and the Leadership Team focused on transforming the care and protection system to enable improved outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau. This programme is one of the strategies to achieve improved outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau. During the launch we were reminded of the words from Tā Wira to frontline staff of The Ministry and their many partners and caregivers around the country, 'Kia kaha. Kia maia. Kia ū tātou. Continue to be strong. Be courageous. And you will succeed. Your success is our success.'
'... their skills will be enhanced to work more effectively within Oranga Tamariki.'
Alma Winiata, the Kaihautū for Te Whare Oranga, one of the main deliverers of the Tū Māia programme along with Marie Tukukino at Te Wānanga o Raukawa, say’s, 'I am pleased that Te Wānanga o Raukawa is delivering the Tū Māia programme to Oranga Tamariki staff. We have had our first noho wānanga. The contribution we make to the programme is to immerse participants into a learning environment that normalises Te Reo Māori me ona tikanga and where kaupapa tuku iho are abundantly expressed. Through noho wānanga and the online deliveries participants will gain insights into a Māori way of being. As participants embrace the teaching and learning they receive, their skills will be enhanced to work more effectively within Oranga Tamariki.'
'... mokopuna, so they are seen and cared for as the taonga that they are.'
In time we hope to see the fruits of the mātauranga shared with their staff as positive outcomes for our mokopuna, so they are seen and cared for as the taonga that they are.
Hutia te rito o te harakeke
Kei whea te kōmako e kō
Kī mai ki ahau
'He aha e mea nui o te ao?'
Māku e kī atu
'He tangata, he tangata, he tangata'