New iwi scholarships launched

Two new tertiary scholarships have been established as part of a growing partnership between Parininihi ki Waitotara (PKW) and iwi.

Last year PKW Trust rolled out the first joint iwi scholarship with Te Korowai o Ngāruahine Trust. Now it is partnering with Te Kāhui o Taranaki and Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa to offer two additional scholarships, the PKWTaranaki Iwi and the PKW-Te Atiawa Iwi undergraduate scholarships.

Mitchell Ritai, PKW General Manager Shareholder Engagement, said it was important to partner strategically with iwi to broaden our suite of scholarships.

“Building relationships with our iwi will provide more opportunity to support our people who are entering into tertiary education. We hope these investments will continue into the future, and we’d like to have the same conversations with other iwi. There’s always a need for skills to come home.”

Each $2500 scholarship aims to support Bachelor-level study in Environmental Planning or Resource Management studies – a focus that aligns with the immediate and projected business needs of both PKW and iwi.

Hemi Sundgren, CEO of Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa, says the focus on environmental management reflects the strategic challenges facing iwi.

“We have a generic educational portfolio that supports broader opportunity to access scholarships, but some areas need targeted investment. This is our first focused scholarship.”

“There are a lot of pressures on our environment; this will be magnified as the impacts of growth are felt across our region. Coupled with the impacts of carbon emissions and climate change, it becomes critically important to support our people into planning and natural resource management. There is a real shortage of our people working in this space.”

The PKW-iwi relationship was built on the shared intent to find ways to help Taranaki Māori grow and learn. “We acknowledge we can’t do these things alone; we rely on partnerships with those who share the same values,” says Hemi.

Wharehoka Wano, CEO of Te Kāhui o Taranaki, said the developing relationship between the three entities was a strategic response to issues held in common.

“Environment and resource management is just one example, but a priority as we push back against the progressive nature of our changing environment, land use intensification, development, mining, oil and gas, climate issues.”

“As kaitiaki we’re concerned with the impacts on our land and waters. We have to monitor and manage these activities. We need good people on the ground who value our mātauranga and can mix it with these companies, councils, government and others.”

“It just makes sense to collaborate in growing our people across these areas.”