New scholarships bring more opportunity for young Māori

Partnerships between Parininihi ki Waitōtara and Taranaki iwi have enabled the creation of two tertiary scholarships to help ākonga achieve their aspirational goals.

The agreements with Ngāti Maru and Ngāti Mutunga see the two academic grants, worth $2,500 each, added to the existing 24 scholarship awards administrated by PKW.

“We now have co-funding agreements with five Taranaki iwi that play an essential role in helping our whānau to follow their dreams,” says Puna Wano-Bryant, PKW’s General Manager Shareholder Engagement. “Supporting Taranaki Māori in this way means we are investing not only in their future, but in the future of all Māori as these individuals help to strengthen us with knowledge and skills we will need in the future.”

Any student eligible to apply for an education grant will qualify for consideration for these awards, and the pūtea comes with no restrictions on how it is used to cover study costs.

“Previously, scholarships have been paid directly to the institution at which the recipient is studying to offset fees,” explains Puna. “This meant that students who qualified for fees-free tutoring missed out, so we have made that change to enable more applicants to be considered for the award. Both PKW, Ngāti Maru and Ngāti Mutunga wish to encourage and enable as many people as possible to apply for support.”

The application process requires students to be studying in an area that aligns with iwi kaupapa. Selections will be made from the general pool of applicants received by PKW and representatives from both iwi will sit on the interview panel to make the final choice.

“The face-to-face interviews are an important part of the process,” says Puna. “While the scholarships are primarily designed to provide practical support to students, they also create an opportunity for us to build connections with whānau, to help them understand they are a valued members of our community.”

“By meeting them face-to-face, we are saying that they are an important part of our future and we want them to know we are there to support them, wherever their goals may take them.”

Applications for scholarship support can be made via the Taranaki Scholarships and Award online portal (taranakischolarships.communityforce.com) which is provided in partnership with Venture Taranaki and the Bishop’s Action Foundation. “The portal is helping to make applying for a scholarship a more straightforward process,” says Puna. “It is bringing all the scholarships, educational grants and study awards together in one place, so applicants don’t have to complete multiple application forms. Complete the online process and you will automatically be considered for all the scholarships you are eligible for.”

Anaru Marshall, General Manager of Ngāti Maru, said: “Te Kāhui Maru is excited about partnering with PKW on this initiative to provide scholarship support to Ngāti Maru uri. This partnership enables members of our iwi to progress on to higher education and greater opportunities for themselves, and for the future of their whānau.”

Paul Cummings, CEO Ngāti Mutunga at time of signing, echoed this kaupapa, adding: “We would like to encourage as many people as possible to go to the Taranaki scholarships portal and apply. Scholarships represent an opportunity to walk that path towards fulfilling your dreams – so take it!”

Puna is keen to continue to build the range of scholarships available for Taranaki Māori to access through building relationships with iwi, suppliers and strategic partnerships that can benefit PKW shareholders and their whānau.