Funding win creates opportunities for young shareholder whānau

Securing funding to support young people as they gain hands-on learning and experience in conservation has led to the creation of five new roles at PKW.

The new positions take the form of a Kaiārahi Taiao (Cadet Supervisor) and four Kaitiaki Taiao (Taiao Cadets) and will be in place for a minimum of three years.

“PKW was successful in receiving a grant totalling $1.2 million from the Department of Conservation’s Mahi mō te Taiao (Jobs for Nature), programme that promotes a regional approach to conservation,” says Puna Wano- Bryant, General Manager Shareholder Engagement. “We are collaborating with Tupuānuku, a Ngāti Maru initiative, to enable iwi and hapū to help us with restoration work on our whenua and awa.”

“Tupuānuku is the response to the need Ngāti Maru saw for connecting iwi members with organisations needing assistance to fulfil their kaitiaki responsibilities, and we are proud to be working with them to train our new kaimahi.”

The $1.2 billion Mahi mō te Taiao fund was developed as part of the response to the economic downturn caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic to create jobs and economic support for people and communities across Aotearoa, while enabling positive environmental outcomes.

“The interest in the programme and the roles PKW has on offer has already been very positive, and we are proud to be able to offer meaningful opportunities that will provide young people with the training and support they need to set out on a path to a career in conservation,” says Puna.

The Kaitiaki Taiao will attend formal classroom and field training courses during the first year before getting practical experience in conservation techniques such as riparian planting, fencing, pest control, revegetation, and managing the health of waterways. They will become familiar faces on PKW whenua, as well as assisting iwi with other restoration projects in the wider rohe.

“It is going to be very satisfying to see our own people working on their whenua, caring for it for the benefit of future generations while building their own future at the same time,” says Puna.